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..BRNO TAU-7 - Accuracy
Velocity And Consistency
..... ..... ........By Todd Cooper......,,,,,,,..............


 I have been performing various tests on my .177 caliber Brno TAU-7 air pistol for almost a year now. Tests have included accuracy, velocity and consistency of an unaltered gun.
I do all my accuracy testing with the TAU clamped into a Black and Decker Workmate. This assures that no human sighting error is involved in the test. The gun is carefully loaded and fired while having minimal contact between the gun and my hand. This type of shooting is not as stable as a heavy metal framed machine rest but it is far better than what I can do with a sandbag rest. The velocity of the TAU-7 is variable from 325fps to 600+fps. Throughout my testing I have tried different settings according to the purpose of the test. 

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For 10 meter shooting I clamp the bulk filled gun in the workmate for the entire session.
Here is a string of 5 shot groups at 10 meters (485fps with 7.3gr JSB Match pellet):

.232", .259", .180", .250", .251", .259", .213", .294", .230", .132"

Average for 10 groups is .230" ctc.
All groups were measured with a vernier caliper and calculated to center-to-center measurement. Groups #2 and #8 had a slight flyer but the 5 shot group was measured and used for the test. All groups are 5 shots.

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For long distance shooting I clamp the TAU in the workmate and hang the 150 gram tank from the grip of the gun using the bulk adapter.
Here are the group measurements shot at 30 and 40 yards (approx 600fps):

(Click here to view picture of the workmate vice holding the Tau-7)
30 YARDS
CR Premier Lt - .95, 1.00, .80, .95, .90 Ave= 0.92"
JSB Exact -      .70, .90, .70, .40, .90 Ave= 0.72"
RWS Super Pt - .75, .80, 1.00, 1.00, 1.10 Ave= 0.93"
(Click here to view picture of the actual 30 Yds.target used )
40 YARDS
CR Premier Lt - .95, 1.20, 1.15 Ave= 1.10"
JSB Exact -    1.05, .75, 1.05 Ave= 0.95"
RWS Super Pt -1.65, 1.75, 1.40 Ave=1.60"
(Click here to view picture of the actual 40 Yds.target used )
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The velocity with the TAU-7 is just as consistent at a high setting as it is with a low setting.
Here are a couple of velocity strings when the TAU is set at high velocity (77 degree temp):

CPL (7.9gr) - 604, 609, 610, 606, 607 Ave= 607fps
JSB Exact (8.44gr) - 599, 600, 603, 599, 599 Ave= 600fps

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Lower velocity settings are more desirable for short distance shooting or indoor 10 meter target shooting. At a lower setting more shots are obtained from a bulk fill or powerlet. Here is a sample of some velocity readings at lower velocity:

7.3 grain JSB pellets:
484, 486, 487, 486, 487, 485, 490, 487, 491, 492, 491, 493, 492, 495, 494, 495, 495, 498, 494, 495.

RWS R-10 pellets: 422, 424, 422, 422, 424, 426, 423, 426, 425, 426.

RWS MeisterK Lights: 434, 423, 430, 430, 430, 428, 432, 428, 431, 433, 433, 429.

The "consistency test" was done with very little time between shots. Maybe 10 seconds between shots. Two different velocity settings were used for this test. The JSB pellet test had a slightly higher setting.

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I always wondered what happens to the velocity of a TAU-7 as the shot count gets higher. Would the velocity be close at shot #5 as it is at shot #50? A true test is the only way to find the answer. Manuals and assumptions are not always correct . 
Here are the velocity readings at the beginning of a bulk fill (7.3gr pellet). Shots #1-5:
487, 485, 487, 490, 493
  Here are the readings for shots #31-35: 490, 494, 495, 491, 495

Here are the readings for shots #61-65:
492, 497, 491, 490, 490
  The velocity with the pellet tested was within a 10fps range throughout the test. Velocities fell between 485fps and 495fps.
After 71 shots on this bulk fill the muzzle report was suddenly much lower and velocity dropped off quickly. It was very easy to tell when the liquid CO2 was gone and the gun needed another filling. The lower shot noise coincides exactly with a drop in velocity.

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My final test with the TAU-7 involved shot count for various velocity settings. For 10 meter shooters and silhouette shooters the number of shots per fill can be important.
The TAU can be powered with CO2 in three different ways. It is possible to use a 12 gram powerlet, bulk fill the internal reservoir or hang a small tank from the base of the grip. I found the number of shots which I obtained with a good bulk fill was equal to the number of shots obtained with a 12 gram powerlet.
  This should be expected as the internal chamber will easily hold 12 grams of bulk CO2.  When set at 485fps with 7.3 grain JSB pellets I obtained 70-80 shots per bulk fill. I tested one powerlet at this setting and obtained 81 shots before velocity dropped off. During high velocity shooting I did a shot count with the TAU set at 570fps with 7.9 grain CPL pellets at 68 degree temperature. Velocity would have been approximately 600fps with the temperature in the mid to high 70s. The shot count at this setting was about 30 per bulk fill. I obtained as high as 32 good shots. The TAU-7 can also be used with the grey transfer bottle attached throughout the shot. The bottle is attached using the bulk adapter included with the gun. A 3.5 oz paintball tank is the final way the TAU can be used. An adapter can be purchased from Mac-1 to allow this tank to hang from the bottom of the grip just like the longer transfer tank. With hanging tanks the TAU will give hundreds of shots per full tank.

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Part No. Description Part No. Description
6 Front Sight Base 40 Grip
7 Front Sight 40L Left Hand Grip
8 Weight 41 Carrier Pin, Breech Pin or Flap Pin
9 Stepped Weight 42 Reducing Lever Pin or Rocker Arm Pin
10 Breech catch 43 Rear Sight Knob Pin
11 Catch Guard 44 Front Sight Screw
12 Breech Button 45 Forearm Screw
13 Rear Sight Leaf 46 Set Screw or Rocker Arm Stop Screw
14 Rear Sight Insert Carrier 47B/C Set screw
15 - 49 Rear Sight Insert Screw
16 Nut of Vertical Travel 50 Steel Ball - Arrest
17 Screw of Travel 51 Safety Ring
18 Rear Sight Knob 52 Piercer Washer
19 Support Cube 53 Set Screw Washer
20 Set Screw 54 Striking Spring
21 Striking Hammer Assembly 55 Sear Spring
22 Sear 56 Reducing Lever Spring
23 Reducing Lever 57 Rocker Arm Spring
24 Trigger Rocker Arm 58 Valve Spring
25 Trigger Assembly 59 Breech Spring
25S Short Reach Trigger 60 Rear Sight Leaf Spring
26 Hammer Brake 61 Arretment Spring
27 Valve 62 O Ring
28 & 29 Valve Packing & Stiffening Ring 63 O Ring
30 Plug 64 O Ring
31 Stock Nut 65 O Ring
32 Piercer Body 67 Set Screw
33 Piercer Nut 68 Rear Weight Screw
34 Rear Weight Carrier 69 Stock Rest Screw
35 Rear Weight 70 Washer
36 Forearm Nut 71 Palm Rest Nut
37 Stock Support Right & Left A1 125G CO2 Cylinder
38 Spanner A2 BB Adaptor (from CIG/BOC bottle to 125g cylinder)
    A3 Adaptor "02" (from 125g cylinder to pistol)

. .......................................Click on this line to open Other airgun articles By Todd Cooper ..

 

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