HW97K Tune

[luckybuckeye]

If I remember correctly, the stock spring has a decent amount of preload. You can place your action barrel down on a piece of scrap carpet and get enough leverage to unscrew the trigger block safely. Go slow and keep pressure on it as you unscrew it. If unsure get the airventuri spring compressor.

 

[cjtamu]

Link us to it for a quick look n see

Well, doesn’t look like it’s on his website at the moment. Believe when I ordered mine he said it was The last one he had built. I ordered the adapter for the Diana 3 ball sear trigger. That’s what really kicked me into buying a more versatile compressor. If I figured this out right then link below is to a YouTube video of him using on a FWB.

Edit: I see recommendations for Air Venturi Rail Lock. I have one. We dont need to rehash the fact PA sent me a used one LOL. It works great on some guns, not nearly as well on others. The issue is the lack of any vertical adjustment which means the screw hits where it hits. Disassembly less of an issue than reassembly. Haven’t tried it on HW97 yet. But, try it on a Diana 3 ball sear or on a side lever Diana and you’ll see the issue. That’s why I bit the bullet and bought this. Plan to be taking springers apart for a long time and I’m a big fan of good tools.

 

[Hateful McNasty]

I hobbled together a rail mount out of a one piece scope mount.. sadly the pictures of it was lost on a old device .. it worked great and the plan was to use the old mount and make it a more permanent tool not so hobbled up . One day I'll reneed it again ...maybe. who knows?

 

[luckybuckeye]

Here’s the one I made at work a few years ago. It’s a crude adjustable version of the air Venturi. Only took about 20 minutes to make using scrap. I could have spent more time and made it pretty. Sadly the shop I work at now frowns upon personal work. One could make one like this or similar at home using aluminum and a drill press or hand drill even if a drill press is unavailable. Look up air rifle spring compressors on the google machine for ideas using wood and sawed off c clamps or bar clamps. It don’t have to be pretty to work.

 

[Hateful McNasty]

View attachment 370977
Here’s the one I made at work a few years ago. It’s a crude adjustable version of the air Venturi. Only took about 20 minutes to make using scrap. I could have spent more time and made it pretty. Sadly the shop I work at now frowns upon personal work. One could make one like this or similar at home using aluminum and a drill press or hand drill even if a drill press is unavailable. Look up air rifle spring compressors on the google machine for ideas using wood and sawed off c clamps or bar clamps. It don’t have to be pretty to work.

Pretty darn close to what i made
If it works call it good. Got the job done .

 

[cjtamu]

View attachment 370977
Here’s the one I made at work a few years ago. It’s a crude adjustable version of the air Venturi. Only took about 20 minutes to make using scrap. I could have spent more time and made it pretty. Sadly the shop I work at now frowns upon personal work. One could make one like this or similar at home using aluminum and a drill press or hand drill even if a drill press is unavailable. Look up air rifle spring compressors on the google machine for ideas using wood and sawed off c clamps or bar clamps. It don’t have to be pretty to work.

Can you slide the vertical post that the screw goes through? That’s what’s missing on the Rail Lock. Would be a dang near perfect portable tool if it did. Because on some guns it just doesn’t line up well and even with an adapter it still pushes at an angle. Not sure what their patent says, but someone with machining skills should run with my idea and make the world a better place. And maybe make some coin too ha ha ha.

 

[luckybuckeye]

Can you slide the vertical post that the screw goes through? That’s what’s missing on the Rail Lock. Would be a dang near perfect portable tool if it did. Because on some guns it just doesn’t line up well and even with an adapter it still pushes at an angle. Not sure what their patent says, but someone with machining skills should run with my idea and make the world a better place. And maybe make some coin too ha ha ha.

Yes the vertical post is able to slide up and down. The screw on the back is a set screw that holds it in place. There is also a small flat milled on the back of the vertical post that clocks it and keeps it from going sideways under tension from the spring.

 

[Henzo]

Congratulations Luckybuckeye on that build! I think Air Venturi is a crude version of YOUR compressor. I agree with cjtamu, someone with machining skill could have a great cottage industry making that compressor.

