GTA
General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => China Gate => : AKJC1977 September 13, 2009, 11:06:47 AM
-
Hey guys,I have not posted on the china gate yet. Although I have been a member for several months. Gamo,Viper .177 was my first gun and had Gene tune it. Now Im hooked. After checking to see if there was any distributors in Kentucky where I live,I found Compasseco and the Tech Force guns. At first was very skeptical as price is so good but Gene convinced me that these were not the average Chinese guns and I would not be disapointed. So I just ordered a TF-87,contender series rifle friday. I had considered the new TF-78pc but I just cant get past that cheap looking stock and have had my heart set on a Marauder for sooo long. No doubt the TF pc is probably as good or better but I will wait and let others be the ginny pig first,I know the Marauder is a excellent choice for shooters new to PCP's I hope to post some posts bout the 87 before and after I get Gene to wave his magic wand over it,He says the TF's are his favorite guns to tune and the trigger's are really great to start with. I have heard that they are basically a Beeman power plant replica. Oh by the way Im getting the .22 as I have a .177 in Gamo and want to expand my ranges,also Rick Eustler done a review where he said the .177's he tryed were no where near as built well as .22. That dont make good sense but I wanted a .22 anyway LOL AKJC1977
-
I believe Gene likes the TF89. The TF87 is new and he will not have tuned one yet. I have a TF89 tuned by Gene, and it is so good I am going to get another in .22 and put a custom stock and muzzle brake on it.
I have a TF87, but honestly hadn't even put a pellet through. I was expecting a gun more like the AR2000FC with thumbhole stock, and this is an underlever instead of a break-barrel. I did pick it up...nice feel to it -- a LOT heftier than the TF97.
With the TF89 I don't think you can go wrong. Mine will be looking something like the attached...
-
Yeah I like the 89 too,but I was wanting my first fixed barrel airgun. I can't help but to believe it is a bit more accurate. I know the break barrel return to center good. but after years and thousands of shots may be different. I would assume that the 89 and 87 are probably the same powerplant anyway. With a few cosmetic's and underlever. I bet your the guy Gene spoke of that got a Chinese gun tuned when He tuned my Gamo,Viper. I asked Him bout them when we were discussing what I wanted done and He said He was sending one back same day as mine,and that it turned out with a really good velocity deviation. About Two,Three weeks ago. Sure made my Gamo sweet and im sure yours too. I am also in process of making a custom stock for mine,outta Beech and Walnut. If I really like the 87 I might try a 89 also,for the price it is a good way to start a collection.AKJC1977
-
I had the same idea about accuracy and underlevers, and when it came down to it I just found the underlever a bit easier to cock, but less fun to load. Probably just a personal preference. Don't let me talk you out of it. My TF97 feels like a toy against the TF87...87 is a good 8 inches longer. If you are interested in an underlever, I think that is the one I'd be buying now. Really I'm debating keeping it...but the rifles are mounting up.
I am that guy whose gun went out same day, and the tuned gun is totally awesome. I'd already planned to send Gene my next gun which I thought was going to be the TF87 in .22 with gasram...but now that it turns out the TF87 is an underlever, I'm jumping to the next project and combining the two guns I had in mind: a TF89 in .22 with gasram, custom stock and muzzlebrake. As I'm getting one gun instead of 2 (even just buying 2 guns and a tune for each would have been about $650), the budget for the custom gun can go up. I am so happy with the TF89 in .177 that I'm sure the TF89 in .22 will be a great starting point, and a really great rifle when all's done. I'm figuring about 2 months if all goes well. I wish I'd been ready two weeks ago when the TF89 went on sale for $134. It's only about $15 more now, so it hardly matters in the overall scheme, but I like to get a good deal.
According to the results, the extreme difference in the tuned gun was 15 fps over 10 shots, with only about 3.5 fps ave. That is down from 40 and 11. I had wanted to swap out the trigger, but Gene told me I didn't have to and tuned the one that was on it. It is a new world and he saved me a few bucks here and there. With tune, for about $300, I have an awesome rifle that I'd stack against just about anything. Except the one I'm going to put together as the .22 should be more efficient and probably more accurate than the .177 with more striking power.
-
My followup....I did take a couple shots with the TF87 .22 just to see if I was missing anything before being sure I wanted to send it back. It was fairly smooth out of the box. Felt good...no denying. My first two shots with open sights went in the same hole at 10 yards, standing (Beeman Crows). It was dieseling pretty heavily. I wasn't feeling very confident about the latching, and the anti-bear-trap is a bit awkward (Mind you I was shooting with a TF97 a few years back for almost a year, so I know how those work). Speaking of heavy, if the TF89 is 8lbs, the TF87 is more like 12 (says 9 on their site). It is hefty. I think the heft may have helped dampen recoil. But I think from just the few shots I took, powerful and accurate. A MUCH better rifle than the TF97, which still twangs and diesels for a lot less power. I think you'll enjoy it. If it were my only underlever I'd be keeping it. Had my mind set on a breakbarrel...
-
Hey thanks for sharing that with me Doc,I had the same plan. If I dont like it I will send it back. I did see the size issues and I am not a big man,5'10" and 150lbs So it may swallow me whole. If that be the case I will be all over the 89 in .22.Wish I had known you had one for sale,I would have baught it. I am really drooling for a PCP gun anyway. I have had a lot of break barrel guns since a child. I love them too,but I always want to try something new. I just love how much input ya have with pcp's and that ya can leave them charged long time and pellet weight dont matter as far as destroying it. We both know that not many animals will wait on ya to cock a gun and you dont want to leave a springer cocked long. Keep me posted on your custom stock.AKJC1977