New Arrival FX Unicorn!!!

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Mick-VA

Mick-VA

Member
Jan 27, 2017
550
28
VA, United States
Having owned a FX Wildcat in .22 for the past 1.5 years; I've always wanted one in .177 cal but have never been able to find one anywhere in the US. Not on various forums, retailer websites. On the AEAC review recently on the .25 version, I posed the question on availability of the .177

ddransoml shot me a pm saying that he just bought a .177 Wildcat from AoA. Well, that got me pretty excited since there is not an abundance of short, light, regulated, accurate .177s with a mid mount lever that is factory tuned at 20fpe, which is perfect for launching the 10-11gr .177 pellets. Multiple calls and emails finally revealed the existence of a .177 version and it was in stock (I asked to have them physically walk back and double check). Initial inquiries resulted in "no such thing in the US."

Well, it is finally here in my hands today so now I believe!

initial observations:
  • same basic dimensions as .22 version
  • 26 1/4" long naked
  • 6lbs 3oz naked in synthetic soft touch with FX pic rail vice dovetail
  • Very smooth and quiet operation. Markedly quieter than the .22 which has been my most stealthy gun and benchmark for quiet report and low mechanical noise.
  • JSB 10.34gr @ 928 fps ((most accurate beyond 90yards so far) 19.8 fpe
  • H&N Barracuda 10.65gr @ 908fps
  • Crosman Premier Dome Heavy 10.5gr @ 910
  • Predator Polymags 8gr fit fine in the mag and shoot at 1003 fps and are still somehow lazer accurate out to 50 yards so far despite shooting that hot. Single hole 8 shots at 35 yards. 8 for 8 on a 1.5 inch spinner at 50. Goes against conventional wisdom.
  • incredibly easy to get set up and get shooting accurately right away. Quickly going from boxed, to set up, chrony'd, zero' d and shooting at 35, 50, 73, 82, and 98 yards (very light winds). No fuss, no muss - no aggravation.
  • Pellets it does not like = JSB Monsters and Beasts - big unstable spirals at 75 yards
Set up:
  • FX pic rail for optic
  • Atlas pic rail 3 inch for stock
  • Hugget Belita is quiet and regular size is my new benchmark for stealth
  • UTG medium pic rings
  • SWFA 3-15x44mm Mil/Mil SFP scope
  • BKL 12 way level

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@Matt - shot count checked this morning.

230cc cylinder.
230 bar fill
8 shot mags
Tested with JSB 10.34gr Heavy

Shot 12 magazines on the reg. Used Chrony on the 1st mag (928.4 fps avg) and on the last 12th mag (928.6 fps). Both about 19.8 FPE. Ending pressure was about 115bar indicated on gun gauge. 12th mag ES was only 4.3

Chrony on 13th mag 8 shots = 909 avg fps with an ES of 11. Looks like 105bar left on gauge.

So 12 mags of 8 = 96 shots from 230 down to 115ish bar. RIDICULOUS shot count! Go thru a whole tin of pellets in 5 gun top offs. And cheaper pellets to boot. Side note: The entire 96 shots were at a 1.5 inch steel spinner at 73 yards. No drop or rise through entire 12 mags. 94 of 96 were hits. 1 miss for a gust and 1 miss for new trigger familiarization. I have not yet even cleaned the barrel, which is next.

 
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The range above goes out just past 100 yards in center by large dark tree.

Ok-I hate poking holes in paper cause you gotta go back and forth and clean up. Tried two sets today using JSB 10.34gr. 40 yards set of 4 targets. And 1 prairie dog lookin critter at 80 yards. Light 1-4 mph gusts right to left. But pretty shielded by woods. All shots dialed on turret. Doped for light winds.

So at 40 yards shot .32" to .39" ctc

At 80 yards shot 8 rounds in 1.1" ctc



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Now that I have this thing fully configured, sorted, and proven - I need to clean this thing.

What is the best cleaner to remove all the factory cosmoline (sticky packing grease) they apply for the long trip from Sweden to USA?

Strictly outer metallic surfaces. I generall wipe it off with WD-40. Good to go? Or better suggestions? Just on the outside of the gun.
 
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"Mick-VA"Now that I have this thing fully configured, sorted, and proven - I need to clean this thing.

What is the best cleaner to remove all the factory cosmoline (sticky packing grease) they apply for the long trip from Sweden to USA?