I just finished installing the ARH / Maccari spring, velocity is now 915 fps using Crossman HP pellets. Up from 612. I though the piston seal was going to be the issue but as you can see in the picture; I think it was the spring.

I have a question for my airgun friends.

As per the youtube videos I used a paper towel taped around a wood push rod to clean out the compression cylinder, this made it dry. Should I have lubed the walls with silicone before installing the piston and new seal into the cylinder?

Right now it sounds a little dry and it is, I just cleaed it out with paper towels. I will probably put a couple of drops of silicone airgun lube into the transfer port like I have done before but would it have been a good idea to have done it while I had the rifle apart? Should I have reached in there with a long cotton swab to apply silicone?

Thank you all for your help and thank you for the tips and encouragement on my first tune. The rifle never shot as accurately as now. Smiles of Joy, fantastic.

 

[luckybuckeye]

Congratulations Luckybuckeye on that build! I think Air Venturi is a crude version of YOUR compressor. I agree with cjtamu, someone with machining skill could have a great cottage industry making that compressor.

I just finished installing the ARH / Maccari spring, velocity is now 915 fps using Crossman HP pellets. Up from 612. I though the piston seal was going to be the issue but as you can see in the picture; I think it was the spring.

I have a question for my airgun friends.

As per the youtube videos I used a paper towel taped around a wood push rod to clean out the compression cylinder, this made it dry. Should I have lubed the walls with silicone before installing the piston and new seal into the cylinder?

Right now it sounds a little dry and it is, I just cleaed it out with paper towels. I will probably put a couple of drops of silicone airgun lube into the transfer port like I have done before but would it have been a good idea to have done it while I had the rifle apart? Should I have reached in there with a long cotton swab to apply silicone?

Thank you all for your help and thank you for the tips and encouragement on my first tune. The rifle never shot as accurately as now. Smiles of Joy, fantastic.

View attachment 371857

Did your kit come with any grease or lube of any kind or did you just replace the spring?

 

[Hateful McNasty]

Congratulations Luckybuckeye on that build! I think Air Venturi is a crude version of YOUR compressor. I agree with cjtamu, someone with machining skill could have a great cottage industry making that compressor.

I just finished installing the ARH / Maccari spring, velocity is now 915 fps using Crossman HP pellets. Up from 612. I though the piston seal was going to be the issue but as you can see in the picture; I think it was the spring.

I have a question for my airgun friends.

As per the youtube videos I used a paper towel taped around a wood push rod to clean out the compression cylinder, this made it dry. Should I have lubed the walls with silicone before installing the piston and new seal into the cylinder?

Right now it sounds a little dry and it is, I just cleaed it out with paper towels. I will probably put a couple of drops of silicone airgun lube into the transfer port like I have done before but would it have been a good idea to have done it while I had the rifle apart? Should I have reached in there with a long cotton swab to apply silicone?

Thank you all for your help and thank you for the tips and encouragement on my first tune. The rifle never shot as accurately as now. Smiles of Joy, fantastic.

View attachment 371857

Hay... Why u using my 3 piece springs? Lol.

I just do like you and clean and dry with paper towels and just lube the seal edge and piston good the slide it in and push and pull it by in and out hand 2 or 3 times is all ( cocking distance) . Im sure everyone got there thing on whats right or do . Maybe it's wrong ? Idk just how i been doing it.

 

[Henzo]

Did your kit come with any grease or lube of any kind or did you just replace the spring?

The kit came with the spring 2 plastic spring end guides and heavy tar for spring dampening. I also ordered his molybdinum disulfide grease for metal to metal. I also replaced the piston seal with a Vortek as per recommendations here on the forum.

 

[luckybuckeye]

The kit came with the spring 2 plastic spring end guides and heavy tar for spring dampening. I also ordered his molybdinum disulfide grease for metal to metal. I also replaced the piston seal with a Vortek as per recommendations here on the forum.

