Researching my pending HW97K tune. What tune kit would be best? Maccari or Vortek? HO spring or not? Thanks !
HW97K Tune
- Thread starter readyfisher9
- Start date
The HW97 has the same power plant as the HW95. In both of my HW95s I've had very good results with the Maccari Hornet spring and Vortek piston seal.
I've never tried a complete kit. I just added the new springs and piston seals.
I've never tried a complete kit. I just added the new springs and piston seals.
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Hard to beat the arh springs. I use his seals, but lots like the combo of his spring and vortex seal. Also grab a extra seal in your order as a just in case back up to have handy .. you hate to just reorder a (1) seal if a oops happens.
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I did a vortek 12 foot pound and ended up with 11 fpe. I put in a power washer and I got 12.4 foot pound but I have to cock it harder for the safety to engage. I should have left the power washer out. I’m not sure if I messed something up or the washer is the problem. With two washers it would not cock. I have a full power vortek kit waiting to go in it. It is a joy to shoot at the lower power but I’m and American and I like horsepower.
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Might I suggest another alternative
Tony Leach Has a 22mm piston tune for HW97.
My personal experiences with ARH, Vortek, Tinbum, tunes for my TX200 indicated that the Tony Leach tune was second to none. Almost recoilless.
I assume that his HW97 tune would do the same. The down side are that it's a Max of 12 FPE. Not a problem for me as I shoot WFTF Piston. and Cost, Tony Leach tune kits are not cheap.
As stated above, if you want POWER, go with either Vortek or ARH.
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Edit , response to #8 below
Well
Given a choice of a variety of sub 12 FPE tune kits, I would still choose Tony Leach.
They are that good. In my opinion and personal experience, worth the extra cost (just my 2 cents).
Yeah it's a shame they are unobtanium here in the USA.
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The piston or compression tube is bottoming out on the washer before the safety is engaged. You need a smaller diameter washer. I've run into this and outer guide flanges that were too thick a few times with the Vortek kits.
The second washer prevents the piston from latching. The piston latches first then kicks out the safety. Your one washer is borderline. Be careful, it's possible for the trigger to latch with out engaging the safety.
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Well ?
NEW Adjustable power kit from under 12 ft lbs to near Fac levels all in one kit.
Fits HW85-95-R9-10-11-HW98 and HW77-97 All years
New HW95-77-97 GSX OS UK Kit -Adjustable Power
Maccari Custom Airgun Shop. Airguns and related accessories. Springs,tune kits,gunstocks,Beeman, Rws, Webley and many others. Sales and service
www.airrifleheadquarters.com
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Unless something changed recently all the Tony Leach kits are now going through Nitrocushr. Not sure if has them in stock yet, but when he does you’d have to send your action to him to be fitted. So, no DIY if that matters to you. Also saw a discussion from a few years back where he was talking about changing power levels. Said it could be done by changing preload but sounded like shot cycle might suffer.
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According to Tony, as of last week he had not shipped any kits to Steve. Probably selling everything he makes right there in Merry Old. Uj
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I’m kind of a fan boy of vortek. Have used ARH spring they are good but always use. Vortek
piston seal I just removed and ARH spring from hw95 installed a vortek spring and seal. To early to tell if it is better. My HW97 will be getting. Vortek soon
piston seal I just removed and ARH spring from hw95 installed a vortek spring and seal. To early to tell if it is better. My HW97 will be getting. Vortek soon
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I don’t shoot the gun often and only at the range for that reason. I might try a smaller diameter washer because the gun truly is a joy with the lower cocking effort with the 12 fpe kit. My guess is that the kit is closer to 12 fpe with .22 caliber and lower for .177. I got greedy and put the washer in for more speed and was left with a bench only gun for safety purposes.
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Still breaking in the Vortek PG4HO tune but it's a scalpel at 15fpe. Usually tuning down, but kept this one lively. Very well mannered. Zero regrets.
