Spring Piston vs. Gas Ram: Which is Your Preferred Powerplant?

I have a few springers. I love shooting them and tinkering with them now that I sort of have a grip on them.

A couple of years ago I bought a lightly used 20 cal RX1 (HW90) that I struggled with to get right. I was at my wits end with the thing because much of the information on the net at the time was wrong. I finally got the gun sorted out and it shot great. Unfortunately a few weeks later the fixed detent wore away and I parted out the rifle. If it wasn't for the size and weight I'd buy another in a second.

I did shoot a friend's ASP20 and that gun was impressive. It's a shame it's been discontinued and there's little support for it.

Monster magnum piston guns just aren't my thing but I think there's more potential in gas pistons for them when done right. If they could down size a quality one to the size and weight of an HW50 I'd be interested.
I bought a BSA Meteor Super from AoA because of this very reasoning. It does shoulder great like a 50S and the shot cycle is great too but unfortunately the trigger and accuracy has proven pretty sub par. Granted it isn't a high end gun and is basically a prettier/better built Gamo but I was still a bit disappointed with it. If Weihrauch released a gas ram version of the 50 I'd absolutely give it a try.
 
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I have always been interested in taking a gas-ram and tune it down , say to 11 FPE or 9 FPE
You only have 2 choices should you decide to tinker. The HW90, which of course means finding the pump kit or an older Hatsan Vortex gas ram that has the bleed screw on the back end of the ram. I say older because from reading a few different forums, Hatsan appears to have taken that feature off their newer gas rams.
 
You only have 2 choices should you decide to tinker. The HW90, which of course means finding the pump kit or an older Hatsan Vortex gas ram that has the bleed screw on the back end of the ram. I say older because from reading a few different forums, Hatsan appears to have taken that feature off their newer gas rams.
Exactly . and HW pump is $299 or was it $399 and the gauge is another ???$80 , never researched trying to use a Hill pump ?
 
Exactly . and HW pump is $299 or was it $399 and the gauge is another ???$80 , never researched trying to use a Hill pump ?
Only know from what I've read about it, but look into bicycle shock pumps. Supposed to be right around a $100 bill and do the job just as well as the way more expensive one.
 
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Exactly . and HW pump is $299 or was it $399 and the gauge is another ???$80 , never researched trying to use a Hill pump ?
There's a kit in the uk , but the cost is just a tad cheaper . Also fepending on the ram the pcp pump may be too much. Some use a motorcycle shock pump for them .. anyway just fact check all that.. ( fuzzy brain, ya know)
 
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I have a few Theoben gas ram guns...they are accurate and reliable if they were set up correctly from the start...they are fun to shoot but my HW97s can shoot rings around them...more to do with the trigger groups than the power plants...for day to day shooting just give me a good spring piston...for serious hobbyists a gas ram could be interesting...I would counsel to stay away from the high Power Magnums ones in any event...with the quility of Air arms TXs and HW's and some others no reason to fool with a gas ram unless for a collection. I'm a big fan of HW97's.View attachment 362048
Although it's a collectable this Theoben Evolution .177 tuned to around 12 fpe is one of the nicer shooting "spring guns" I've ever shot...the gun is so comfortable to shoulder and easy to cock...just a pleasure to shoot...the gas ram has zero changes in fps in the two years I've owned it...their not easy to find but are as nice to shoot as anything out there. I've been looking for a .20 caliber example for years.
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pump and gauge $$$ are the only reason i have not tried a 90

Now for a second thought in referral to the changing temp's affecting the gun . What if you use an inert gas like Argon or Nitrogen ?

OH i can see the Advertisement's now . "Get your own Nitro Gas Magnum Gamo NOW !!!! "
I used a Rockshox high-pressure bicycle shock pump and adapter. The pump has a Guage on it. The pump and adaptor cost me 70 dollars out the door at a local bicycle pro shop.
 
