Tuning Help, Avenger shoots to the right!

Jump to latest Follow Reply
Lots of suggestions here about your unusual problem. I’m wondering if something called “muzzle hop” could be the culprit, usually caused by an imperfection near the muzzle. If it weren’t for the transfer port alignment you could rotate the bbl 180degrees and see if the group moves to the other side. Otherwise it seems the hole in the receiver that receives the bbl is off center but I think you would nave noticed the bbl not aligining with the air tube. ???
 
Upvote 0
while I'm not sure, I'm thinking the receiver is defective. Why you ask? At 15 yards not only did it shoot 6 inches to the right, it shot 8 inches high! At 15 yards, I'd expect to be a little low, not high. As these rings are windage and elevation adjustable, I raised the front end of the scope 3/8 of an inch and almost maxed out the front elevation on the scope. That means the barrel is out of alignment to the right and pointed up.

I used calipers and to the best of my ability (I'm no machinist) it appears that the screws on top of the receiver are straight and align with the center of the receiver. So, either the barrel is crooked or perhaps the hole in the receiver is off kilter a bit. Since I rolled the barrel on a flat table and it was about as true as I've seen, I'm leaning more to an improperly machined receiver. As they say, stuff happens.

I also thought about twisting the barrel 180 degrees, and even did it. I pulled the trigger and it just didn't sound right. Then I realized, as you said, the transfer port was in the wrong position. DARN!

Anyway, a learning experience. Not one I want to repeat any time soon, but a learning experience.

Maybe I'll try a new barrel one of these days just in case it is a barrel problem. For now, a couple other projects waiting, and I need to get them done before winter.
 
Upvote 0
I'm leaning towards a problem at the barrel crown. When I was a kid my grandfather gave me an old marlin .22lr. The thing shot terrible missing large targets at short range. You'd think the barrel was curved like a banana so I stuck it in the closet for years. When I started working in a gun shop I decided to rework the old gun. So I cut the barrel back to 20 inches, made it free floating in the stock, did a trigger job, refinished the stock and mounted a 6X scope. With standard CCI hollow points it would shoot quarter size groups at 100 yards providing there was zero wind.
Have a good look with a magnifying glass at the muzzle end of the barrel. If not the crown it could be a choke problem.
 
Upvote 0
SL58,

No question that a finely crowned muzzle as pictured is desirable for fine accuracy. But it seems your problem is more severe. Being an early re-pac yours seems to share the same symptoms as my 25cal had; accurate shots but WAY off center. So bad that the scopes just ran out of adjustments. Using thin matchbook cardboard shims under both the rings to scope/ and mounts to receiver to position the scope I was at least able to get on target with the factory set up. Knowing this still was wrong I bought the metal replacement piccatiny rail aftermarket scope base mount for the receiver and it solved my problem. They were offered both on EBay and from Pyramid Air for $40, Uhg! But it worked and now I have full adjustment abilities with my scope like with my other rifles.

I understand the other projects taking priorities and becoming sour on the Avenger, but I have to tell you how pleased I am that I didn’t just put mine away. As it shoots now with mods it equals or surpasses all of my other pcp’s at long range.

🤠
 
  • Like
Reactions: 190mech
Upvote 0
Tomygun1 said:
SL58,

No question that a finely crowned muzzle as pictured is desirable for fine accuracy. But it seems your problem is more severe. Being an early re-pac yours seems to share the same symptoms as my 25cal had; accurate shots but WAY off center. So bad that the scopes just ran out of adjustments. Using thin matchbook cardboard shims under both the rings to scope/ and mounts to receiver to position the scope I was at least able to get on target with the factory set up. Knowing this still was wrong I bought the metal replacement piccatiny rail aftermarket scope base mount for the receiver and it solved my problem. They were offered both on EBay and from Pyramid Air for $40, Uhg! But it worked and now I have full adjustment abilities with my scope like with my other rifles.

I understand the other projects taking priorities and becoming sour on the Avenger, but I have to tell you how pleased I am that I didn’t just put mine away. As it shoots now with mods it equals or surpasses all of my other pcp’s at long range.

