Zapp Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 I've had an early 90s HW80K come into my posession. It's in decent nick except for a couple of patches that have had rust. The problem is, it's had some sort of Ox Spring type "upgrade" and doesnt shoot anywhere near as nicely as my old one used to. One option would be to order and fit a genuine part (easy enough), but I always hankered after a something tuned like John Darling's Venom HW80 from back in the day. I havent really followed the airgun scene for years, so I don't know who are the names in tuning these days. I'd be interested to know who out there is really rated for this sort of thing. Also, I'd like to hear opinions on having a gun tuned vs buying a kit (like V-mach for example) and fitting it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Christopher Jones Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 Try the airgunforum https://www.airgunforum.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 Sandwell Field Sports are right up there with the best if you can be bothered to send it off for stage 1 or 2 tuning but if it were me, for a 2nd hand 30 year old gun I'd be inclined to order and fit a V Mach or similar, getting shot of the Ox is half way through "tuning" it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
washerboy Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 Isn't Steve pope still tuning guns? I would fit a lazaglide tuning kit if it was mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walshie Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 Airgun eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted July 7, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 13 minutes ago, walshie said: Airgun eh? Quiet Sunday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaz25 Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 only used an ox spring once, it made the gun harsh then broke! a good tuning kit would give you what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 i wouldnt know enough about this to comment..............i have only "tuned" 3 models of spring air guns..........and getting it right involved a lot ....and i mean alot of trail and error... i cant count the number of times i had them apart...because it didnt sound right and shot poorly.............i was under the impression that OX mainsprings were airgun killers....but eventually i fitted one...it didnt perform very well and i shortened it bit by bit until it sounded right....and im surprised to say the airgun shot supremely well and is still performing well and firing at a very steady rate FPS...and Ft/lbs............. dont thinki the Ox spring is something you can slot in and off you go...you have to work with it........... unless you have the time ...the patience....the knowledge..which is built up over a long time of frustration...............send the gun off to a reconised turner... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clakk Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 Titan are the best springs imho ,for a tune up either Ratworks ,Welsh willy or as stated Sandwell all damn fine tuners.The Oxspring needs throwing in the bin they are beyond carp . Also have a look at Tinbum tuning kits if you want to do it yourself ,retail about 26 quid atb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 11 minutes ago, clakk said: Titan are the best springs imho ,for a tune up either Ratworks ,Welsh willy or as stated Sandwell all damn fine tuners.The Oxspring needs throwing in the bin they are beyond carp . Also have a look at Tinbum tuning kits if you want to do it yourself ,retail about 26 quid atb ....the spring i binned ...infact 2 of them were Titan...think they were Titan XS.....and i replaced them with modified ox springs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clakk Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 Ox far too twangy imho ,but as you say time is the key and patience ,remove a coil refit and see what happens . Had better results Titan than ever with Ox ,did an HW35/80 with ox hated them so Titan replacements fitted .Much better results ,B,S,A supersport got a Titan in it ,HW97kt has a fell Welsh willy kit inside which includes trimmed Titan spring done by w/w himself ,great improvement to factory standard . Got of all things a SMK b2 fitted with a HW97 spring and acetal guides ,polished internals and thanks to a fettler of transfer ports does 10lbsft from 3.9 when new atb and good fettling . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttfjlc Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 Tony Burton in South Lincolnshire uses Vortek kits, he did my dad's hw35 and it gave it a new lease of life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 51 minutes ago, clakk said: Ox far too twangy imho ,but as you say time is the key and patience ,remove a coil refit and see what happens . Had better results Titan than ever with Ox ,did an HW35/80 with ox hated them so Titan replacements fitted .Much better results ,B,S,A supersport got a Titan in it ,HW97kt has a fell Welsh willy kit inside which includes trimmed Titan spring done by w/w himself ,great improvement to factory standard . Got of all things a SMK b2 fitted with a HW97 spring and acetal guides ,polished internals and thanks to a fettler of transfer ports does 10lbsft from 3.9 when new atb and good fettling . excactly..................the air rifles i was rebuilding....i could not get over 10.2ft/lbs...whatever i did...and i was using the recommended titan xs spring and tried 4 different lubricants....thats why i went to an ox spring....and after a great deal of experimentation i finally got 11.9ft/lbs.....and even after a 100 shots it was still on the button more or less ..and shot really smooth and sweet... bloody spring air rifles are a dark art.