You should be good if you applied the grease and tar. It shouldn’t sound dry.

 

[Henzo]

It sounded dry when I drew the piston back when cocking the gun. I put 2 drops of airgun silicon oil down the transfer port. It sounds acceptable now. No honking. I don't know if others lube that part of the piston chamber when doing a seal change. I know I didn't, but next time I think I will.

 

[Hateful McNasty]

It sounded dry when I drew the piston back when cocking the gun. I put 2 drops of airgun silicon oil down the transfer port. It sounds acceptable now. No honking. I don't know if others lube that part of the piston chamber when doing a seal change. I know I didn't, but next time I think I will.

https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2006/08/spring-gun-tuning-part-10-lubrication-and-reassembly/

( Im a bit more liberal but not sloppy on brushing lube on that piston body not thick but i coat it all )

You dont want lube in front of the seal face. The seal if fitted right will "wipe" the lube to the sides/cylinder wall with bare min lube if any getting in front of the seal face.

I would think of it's acting or becoming dry it's under lubed

Another is mixing 2 lubes that dont like each other . They won't jive and roll or wash each other out . And can be a yuck un-functional mess.

Im no pro but trial and error to what seems to work best for me thing . Dont think i don't ever go back and rework my oops .

 

[cjtamu]

I brush moly on with a makeup Q-tip type thing. Very light coat on spring and piston flare. Little around the edge of the piston seal, careful not to get any on the face. Do your trigger while you’re there. Done. Don’t use tar because a little twang doesn’t bother me. Part of the charm of HW IMO. Have done 3 guns this way though and none of them had much buzz when finished.

 

[Frogy]

Just installed a new vortek kit in my HW97k tonight Old spring wasn't broke but badly kinked.

 

[jlharden]

Installed a Vortek PG4 HO kit in my 97K. Pretty darned happy with it. Hope your experience is nearly as good!

 

[Hateful McNasty]

I brush moly on with a makeup Q-tip type thing. Very light coat on spring and piston flare. Little around the edge of the piston seal, careful not to get any on the face. Do your trigger while you’re there. Done. Don’t use tar because a little twang doesn’t bother me. Part of the charm of HW IMO. Have done 3 guns this way though and none of them had much buzz when finished.

You could find a pack of flux/acid brushes cheap around

https://www.amazon.com/Acid-Brushes...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584413749574058&psc=1

Funny ive broke all my springs but ive yet to pull one collapse or sagging.. (yet) even broke in 2 + pieces. Hobbled back together measures out near same as a good set spring.. odd.

Also i dont use that tar in a gun.

 

[Henzo]

I brush moly on with a makeup Q-tip type thing. Very light coat on spring and piston flare. Little around the edge of the piston seal, careful not to get any on the face. Do your trigger while you’re there. Done. Don’t use tar because a little twang doesn’t bother me. Part of the charm of HW IMO. Have done 3 guns this way though and none of them had much buzz when finished.

I agree with the twang and buzz and graunchyness being part of the charm. I always wondered if anyone tried to enhance ths loudness and attitude of an airgun. As long as the sound doesn't indicate that something is wrong, I'm all for it. I'm pretty sure the TbT tuning, uses nothing on the spring because the spring guides are now -not metal- so no need. At least that's what I thought I heard him say. Next time I'm only putting the smallest amount just to stop any rust.

 

[Henzo]

Installed a Vortek PG4 HO kit in my 97K. Pretty darned happy with it. Hope your experience is nearly as good!

Congratulations on the install! PG4 was my next choice. Was this your 1st install?

I am amazed at the accuracy improvement. It is dramatic! I was happy to hit the edge of a 1/2 inch diameter dot at 33 yards with the factory rig. Now it's a swoosh on most shots. Took like 4 shots OK 5 shots but I hit a teaspoon at 80 yards yesterday. I only changed the spring because I lost power but now I can see why folks just change them as soon as they buy the rifle.

What was your experience with your Vortek install vs stock? Any accuracy improvement? How does that even happen?