🤠
Click to expand...
I may try the new rails, but for now, PA is out of stock. They also keep a pretty tight control on parts, as seal kits are available and gauges, but everything else requires a service ticket. When I get time, I'll try the crown process, but that may take a while. When the rails are available, I may pick up a set as well. THis is now a project gun to figure out what's wrong. May be next week, may be next year, maybe never. We'll see over time.

It is consistent with JSB 15.89's in my case. at 15 yards, literally 8 of 10 in the same hole, just 6 inches to the right and 8 inches high. I really look forward to finding the answer and I hope it's simple like a set of after market rails.

Edit:
The rails must be back. just checked and 4 are left. will probably wait till I have an order with free shipping. no reason to make them $50 rails if I don't have to
 
Upvote 0
Rails arrived today and took care of half of the problem. It no longer shoots high. Still shoots to the right. I even removed the stock and factory barrel band and still shoots to the right. It groups nicely, but still, not enough deflection in the scope.

Thinking next step will be to recrown the barrel. If that doesn't work, possibly buy a new barrel. Or, just shim the barrel to shoot to the left of where it shoots now. Haven't decided just yet.

Oddly enough, this is a puzzle and I love solving this kind of puzzle.
 
Upvote 0
Have you checked alignment of the barrel to the block? I once bought a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt that shot to the right and there was not enough adjustment in the rear sight to get it center.
Took it to a gunsmith and the barrel had been installed canted slightly to the right. In other words the hole in the frame for the barrel was not drilled square with the face of the frame.
 
Upvote 0
Chukar60 said:
Have you checked alignment of the barrel to the block? I once bought a Ruger Blackhawk in 45 Colt that shot to the right and there was not enough adjustment in the rear sight to get it center.
Took it to a gunsmith and the barrel had been installed canted slightly to the right. In other words the hole in the frame for the barrel was not drilled square with the face of the frame.
Click to expand...
That could be very well the case, but I don't have tools or knowledge to properly check. I've had the barrel out several times (twice tonight) and I've carefully reinstalled each time. I also had a rifle installed improperly and had to take it apart and reinstall very carefully. Now it shoots straight.

One of the other posters used strips cut from a can to shim the barrel the direction he needed. I might eventually have to do the same!

Re-crowning seems to be helping. It appears that the rifling may not have extended to the end of the barrel. I'm putting a fairly deep crown on using the good old brass screw and valve grinding compound. Probably 20 to 30 minutes of grinding, but the rifling now reaches the crown.

In the past, didn't have anywhere near enough windage to get the scope close, but tonight was able to get on the mark. Still pushing to the right of center but getting closer all the time.

Many thanks for all the input!
 
Upvote 0
dylanscott said:
Total bummer
Click to expand...
Yeah, bummer, but Just part of the game. I buy lots of used and refurbs, and most of the time, it works out just fine. Once in a while, you get a truly defective item that made it through the QA process. This is one thing they just don't test for. my fault I didn't shoot it during the 90 day warranty, life happened!

I do like the Avengers, and to be honest I've learned a whole lot on this one. First time I've recrowned a barrel. I've had it apart, know how to do basic maintenance and repairs, so I know the gun via the fix process.

Put another 100 rounds through it tonight to hopefully work any burrs off from the grinding job I did. I'll try accuracy again tomorrow.

If I buy another Avenger, it'll be new, but I think this one will do nicely! I'm close, very close to having what I hope will be an accurate and fun gun!
 
  • Like
Reactions: heavy-impact
Upvote 0
Crowning really helped, but not enough. Groups at 15 yards are 2 to 3 inches, so no accuracy with anything. Only way I can get a new barrel is to send it in for service, pay $60 per hour and pay for a new barrel. Shipping combined with the costs of service mean the gun is trash, so I'll just put it away or one of these days hack the end off the barrel and recrown again to see if it helps. In the meantime. back to FX. Interesting venture into Air Venturi, but not interested in their products if that's the parts policy.:(:(:(
 
Upvote 0
Saltlake58 said:
OK, I caved and bought the rails. I needed a bag rider for my Impact so that took the total to free shipping. Should be here in a few days. FedEx says Tuesday. With luck, it'll fix the problem and I can go on with shooting. We'll see!
Click to expand...
The chinese made saber tactical rails only register on the machine screw head taper and do away with the directional registers of the front OEM die cast mount.
I like a short light scope so my 6-24X Vector Veyron only needs the rear rail to mount.
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Resources
Menu