Puzzling FPS readings on TM P226

[Crunchmeister]

As I've posted a few times in the past, I've got an upgraded TM P226.

These are the current upgrades:

Creation metal slide and outer barrel and enhanced spring, and piston head
Guarder steel spring guide
Guarder enhanced nozzle
Nineball 6.03 tightbore inner barrel

I'm running this gun on propane. It's a horrid gas hog, getting barely a mag's worth of shots on one complete fill.

I was running it though my new chrony today, and was surprised to see I was barely breaking 250 fps with it. My average velocity with 10 shots turned out to be 246.5 fps. I find this horribly slow for a gun running on propane. It's kick on each shot is pretty powerful and much more pronounced than my other guns, and gave me the impression that this gun was a lot more powerful (mistake on my part). Now that I have solid number, it seems like the muzzle velocity is way too low for this gun.

By comparison, my KSC Glock 17 (with a G&P metal slide & outer barrel, 150% reciol spring and Madbull 6.03 tightbore) is pretty steady with an average of 305 fps. My KJW M9 (stock except for a 150% recoil spring) is also pretty consistent with an average of 312.8 fps. These guns both use propane. My WA 92FS gives me a consistent 225 (using duster). My WA 1911 averages 218.9 on duster as well.

All guns were tested using MetalTech .20g BBs, which are quality BBs. I also tested the P226 with KSC Perfect .20g just to make sure, and results were consistent.

So it seems my 226 is seriously underpowered. Any ideas as to what could be causing this?

[cranberry]

i have the same gun and i have done nothing to it and i am having the same readings... the gun is all stock and the fastest shot i got off was around 280. I am running off propain as well...

[Crunchmeister]

I'm considering returning the gun to its stock form so I can chrony it and see what it's like and see how the "upgrades" have affected it. If I can't get this thing up to at least the same levels of performance of my other GBB pistols, I may just go back to stock and sell it then get a KJW P226 instead. I hear that the Creation metal slide may fit work on the KJW, so I can at least have trademarks on the slide.

[Omi-san]

My TM P226 stock, using .20 KSC Perfect BBs and Madbull chrony: 280fps.


Maybe you need those hi-flow valves for better fps with the metal slide and springs?

[Crunchmeister]

I was thinking of high-flow valves as well, but I'm barely able to shoot a full mag of BBs on what I consider to be overfilling the mag (till propane squirts out - about 12 seconds). I'll be lucky to get 10-15 shots off per mag with those valves.

[Omi-san]

Now that you have a chrony, you can go step by step with your upgrade and test the pistol after each new part is installed. Maybe you'll find where the problem lies.

[Crunchmeister]

Yeah, that's a good thing, I guess. Still means I have to tear into the gun again, which I wasn hoping I wouldn't have to. Oh well. I'll see how it goes. If I can't get this thing up to par, then it will be returning to stock form and finding its way onto the ASC classified for sale or trade towards a KJW instead.

I'm starting to have a serious dislike for TM guns. They may look flawless, but they seems to be nothing but trouble, at least for me.

[Denver Keith]

Out of curiousity, anyone know whether TM p226 internals are compatible with KJW's version?

I have a KJW p226 and was considering upgrading the spring, spring guide and high-flow valve, but those parts are only available for the TM.

[Styrak]

Crunch, I'm assuming it's because of the metal slide. My stock KJW P229 shoots 270, so that FPS isn't that strange.

[LUTNIT]

thats really weird, I had a TM P226 with metal slide and enhanced recoil spring, thats it. With BB Bastard .20's and propane I chronied 370-390fps in late summer weather (below 20'C.)

[dodger_me]

Try it with a brand new bottle of propane, also make sure you really warm the mags up after filling

[Crunchmeister]

Mine was test fired indoors at a temperature of about 20 C, no hopup, and that's all I could get out of it. That's pretty sad performance IMO. It should be able to shoot a lot harder than that. I'd be happy in teh 280-ish range, but I was really hoping that this gun would turn into my 'powehouse' in the 340-ish range. Doesn't look like I'll be able to get that out of this gun.

It's a new propane cannister (just cracked it open to fill the gun), and left the mags cool about 5 mins before shooting.

[Styrak]

Originally Posted by Crunchmeister

I'd be happy in teh 280-ish range, but I was really hoping that this gun would turn into my 'powehouse' in the 340-ish range.

Why did you think it was going to be your "powerhouse"? Because of the tightbore? You don't really have any other performance-enhancing parts.

[ex]

Why do you want a pistol that shoots 340 to boot? Also wait until your playing in Mid August when it's 30+ on Propane..you'll get your FPS boost. I know my stock P226 shoots a consistent 300 +/- a few fps on propane.

[Crunchmeister]

Well, the other performance enhancing parts just made the gun worse. The new airseal chamber caused problems. The enhanced hammer spring caused the mag to empty of gas in less than 10 shots. The Guarder enhanced nozzle does nothing (as far as I can tell). Ditto for the new piston head too.

This was to be an upgrade platform, but seems that every new part I've added to it deteriorates its performance that much more. high flow mag valves and an internal rocket valve should increase performance, but I'd like to be able to fire off a full mag worth of BBs on one fill. I'm barely getting that out of the gun now. With anything high-flow in there, that will increase gas consumption even more.