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Air Arms TX200 HC

By: Mark Camoccio

Mark Camoccio Air Arms TX200 HC (Hunter Carbine)

When a product stands the test of time, it normally means the manufacturer has got something right from the very start… and so it is with the classic rifle on test here.

The TX200 itself was always likely to be successful, being based as it was, on the ground breaking Weihrauch HW77. What the HW77 gave us was an incredibly robust design, complete with fixed barrel accuracy, and you can hardly blame other manufacturers for lifting some of the features for their own rifles.

In theory at least the Air Arms TX range goes several stages further, and the technical specifications really are quite impressive. Legendary airgun designer, Ken Turner, now trying to be semi-retired and enjoy some fishing (if I’d stop pestering him about custom engineering jobs), was of course the man behind much of the original TX. With his know how and attention to detail, coupled with Air Arms’ gift for precision engineering, a British classic was born. This HC (Hunter Carbine) variant, helps to trim a little of the weight from the super front-heavy original, whilst retaining a front bias with regards to balance, and the end result is a superb piece of fit for purpose engineering quality.

Quality design and build

For those unfamiliar with the layout, let me elaborate. The TX200HC is basically a spring piston powered, under-lever cocking air rifle, which delivers close to the legal limit power output, in a high quality sporter package. In keeping with current market trends, the rifle is deemed to be British made, yet comes fitted with a German Lothar Walther barrel, and an Italian produced stock. Lothar Walther supply barrels to much of the airgun industry, and Minelli stocks of Italy, are doing much the same, since they can satisfy the economies of scale, so necessary to a company such as Air Arms. Every other component is precision formed on cutting edge CNC machinery at Air Arms’ factory in Sussex.

Overall finish is exemplary, and the rich lustre of the chemical blueing really is a credit to the company, and the preparatory manufacturing processes. The current trend may well be for more maintenance free finishes, and a move away from the traditional, yet properly applied chemical bluing can rarely be matched for looks.

The HC spec gives the TX a real snub nosed look, and with a 9inch barrel set within a 10inch shroud, the front end really looks the part, as well as helping the HC to handle that little bit faster. The down side is the fact that trimming the barrel means a trimmed under-lever too. This means increased cocking effort due to reduced leverage, is unavoidable. That said, my range report is somewhat surprising, but we’ll come to that later. The knurled cocking aid is now supplied as standard, whereas it used to be an optional extra when the rifle was first introduced. One point to note here though, is that the under-lever is retained by the use of a spring loaded clip at the muzzle- and spring pressure is all that keeps it in place. This means that fitting a sling swivel could be an issue further down the line. Again, despite my observations, the tension is such that the swivel could probably be fitted to the rear of the lever and the lever still remain in place when the sling is utilized.

The barrel shroud itself acts as an initial expansion chamber, whilst a small plastic ‘top hat’ insert acts as a plenum style silencer. If this is unscrewed, a secondary main silencer can be used, although this may ruin the looks and handling of an otherwise highly compact model.

Trigger happy

Where triggers have been the Achilles heel of many a manufacturer over the years, no such problems have been the case with Air Arms, and their policy of utilizing top shots and engineers along the way, as well as their ultra talented in-house design team, has certainly helped to evolve the brand into the top class marque that it has become today. The CD or ‘Computer Designed’ trigger assembly is used throughout the TX range and is about as good as it gets on a spring powered airgun - given the enormous poundage that the mechanism is expected to hold back. Much like Weihrauch’s legendary Rekord unit, the CD sysem uses a multi component design and clever leverage, resulting in an acceptably light release weight when correctly set. In addition, the curved blade helps to give the feel of the old fashioned set back triggers, so popular with the likes of Venom and Airmasters in the ‘80’s. If I had to criticize, the blade itself would be better with a broader, totally flat facing surface, rather than two thin surfaces coming together. This would spread the load even more, but I accept that this is just my personal taste.

A few years back the TX stocks underwent a serious make-over, incorporating extensive panels of highly original looking ‘fish scale’ chequering. This rather ornate lazer cut design may not be to everyone’s taste, yet there is no doubting the effectiveness of the panels, in providing real grip in the field. The pistol grip area is particularly well executed, with a slim line, palm filling swell, and a highly attractive rose wood cap and white line spacer. The high, roll over Monte Carlo cheek piece gives perfect alignment for scope use, whilst the ventilated rubber butt pad finishes everything off nicely. In short this woodwork does what it should do - and that is to provide a comfortable, supportive handle, to extract the maximum performance from the mechanics.

Direct loading

Over the range, I was really eager to see just how this market leading rifle would shape up in HC guise. Releasing the underlever is just a matter of forcing it from its sprung détente, and this is a reassuringly secure lock up to start with. Pulling the short lever downwards through its arc, reveals the tell-tale clicks synonymous with an internal safety ratchet system. At this point the lever needs to be pulled right through its movement until the button safety catch engages and the trigger mechanism is cocked. The ‘ratchet’ noise can be avoided by holding in the ‘Safelok’ bar on the forend during the cocking process. The entire cocking effort on the test rifle was amazingly civilized, with minimal effort, especially given the carbine specification as stated. Spring noise too was kept to a minimum when completing the cocking stroke, and with the company’s use of nylon bearings on which to run the piston, the expected smoothness of the stroke was much in evidence.

Safety has to be paramount with this design of open breech, and in order to return the cocking lever to the closed position the ‘Safelok’ bar needs to be depressed. This disengages the bear trap device, and brings total peace of mind to the process.

Cocking the TX200 of course exposes the breech, allowing direct feed to the barrel. This in itself, is a great feature, and partly explains why this sturdy classic is so often adopted by FT and HFT shooters alike. Being able to call either an overly tight or sloppy fitting pellet, as it is chambered into the barrel’s breech is a huge asset and the ultimate method in my book of loading an airgun. Feeling the soft lead pellet as it enters the rifling, gives confidence and peace of mind; and the HC ticks the right boxes on that score.

Crisp and slick

Firing this HC model revealed an amazingly crisp and slick action, which really does feel like a professionally tuned rifle, straight from the box. Sub half inch groups are easily on the cards over 30yds, if you do your part of course, and I soon achieved this with both Air Arms’ own Diablo Field, and Falcon Accuracy Plus pellets.

Due to its hunting credentials, I thought it only fair to evaluate the mechanics from the standing and kneeling position, and found that the superb balance (the HC is front heavy), coupled with the excellent CD trigger, made connecting with inch sized kills over 30yds, something of a formality.

To say I am impressed with this rifle is putting it mildly. Easily the slickest TX I have shot to date, and a rifle for any serious hunting rifle shortlist, if you wish to avoid the paraphernalia of PCPs.

Technical Specifications
Model	TX200HC
Manufacturer	Air Arms
Country of Origin	UK
Type	Spring powered underlever
Calibre	.22 on test/.177 available
Weight	8.5lbs
Overall Length	38inches
Barrel Length	9inches
Stock	Beech sporter
Trigger	2-stage adjustable

All Prices Are Guides Due to the Changes in US & European Exchange Rates

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