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Gas rams seemed like a perfect solution from the outset, with Theoben doing it about the best, but any gains made in removing the errors caused by lubricants and twangy mainsprings etc, were lost when the guns seemed to be even more slammy and inconistant to temp variations, but this before the advent of our very latest tuning techniques for springers....which will no doubt improve even further...
Now considered passé..
 
Do you want power or accuracy ?? Gas rams have more usable power but sacrifice in accuracy. Springs give better accuracy but not as powerfull !! While there are exceptions, overall and generally speaking, which is more critical...power or accuracy ?
Accuracy SHOULD be the main concern. Even the most powerful break barrels are still pretty darn low powered. There is really no game that a 32fpe Hatsan 135 will take that a substantially more accurate 16fpe HW95 can't take. Springers are a game of shot placement and 16-20fpe is already more than enough to do the job on appropriate game.
 
I like them both. I only own 4 air rifles and three are springs ( Hw77, Hw50S and Lgv Challenger Ultra) and the other is a Benjamin Trail in 22 cal. Several years ago I also owned a 177 cal Trail. This rifle was very accurate and a pleasure to cock and shoot but it kept destroying scopes.
At around the same time I acquired a lesser powered Gamo ram and this was put into my 22 cal Trail. The reduction in around 120 FPS really improved the guns accuracy and shooting experience. So with this great experience under my belt I went on the hunt for another low power ram for my 177 cal Trail.
This is where I show my ignorance 🥴. I found a business several hours from my home which repowered gas rams. My ram couldn’t be re gassed but I found another ram the same size which was filled to 500 Newton’s, perfect I thought. This picture shows both rams together. I had to make a plastic sleeve so the new ram would fit snugly. I put the rifle back together, loaded it and pulled the trigger. Pffffffffft was the sound I heard. Pellet still in breach. Long story short it was a different type of ram, one that it more suitable for opening a car bonnet then propelling a pellet.
I can laugh about it now, all a learning experience I suppose.
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Gary
 
Only know from what I've read about it, but look into bicycle shock pumps. Supposed to be right around a $100 bill and do the job just as well as the way more expensive one.
Only know from what I've read about it, but look into bicycle shock pumps. Supposed to be right around a $100 bill and do the job just as well as the way more expensive one.
You can buy the adapter or they have a kit with pump. Heck of a lot cheaper than any thing here in the states
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It's been years since I have gotten my old HW77 out and was sighting it in and have problem. Not sure if this is the place to ask, but it's a start. She is topped with a scope which leaves little clearance when installing the pellet into the barrel. I don't know if my fingers have gotten fatter over the years or not. I certainly don't remember having this much difficult loading it, but it was back in the mid 80's when I used it most. Cutting to the chase, does anyone make a tool for installing a pellet on an underlever air rifle with a scope? I was thinking something like they use to install primers on black powder rifles. Interested in any suggestions from the group. I enjoy shooting it again but find it frustrating with my fat fingers trying to load the pellet. Thanks to those who respond.
 
I wanted a SIG ASP or this (one https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/gas-ram-rifles/diana-am03-stealth-n-tec-combo/). I guess both are no longer made. A Hatsan 135 interests me but scared of Hatsan quality on gas rams so a spring version would appeal to me. However those are no longer made..
The 135 is fairly easily converted to spring if you can get the parts. End caps are a bit different, so you'd need the spring version end cap, spring guide and spring to change it over. Don't know how easy or hard it might be to get hands on those few parts but an email to Hatsan should answer that.
 
Although it's a collectable this Theoben Evolution .177 tuned to around 12 fpe is one of the nicer shooting "spring guns" I've ever shot...the gun is so comfortable to shoulder and easy to cock...just a pleasure to shoot...the gas ram has zero changes in fps in the two years I've owned it...their not easy to find but are as nice to shoot as anything out there. I've been looking for a .20 caliber example for years.View attachment 362122View attachment 362123
Nice shooting Russell
 
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