thebookdoc - 3/13/2010 10:23 AM
I am not so concerned with the suppression as interested in the workings of the design. Disappointed you feel it sounded like a 'cheap' springer... I hadn't heard any comments like that previously. Can you elaborate?
I only mean that it sounds like a low priced springer, not sure how to describe it, basically like most untuned lower priced springer, as opposed to something like a R97 or TX200. I'm sure it would sound and feel smoother with a tune. It was an accurate gun though, more accurate than I can shoot it, and probably not far from a TX. I read a lot of posts on the B40, and one thing that came out is it has a lot of potential, but at the same time the quality control can be a bit lax, so that some will get a great gun, and some won't. I also noticed, at the time I looked into this about two years ago, seemed like people didn't hold on to them for long. I know there's a lot of trading even with good guns, but the B40 seemed even more often. PA stopped carrying them because too many were coming back.
I wouldn't pay full price for what the new TXs are going for now, but I got a like new used Mark 3 in .22 with a nice-figured walnut stock, Centerpoint 44mm 4x12 compact scope with side wheel and rings, for $575 shipped. This is an accurate gun, will hit a vitamin tablet everytime if I do my part at 25 yards, but some B40's will do that too. It comes down to what a person wants in a gun. My B40 was one of the better examples, nice trigger--good as a HW Record. no major problem, just a minor issue with the anti-beartrap lever's hinge pin that is ready to fall out. Basically my B40 was like a Ford Taurus that got a bad paint job (mine had a so so bluing job and also was mismatched where the breech joined the compression tube), it will get you where you want to go pretty reliably, whereas my TX is like a BMW 535 that's probably no more reliable, but you get that ride and handling, and tight over the road feel, that just isn't in the Ford no matter how much money you put into it. Some closer toleranced B40's after a good tune can probably come close to the smoothness of even a tuned TX, but besides the trigger, mine wasn't one of those. Another thing is I paid about $280 for my B40 and to me not a good value at that price, if it were around $180 to 200 I probably would've kept it and put some work into it. I'm not trying to put the B40 down, just a matter of personal preference and priorities.