I recently bought a used, Cricket II Tactical, 45, in .22 .
I'll start by saying...SOME people should NOT pickup and use tools on delicate mechanisms.
Initially I gave the barrel a check for spiders or other blockages. The gun had about 200bar of pressure in it. Visually the gun looks..ok. Lotsa small marks on the black coating. Not a major problem, as I understand used items.
I filled one magazine with 15.9gr. FX pellets. On one hand, I was somewhat impressed with both myself and the gun. My second group of five shots went into a slightly larger than one pellet hole (in my somewhat short range). Wow...offhand shooting. Yeah...much luck !!! I also noticed that the gun seemed very loud at the receiver. Almost needed an ear-plug.
I got my chronograph and put a few shots through it. The pellet speed seemed to be a little wild, shot to shot, despite the sellers notes to the contrary.
I went to do some hammer spring adjusting...nothing, the adjusting nut was solid, unmovable ! I removed the stock, the rear stock fastener was loose. (!?) I noticed that in the adjusting nut, lock hole, not only was the lock, set screw missing, but I could see that the threads on the adjusting nut were "badly" damaged. I finally got the adjusting nut out of the receiver block, and yeah, badly damaged in "two" locations. I got the threads cleaned up. The plastic tail connected to the hammer is also damaged. The hammer adjusting nut is cleaned up and usable again.
I also wanted to adjust the trigger, as there was "no" first stage movement. A fairly nice let-off, but no real first stage. So I adjusted that. I didn't mess with the spring or the sear engagement adjustment. Leave that for later.
I put the stock back on. I never "tighten" stock screws, wood and carbon fiber can break, but just past snug is what I do. I did my normal light tightening. I went to cock the gun to put the magazine in, and the cocking lever would not go past about half way. A hard lock ! I removed the top plastic cover, everything looked fine. I removed the stock, and removed the side cover. While one spring is slightly damaged (bent), it still works as designed, no obvious problem. At this point, the gun cocks fine ! I haven't made any changes. Top cover back on, the side cover back on, the stock back on...the gun will not cock !!
I removed the stock again. The gun WILL...cock ! Finally getting somewhere. BUT, why will it not cock with the stock in place ? I looked at the counterbored hole where attachment fastener goes in the stock. The washer in the hole looks damaged, heavy scars, and tapered. Hmm. Looking into the threaded hole in the receiver where this fastener goes, it terminates in the hammer spring bore.
Did a little quick measuring, the fastener is about .19+" too long ! How can that be ? The stock fastening screw digs INTO the hammer spring! The damage in the hole didn't look THAT bad. I don't have any small, o.d. flat washers, so I went out and removed that .19"+ of material from the end of the fastener, debured, and back in the house. I put the fastener into the stock and snugged it into position.
NOW...I not only have a full smooth cocking action, I also...have consistent pellet speed, and was able to lower the fps to 800/812, (where most all of my guns are adjusted to), which I could not do prior to shortening the stock fastener shortening, and is now fairly consistent, shot to shot.
I lucked out, nothing is permanently damaged, other than some visual scars.
So...sorry this is so long, but it's a cautionary note...DO NOT over tighten airgun fasteners, doing so, can and WILL damage-ruin your gun.
Mike
I'll start by saying...SOME people should NOT pickup and use tools on delicate mechanisms.
Initially I gave the barrel a check for spiders or other blockages. The gun had about 200bar of pressure in it. Visually the gun looks..ok. Lotsa small marks on the black coating. Not a major problem, as I understand used items.
I filled one magazine with 15.9gr. FX pellets. On one hand, I was somewhat impressed with both myself and the gun. My second group of five shots went into a slightly larger than one pellet hole (in my somewhat short range). Wow...offhand shooting. Yeah...much luck !!! I also noticed that the gun seemed very loud at the receiver. Almost needed an ear-plug.
I got my chronograph and put a few shots through it. The pellet speed seemed to be a little wild, shot to shot, despite the sellers notes to the contrary.
I went to do some hammer spring adjusting...nothing, the adjusting nut was solid, unmovable ! I removed the stock, the rear stock fastener was loose. (!?) I noticed that in the adjusting nut, lock hole, not only was the lock, set screw missing, but I could see that the threads on the adjusting nut were "badly" damaged. I finally got the adjusting nut out of the receiver block, and yeah, badly damaged in "two" locations. I got the threads cleaned up. The plastic tail connected to the hammer is also damaged. The hammer adjusting nut is cleaned up and usable again.
I also wanted to adjust the trigger, as there was "no" first stage movement. A fairly nice let-off, but no real first stage. So I adjusted that. I didn't mess with the spring or the sear engagement adjustment. Leave that for later.
I put the stock back on. I never "tighten" stock screws, wood and carbon fiber can break, but just past snug is what I do. I did my normal light tightening. I went to cock the gun to put the magazine in, and the cocking lever would not go past about half way. A hard lock ! I removed the top plastic cover, everything looked fine. I removed the stock, and removed the side cover. While one spring is slightly damaged (bent), it still works as designed, no obvious problem. At this point, the gun cocks fine ! I haven't made any changes. Top cover back on, the side cover back on, the stock back on...the gun will not cock !!
I removed the stock again. The gun WILL...cock ! Finally getting somewhere. BUT, why will it not cock with the stock in place ? I looked at the counterbored hole where attachment fastener goes in the stock. The washer in the hole looks damaged, heavy scars, and tapered. Hmm. Looking into the threaded hole in the receiver where this fastener goes, it terminates in the hammer spring bore.
Did a little quick measuring, the fastener is about .19+" too long ! How can that be ? The stock fastening screw digs INTO the hammer spring! The damage in the hole didn't look THAT bad. I don't have any small, o.d. flat washers, so I went out and removed that .19"+ of material from the end of the fastener, debured, and back in the house. I put the fastener into the stock and snugged it into position.
NOW...I not only have a full smooth cocking action, I also...have consistent pellet speed, and was able to lower the fps to 800/812, (where most all of my guns are adjusted to), which I could not do prior to shortening the stock fastener shortening, and is now fairly consistent, shot to shot.
I lucked out, nothing is permanently damaged, other than some visual scars.
So...sorry this is so long, but it's a cautionary note...DO NOT over tighten airgun fasteners, doing so, can and WILL damage-ruin your gun.
Mike