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I got a cut down Vortek PG3 HO kit in my 177 97. It makes about 14 fpe. Shoots very nicely at that power. It's shot a few half inch or better groups at 50 yards. Definitely my easiest gun to shoot accurately. It's probably because of the additional weight and lightly reduced power. I have break barrels that will tie or beat it's group sizes, but they don't do it often. The best group of the day is usually determined by whichever gun has a better working tin of pellets for that particular gun.
It's my only underlever. They're not really my thing. This gun's been up for sale more than once but I always wind up keeping it. It's my least used rifle. Just too heavy to be enjoyable for me.
It's my only underlever. They're not really my thing. This gun's been up for sale more than once but I always wind up keeping it. It's my least used rifle. Just too heavy to be enjoyable for me.
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As others have stated I also suggest the ARH kit with a Vortek seal along with a through clean/polish & re-lube with Krytox GPL-205. My 17 FPE HW95L .22 is accurate and a joy to plink with.
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I have several 97’s and only 1 so far got a Vortek in my .20 cal. All I can say is wow. Super happy. I will try other manufactures, probably not till fall. Crow
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I am also researching a "tune" on my HW97 in .177 I bought it a little under 2 years ago and have about 10 to 14 thousand rounds through it. It has lost power. I purchased a chronograph to confirm and it is shooting 622fps. I have tried a few drops of silicone throught the transfer port, that helped for a while but I think it's time for a new piston seal and a new spring while I'm at it.
After reading the suggestions and descriptions on this forum and others I have decided to use an Air Rifle Headquarters spring; otherwize known as a Maccari spring: and a Vortek piston seal. I think it's fair to say that I will be swapping out parts, not really tuning the rifle.
I have been cautioned by shooter friends not to do it myself. The ARH website says that their target customers are professional tuners and not the general public. A pro tuner would charge about $300 and doing myself will be about $100. I'm giving it a try.
Although I'm not a tuner, I have owned motorcycles and go karts and cleaned and changed carburetors, coils, diaphragms etc. I do my own breaks, cut my own hair, change my own oil. I'm giving it a whirl.
Right now I am puting together a DIY spring compressor. I also play piano, and have great respect for springs.
I chose the ARH / Maccari Hornet spring because it's my understanding that Maccari has been making springs longer than most of the competition and his springs have been described as "docile". My experience with trampoline springs and motorycycle suspension springs over the years tells me that an abrupt spring is not what most people want. With trampolines a spring that catches you and gently absorbs energy then returns it in a non abrutpt "docile" way is what professional gymnasts are after. Harsh springs are tough on the body and although they feel powerful they return less power than a quality "soft" feeling spring.
I will be looking forward to see how you make out on your jorney. Are you going to have a tuner install the parts? Are you experienced at this?
After reading the suggestions and descriptions on this forum and others I have decided to use an Air Rifle Headquarters spring; otherwize known as a Maccari spring: and a Vortek piston seal. I think it's fair to say that I will be swapping out parts, not really tuning the rifle.
I have been cautioned by shooter friends not to do it myself. The ARH website says that their target customers are professional tuners and not the general public. A pro tuner would charge about $300 and doing myself will be about $100. I'm giving it a try.
Although I'm not a tuner, I have owned motorcycles and go karts and cleaned and changed carburetors, coils, diaphragms etc. I do my own breaks, cut my own hair, change my own oil. I'm giving it a whirl.
Right now I am puting together a DIY spring compressor. I also play piano, and have great respect for springs.
I chose the ARH / Maccari Hornet spring because it's my understanding that Maccari has been making springs longer than most of the competition and his springs have been described as "docile". My experience with trampoline springs and motorycycle suspension springs over the years tells me that an abrupt spring is not what most people want. With trampolines a spring that catches you and gently absorbs energy then returns it in a non abrutpt "docile" way is what professional gymnasts are after. Harsh springs are tough on the body and although they feel powerful they return less power than a quality "soft" feeling spring.
I will be looking forward to see how you make out on your jorney. Are you going to have a tuner install the parts? Are you experienced at this?
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