It is apparent that there are several other Impact and Wildcat buyers beside myself, that are having problems with the barrels on these guns. I have seen photos of barrels with what looks like tooling marks in the rifling, as well as deposits that don't go away with use. Second, I have a new Impact .30 barrel that I just sent back to AOA, that seems to be bent or bored off center, because I can't get enough adjustment out of the scope turrets to get it on target. Also the groups are poor @ 30 yards with a 3/4" spread and @ 100 yards with 4" spread. Other shooters are having similar problems. I know that your older designs are very accurate with few problems reported on the forums. I want to know why the new models are having the barrel problems. Did you make new tooling? are the mandrills for pressing the rifling poorly machined or out of spec? or are you so busy now, that you can no longer spend the time straightening and checking the barrels?
I am also seeing problems with the regulator holder seals, that seal against the air tube bores on new or near new guns; I personally disassembled a friends new (leaking) .25 Wildcat and found that the air tube was not even bored straight, causing the boring bar to "miss" near the inner end of the hole. That is hard to get wrong unless the tube is bent or chucked crooked in the lathe. As a machinist, you must know that causes an oval shaped bore that is going to be difficult to seal; I hear from customers that you are recommending turning the Reg holder grooves for larger O-rings. Shouldn't these parts be machined correctly to begin with? Maybe you need to fire or re-train some of your staff. We Air Gunners are spending a lot of hard earned money for these guns, expecting them to live up to your long standing reputation. Please give us a honest answers to our questions....What are you doing if anything to correct the problems and when can we expect to see the quality of these guns to improve. Your great (past) reputation is rapidly going down the toilet.
I am also seeing problems with the regulator holder seals, that seal against the air tube bores on new or near new guns; I personally disassembled a friends new (leaking) .25 Wildcat and found that the air tube was not even bored straight, causing the boring bar to "miss" near the inner end of the hole. That is hard to get wrong unless the tube is bent or chucked crooked in the lathe. As a machinist, you must know that causes an oval shaped bore that is going to be difficult to seal; I hear from customers that you are recommending turning the Reg holder grooves for larger O-rings. Shouldn't these parts be machined correctly to begin with? Maybe you need to fire or re-train some of your staff. We Air Gunners are spending a lot of hard earned money for these guns, expecting them to live up to your long standing reputation. Please give us a honest answers to our questions....What are you doing if anything to correct the problems and when can we expect to see the quality of these guns to improve. Your great (past) reputation is rapidly going down the toilet.