FX wildcat 111
Printed From: Kiwi Airgunners
Category: Technical
Forum Name: Pauly's Technical Area
Forum Description: Technical information, Modifications and DIY projects are all in here
URL: www.kiwiairgunners.co.nz/forum_posts.asp?TID=1245
Printed Date: 19 Oct 2025 at 3:19pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 10.14 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: FX wildcat 111
Posted By: flock
Subject: FX wildcat 111
Date Posted: 27 Aug 2025 at 8:59am
| Noticed my fx has dropped in power, all settings fps down 50 to 80 fps. Don't loose air, and shot constistancy is good, getting plenty of shots so thought I had it well tuned. Have retuned it & can't seem to get it back to where it was. Reg normally on just under 100 if I increase it power, the speed goes backwards, always has. Any ideas as to why? |
Replies:
Posted By: KiwiTR6
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2025 at 7:40pm
|
I seem to recall that if the power adjuster is turned when the gun is cocked (a no-no) the hammer spring tension steps can be damaged. Perhaps worth taking a look? I assume the speed going backwards when you increase the pressure is the start of valve lock. Maybe there's been a change in valve return spring tension, another option to check. ------------- Daystate Red Wolf .22 FX Dreamline .22 Diana Outlaw .22 AA S410 .22 HW98 .177 HW30 .177 Diana 340 E-Tec .177 FWB Sport 124 .177 Gamo 900 .22 Baikal IJ-22 .177 Crosman 2240 Custom .22 Brocock GP .22 |
Posted By: flock
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2025 at 8:14pm
|
Thanks will check, lent it to guy who may have screwed that up, should know better. Piece of gear you should not lend. |
Posted By: KiwiTR6
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2025 at 8:32pm
...along with your chainsaws!
------------- Daystate Red Wolf .22 FX Dreamline .22 Diana Outlaw .22 AA S410 .22 HW98 .177 HW30 .177 Diana 340 E-Tec .177 FWB Sport 124 .177 Gamo 900 .22 Baikal IJ-22 .177 Crosman 2240 Custom .22 Brocock GP .22 |
flock wrote:Posted By: flock
Date Posted: 28 Aug 2025 at 9:10pm
|
Posted By: Pauly5
Date Posted: 29 Aug 2025 at 7:17am
| Yes, could be worth taking the power adjuster off to make sure it hasn't been damaged, also check there isn't any debris in around the hammer spring area. |
Posted By: flock
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2025 at 8:51pm
Power adjuster looks fine, checked all other things, put back together, moved pellet probe forwards slightly. Power back at full on 7 after tuning, but somewhat eratic incroments in speed dialing back, what was 2 power 760fps is now is 3 or slightly more. 
|
Posted By: Pauly5
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2025 at 7:10am
|
So it seems that something in the hammer has changed. 1. It has lost some of it's original power. (Hammer power) 2. is not hitting consistantly When you took the hammer assembly out was there any damage or deforming of the power wheel bearing surface, spring our guides? Make sure there are no small bits of metal causing hang ups. Could the guy you lent it to of opened it up to try and fix it and lost something like hammer weight? Check the barrel hasn't moved forward and that the O rings are still in place.
|
Posted By: flock
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2025 at 9:14pm
| Done all that, thinking it is the AMP regulator, never operated as it should, max power has alway been stuck on 97 turn it up stayes resonable, but after 110 power always diminishes no matter how much hammer adjustment. Might have to gret a hume air plemum/ regulator replacement. |
Posted By: Pauly5
Date Posted: 22 Sep 2025 at 10:34pm
|
Have you taken the reg apart and given it a polish? Maybe it's binding and won't adjust. What about increasing the hammer weight and putting in a stronger hammer spring? Sorry if you've already done all this.
|
Posted By: flock
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2025 at 8:36am
|
no haven't haven't played whth the reg, hammer weight & spring - aways back, tunsgsten hammer weight was 2half the standard, slug prob -- got awesome power 70 ftp but only had power setting, full tit. So changed it completely back as I don't have the fast twist slug liner barrel. Most I have ever been able to get out of it 40 ftps usally set at 37. Still getting 37 but the power increments speeds going back have changed, was using setting 1 at 700 fps on close up pigens inside solid hit didn't damage the roof iron, now useing setting 3 to get the same.
