New DonnyFL Adapter for JTS Airacuda Rifles

[BBGunn]

JTS Airacuda rifles are overall a good value in an accurate air rifle. However, there are some Airacuda rifles that left the factory with a problem. There are some Airacudas that have an issue with the barrel and the shroud somewhat misaligned. The misalignment on my rifle caused no shooting problem with the rifle in stock form. However, when I added a 0dB moderator on my rifle, pellets started clipping on the last baffle, and exit endcap on the 0dB.

My rifle is a .25 caliber and my moderator is a .30 caliber. There should have been no problem, but pellets were indeed clipping as could be seen with the WILD pellet groupings, and also confirmed with my bore-scope!

I can report that this new adapter did correct the misalignment enough on my rifle that the pellet clipping is not happening and my rifle is grouping better than it ever has! If you (like me) were unlucky enough to receive one of the 'bad' rifles and want to correct the misalignment issue so you can run a moderator, this new DonnyFL offering might also work for your rifle.

Shroud top, new DonnyFL adapter middle, Aircuada stock baffle parts lower.

 

[WorriedMan]

BB,
Thanks, great report. My Max .25 never had the shroud bolt tightened down on the baffle stack, held in place by interior shroud walls, everything loose. .22 rimfire loud, pellet clipping and spiraling flight plagued for months until Firewalker suggested switching shroud end to end to see if less warped. Stack bolt problem found and addressed, accuracy, at last. Switched shroud back to original position, clipping re-started. Shroud returned; clipping gone. Accuracy good now but so-so depending on which moderator used, glad for DonnyFL addressing. Has noise level changed, without a moderator, using DonnyFL insert? WM

 

[jusanothajoe]

Received mine today, will install on my .22 standard tomorrow.

 

[BBGunn]

BB,
Thanks, great report. My Max .25 never had the shroud bolt tightened down on the baffle stack, held in place by interior shroud walls, everything loose. .22 rimfire loud, pellet clipping and spiraling flight plagued for months until Firewalker suggested switching shroud end to end to see if less warped. Stack bolt problem found and addressed, accuracy, at last. Switched shroud back to original position, clipping re-started. Shroud returned; clipping gone. Accuracy good now but so-so depending on which moderator used, glad for DonnyFL addressing. Has noise level changed, without a moderator, using DonnyFL insert? WM

If running the new DonnyFL adapter only without an added moderator the rifle is louder than the stock Airacuda baffle setup. With the new adapter and 0dB moderator it is the quietest I have heard it. I assume that is because I was hearing the pellet strike(s) inside the moderator with the stock baffle setup and added moderator.

Switching the shroud end-for-end did not work on my rifle. I could look in the shroud from the muzzle and see that the barrel misalignment was present, but slightly different either end of the shroud. I tried shooting with the shroud flipped and still had clipping in the added moderator.

 

[BBGunn]

Received mine today, will install on my .22 standard tomorrow.

When you are screwing-in the new adapter you will feel the adapter come into contact with the shoulder/step of the barrel. I contacted DonnyFL about how much torque they recommended on the new adapter after just making contact with the barrel? They told me they contacted JTS with my question and was told that the new adapter should be just lightly snugged once contact was made against the barrel shoulder/step.

I found that if I just made light contact with the barrel that the new adapter would move a little when screwing-on, or off the moderator. That of course would change POI so I cleaned the threads well on the shroud and adapter and used some 'thread lock' to set the mounted position of the adapter. If I need to remove the adapter in the future I can just heat it a little with a heat-gun and remove it without any trouble.

Good luck, hope your rifle works-out with the new adapter.

 

[WorriedMan]

Received mine today, will install on my .22 standard tomorrow.

Manufacturer used glue on shroud end cap threads, hard to remove. Threaded two nuts on exposed threads for moderator and snugged against each other. With wrench on inside nut gently heated shroud end to loosen glue, removed cap without damage.

 

[jusanothajoe]

When you are screwing-in the new adapter you will feel the adapter come into contact with the shoulder/step of the barrel. I contacted DonnyFL about how much torque they recommended on the new adapter after just making contact with the barrel? They told me they contacted JTS with my question and was told that the new adapter should be just lightly snugged once contact was made against the barrel shoulder/step.

I found that if I just made light contact with the barrel that the new adapter would move a little when screwing-on, or off the moderator. That of course would change POI so I cleaned the threads well on the shroud and adapter and used some 'thread lock' to set the mounted position of the adapter. If I need to remove the adapter in the future I can just heat it a little with a heat-gun and remove it without any trouble.

Good luck, hope your rifle works-out with the new adapter.

Thanks for the info !
I have already had mine apart, I had a bad barrel that was a shotgun, got JTS to send me a new barrel.
Now it shoots like it should.

 

[jusanothajoe]

Installed mine today, gun is much louder than stock, installed a buck-rail moderator, maybe just a little quieter than stock now.
Checked accuracy without the buck-rail and was getting good groups, install moderator and pellets went in same holes, so no clipping.
Install was easy.
Will eventually try another moderator to see if I can get it quieter.

 

[BBGunn]

Installed mine today, gun is much louder than stock, installed a buck-rail moderator, maybe just a little quieter than stock now.
Checked accuracy without the buck-rail and was getting good groups, install moderator and pellets went in same holes, so no clipping.
Install was easy.
Will eventually try another moderator to see if I can get it quieter.

Glad the new adapter worked well on your rifle also!

My .25 is pretty quiet with the new DonnyFL adapter and a .30 0dB moderator.

 

[Chris_K]

Thank your for the reports on how these are performing. One thing I was concerned about when I first saw the photos was that the DonnyFL might not be as quiet as the factory baffles, and would force one to use a moderator all the time to be at least as quiet as the stock guns.

 

[BBGunn]

Thank your for the reports on how these are performing. One thing I was concerned about when I first saw the photos was that the DonnyFL might not be as quiet as the factory baffles, and would force one to use a moderator all the time to be at least as quiet as the stock guns.

Yes, you are correct. If a person is not going to run an added moderator then the stock Airacuda baffle setup is quieter than the DonnyFL replacement setup. But to be clear for others whom might read this thread, the DonnyFL adapter with an added moderator is quieter than the stock Airacuda baffle setup.