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clakk Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 They are Ditchy like woman theyre all different ,what works with Fat Sarah doesnt work with skinny Susie so each 1 needs lubing,probing and reaming out with the correct hands on the tools . Trial and error and a good shed to hide away in help ,having a friendly toolmaker as a backup helps the more serious mistooks be corrected .As u know if it can be broken it will be broken as we all learn what goes where atb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted July 7, 2019 Report Share Posted July 7, 2019 (edited) you dirty boy if you want to know about lubricant...just sing the old song Dina, Dina show us your leg ...show us your leg that song is based on fat sarah Edited July 7, 2019 by ditchman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 hello, i would replace with a standard HW spring kit but get a better piston washer fitted, there maybe someone near you on the UK airgun forum who does springer tuning, but not much to do yourself, cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted July 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 Thanks all, some great food for thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 Zapp here's my HW80k fitted with Tinbum Pro Tuning Kit installed, including short-stroke extension. Shoots smooth and lovely. Very consistent 11.8 ft lb See: http://www.airrifletuning.com/product-category/tbt-tuning-kits/weihrauch-beeman/hw80-35-beeman-r1/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted July 8, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 1 hour ago, Whitebridges said: Zapp here's my HW80k fitted with Tinbum Pro Tuning Kit installed, including short-stroke extension. Shoots smooth and lovely. Very consistent 11.8 ft lb See: http://www.airrifletuning.com/product-category/tbt-tuning-kits/weihrauch-beeman/hw80-35-beeman-r1/ That's a very handy looking gun. Thanks for the link also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salop Matt Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 I would only consider one place and that`s Sandwell Field Sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol p Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 If you pm me I'll send over thr details for Blackmax. Weihrauchs are his specialty, its worth a chat with him. I have had all my HWs tuned and serviced by him, new and old, and find him really professional and thorough. You can also mail your kit to him on confidence. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
English Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 Following the enthusiastic discussion, about it I went to a meeting called "the Boinger Bash" primarily just for spring airguns and dusted off my Airsporter and HW77, My first foray into airgun tuning was the1980s an like many others I fitted an OX spring to a Webley Hawk only to find it made it very harsh. This was a great disappointment along with the week long vibratory polishing of the piston in big industrial machine we used at work to polish breech blocks and sears and the like. I had new PTFE seals and very carefully lubed with appropriate grease and oils so I found that a flop. 30 years on what a revelation these airgun buffs are not just tuning for power but more often for smoothness and to remove a twang. Often they are having a sweet spot at about 11.3 - 11.5ft/lbs and will grind or linish coils off srings to achieve this or add in washers to achieve a perfect balance. Another more recent thing recent has been the addition of a well sized non metallic spring guide which helps quieten things and removes the twang. Tinbum, not only does springs but a full kit of parts to service and tune including his lube. Was very helpful and posted mine here the next day. Sadly its a bit of a downward slope - no variation required to buy another and a lot of fun, added an Original 45 I .20 to my couple of airguns and a BSA Mercury which I always wanted but could not afford at the time along with cars, bikes and now after a nice HW35E and a FWB sport both in .177 of course! They had a strange wind flag at The Boinger bash - I would have sworn it was wind sock to start with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted July 8, 2019 Report Share Posted July 8, 2019 6 hours ago, Zapp said: That's a very handy looking gun. Thanks for the link also. You’re most welcome. Good luck with getting your 80 on the money. There are several options available as you see. If you can stretch to a stock upgrade it’s worth it. The cheek piece give great alignment to the scope. Mine is a CS500. Readily available in different flavours if you do a search. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villaman Posted July 9, 2019 Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 Get hold of blackmax on the airgun forum or I can pm his number Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arron yeates Posted July 9, 2019 Report Share Posted July 9, 2019 Sandwell field sports are one of the best spring gun tunners in the british isles i have 2 from them and are great however you may have to wait a few weeks. Plus customee service ia spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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