Strictly outer metallic surfaces. I generall wipe it off with WD-40. Good to go? Or better suggestions? Just on the outside of the gun.
Click to expand...
Best exterior cleaner is R.E.M. oil as it is cheap. It makes the gun shiny and works very well with wood finishes too. Do not use internally as they do not work well with o rings. Internally I suggest ballistol. Yeah my last unicorn gun was a .25 fx wildcat that shot laser accurate.no gun I have owned can even compare. Just got back my impact from aoa and it will take some work to get it shooting that good. Still testing it atm. 
 
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Ok good morning! Sitting here at breakfast table drinking iced cold brew coffee and doing a little shooting with the .177 Wildcat as early as 7:30 this morning. Yes I live in suburbia and I have very close neighbors to the sides of my home.

Lets talk about noise. Subjectively, I would call this a quiet rifle. Let's gather some objective data. For those with ADD - just scroll down to results. Next segment adds context but may be TMI for some people.

Measuring equipment - using Audessy pro SPL meter and mic connected to a high end Marantz A/V Pre-Processor. Accurate full spectrum analysis of dB levels used to calibrate high end home theater systems to reference levels. For you geeks, I'm using C weighted recordings and set at fast response to capture the quick transient peaks and a broader frequency spectrum. The mic is attached to a long 30 meter cable for placement flexibility.

For the propeller heads - you know that the most accurate SPL measurements would be taken in an anechoic chamber like they use while testing $30k speaker systems. Well, I don't have an anechoic chamber to play with. But the great outdoors is a good second place choice. Less reflective surfaces to disturb or influence results.

Baseline measurements for comparative data:
  • Ambient indoor sound pressure level (SPL) measured at breakfast table with 2 refrigerators running , no other noise = 49db
  • Add air conditioner sound from HVAC air return unit = 52db
  • From 1 meter - the sound of ice coffee with 6 ice cubes in a plastic Tervis Tumbler swirled around is 58db
  • From 1 meter - The sound of a quarter (25 cents) dropped onto hardwood flooring from a height of 8 inches is 60db
  • From 1 meter - saying the phrase "where is my coffee" at a normal conversational level is 61db
Wildcat .177 measurements averaged over 8 shots. Measured at 1 meter from the front and 1 meter from the rear off-axis at 45 degrees.

Naked no LDC = 66dB with a higher pitch frequency
With Huggett Belita = 62dB with lower pitch frequency
With Huggett full size = 60dB 

For subjective level human psycho acoustics, a "feeling" of perceived level of double the sound output, the industry norm for this is expressed as 6-10dB. This "feeling" or human perception is not an exact measurable value.

The audio industry utilizes the inverse square law to calculate attenuation of sound over distance. A doubling of the distance from a noise source will reduce the sound pressure level by 6 dB. From my back door that I shoot out of, it is a little over 16 meters (52ft) to either of my side neighbor's back doors. Using this attenuation model and assuming the neighbor had their back door open, the sound emanating from the .177 Wildcat would be measured at 30dB - which is below the ambient sound floor at their house (think a/c, tv, fridge, conversations, etc.

Disclaimer - No animals or pests harmed in this experiment. No rodent flatulance was measured for SPL.
 
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"Mick-VA"@Matt - shot count checked this morning.

230cc cylinder.
230 bar fill
8 shot mags
Tested with JSB 10.34gr Heavy

Shot 12 magazines on the reg. Used Chrony on the 1st mag (928.4 fps avg) and on the last 12th mag (928.6 fps). Both about 19.8 FPE. Ending pressure was about 115bar indicated on gun gauge. 12th mag ES was only 4.3

Chrony on 13th mag 8 shots = 909 avg fps with an ES of 11. Looks like 105bar left on gauge.

So 12 mags of 8 = 96 shots from 230 down to 115ish bar. RIDICULOUS shot count! Go thru a whole tin of pellets in 5 gun top offs. And cheaper pellets to boot. Side note: The entire 96 shots were at a 1.5 inch steel spinner at 73 yards. No drop or rise through entire 12 mags. 94 of 96 were hits. 1 miss for a gust and 1 miss for new trigger familiarization. I have not yet even cleaned the barrel, which is next.






Click to expand...
Wow almost a hundred, super accurate shots from such a small, light package. Very nice :)
How many magazines do you have for it? Have you considered installing magholders?

Matt
 
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