|
Posted By: Pauly5
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2025 at 8:46am
| Ok, one last guess. Does you barrel have the two transfer ports on it? Is it possible that the guy who borrowed it swapped that around? A smaller TP would reduce power. |
Posted By: flock
Date Posted: 23 Sep 2025 at 10:45am
| Yep a slug twin hole & pellet single hole, will swop over to the slug, but experience with with that didn't improve anything unless using the adjustable slug prob. I am sure he hasn't played with with any thing so I will degas & look at the reg. Only screw he could have made is to try adjust the power wheel when cocked, checked all that doesn't look damaged. |
Posted By: kruzaroad
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2025 at 6:56am
|
Not a pcp shooter but is it possible some grit has got into the air passages and is causing a partial block. Just a thought |
Posted By: RangerPete
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2025 at 4:32pm
|
Hi Flock, Ive played around with my wildcats a few times and have had some strange and interesting results. I've actually ended up with 4 different hammer weights and I've been planning on doing a whole deep dive into the rabbit hole of hammer weight vs reg pressure to try and work out how that relationship actually works. if I can make sense of it I might even make a video on it. To answer your original question, is it possible that the rifle was left cocked for a long time when it was put away? If the hammer spring was under compression for a log time that might have changed its characteristics??? and could explain lower fps while everything seams otherwise normal? I dont think a drop in fps across the board would be related to the power wheel or damage to it. Possibly a slightly higher reg pressure, just a little??? Also another explination for an across the board slight decrease in fps, could possibly be the hammer spring pre tension screw might have been changed/adjusted??? Even a small amount of adjustment there could easily give a change of 50 to 80 fps across the board but again would hardly be noticeable to the naked eye. Have you ever made a note of what that hammer spring pre tension screw was set at? (Having asked that, I'm only familiar with the Wildcat Mk3, I don't even know if the mk1 and mk2 have a hammer spring pre tension screw???) With regards to turning the reg pressure up and having the fps go down, I experienced the same, but the opposite way round. I was trying to get my fps down, so I turned the reg pressure down (logical thing to do, right?), and the fps went up!!! I think this has something to do with what I mentioned in the beginning of my post, the relationship between reg pressure/pressure behind the valve, and hammer weight. So here is my theory... (still untested, which is why I want to dive into that rabbit hole with 4 different hammer weights). A given hammer weight can only produce an efficient shot when the pressure behind the valve is with in a certain range, which matches that hammer weight. If the reg pressure and the hammer weight are well balanced, the gun is nicely tuned, you get efficient use of air, high shot counts and consistent velocity's. You should be able to adjust the reg/valve pressure a little, with in a "Range" and the hammer should still be able to control (open) the valve in a smooth, controllable way. Just like you should be able to adjust the hammers energy (hammer weight x compression in spring) a little but turning the power wheel. But if you open the reg too much, the valve gets harder and harder to open, less air escapes when the valve opens and your velocity drop. Conversely, if you shut the reg down too much, the valve gets weaker and easier to open, every time the hammer hits it, more air is escaping (even thought it is at a lower pressure, the valve is open longer) and the fps goes up. I think (again untested) if you want to open your reg up to 100 or more bars to get more FPE, you might need a heavier hammer, and maybe even a stronger spring to move that heavier hammer, to balance the stronger valve. Well thats my theory anyway. More testing to follow on my side.... ------------- Walk quietly, but carry a big stick. |
Posted By: flock
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2025 at 8:02pm
| Awesome read, thanks bud. |
Posted By: Pauly5
Date Posted: 25 Sep 2025 at 7:47am
|
Yes the hammer weight/tension vs reg pressure can seem counter intuitive sometimes. A good video, although lengthy, Lane regulators explains the relationship. One big thing to do is to document the changes you get in a graph. This illustrates the relationship and will show you the ballance point of hammer and reg (or tank pressure for un regulated guns). So it can take a bit of time and pellets, but it will become clear when you have the ballance. Of course you can still find a setting that you have good accuracy at, but maybe not as ballanced. The sound of the shot can also be away of finding a tune. Good point Pete makes re hammer spring being cocked for a long period. |
Posted By: flock
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2025 at 10:33am
|
Been having a fair play with a tungsten hammer which weighed heaps too much & only gave me max power on all settings, so trimmed it down to until I got theses working as they should. More power but not quite there, so tried the slug probe, to the pellet transfer, more power, shot the 25g slugs well at 880fps BUT the pellets accuracy went to hell, noticed air coming back. Smacked a rabbit at 80 metres with a slug boy, they hit hard. Anyway put the pellet probe back in and put some time into the setting so as it lined up perfectly with the transfer port, used a fine sharpie, seems the probe needs to be on the forward side of the of the adjustment hole & had slipped back so as to not align properly with the transfer port, was getting slight blow back in the magazine area. So for now sweat again, now getting `916fps on setting 5 18g JBS & 860 with a 25g slug. Should mention I don’t have the faster twist so when the slugs run out I’ll be happy with pellets. P.S JBS pellets seem to be unicorn poo at the moment in NZ any ideas why? |
Posted By: flock
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2025 at 4:58pm
| Correction 945 fps on setting 6 with 18g shoots well |
Posted By: mercs
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2025 at 8:54pm
|
JSB supply has been sporadic for a couple of years in all the common .22 types. When the shipments come in everyone buys multiple tins and stockpiles.
I have chosen to adapt to other brands that seem to remain in stock. H&N and RWS are my everyday choice and Crosman remain an economical plinking pellet. Airguns NZ has JSB listed in smaller quantity tins. They also have the Cometa Exact Jumbo. Air arms in smaller tins? H&N Barracuda 18's look interesting, has anybody used them? |
Posted By: flock
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2025 at 6:30am
| Use the H&N Barracuda 21s they shoot well at 930fps, haven't shot any game with them yet, sure they will be effective |
Posted By: jwabfrog
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2025 at 8:12am
| H&N barracudas work well in my 22 RTI Prophet |
Posted By: RangerPete
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2025 at 10:31pm
|
I might look at putting together another pellet order from Krale if enough people are interested in putting an order together. ------------- Walk quietly, but carry a big stick. |
Posted By: Pauly5
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2025 at 6:29am
| Thanks Pete. I'm ok for now. |
Posted By: flock
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2025 at 9:54am
| me 2 bought 3 tins 18s |