when i bought my hw50s i really wanted two guns. i wanted an R7 for its gentle recoil and low velocity high accuracy. i liked the size of the HW50s since it is somewhat longer and a little more heavy. my thinking was that i could de-tune the HW50s with a different spring. today i took a maccari GRT spring that i had laying around for a diana 52. this spring is slightly larger in outside diameter than the HW spring. it is also a little longer but not much. the spring fits in the HW piston better than the original spring and the guide is also tighter. the original spring has quite a lot of clearance in the piston and i think this contributes to twang.
what i did was take about 1 3/4 inches off the grt spring. dress the end and tar the spring a little. put it all back together. the firing cycle is soooo much softer and it is much easier to cock. this will be great for indoor and
backyard shooting. it is lots quieter and there is absolutely no twang. dead smooth. now, the HW 50s is a smooth gun anyway but this is like silk now. perfect plinker and target shooter. perfect for indoor paper punching.
the beauty of this is that if i want more power i can space the spring or re-install the original spring and be back to full power. not that i will want to. i have the diana 52 for power. or, i can get another GRT spring and not cut it quite as much.
i do not have a crony so can't talk to velocity numbers. i will test the accuracy in my indoor range later. the lower velocity and smoother recoil should improve things.
Larry, sounds like a really smooth gun. I can relate to what you are saying as my de-tuned 34. is such a better gun, and more enjoyable gun to shoot. At 760 fps it also makes for a great small game hunter especially with the increased accuracy. I had my 460. 22.cal. detuned and is now around the velocities of a HW 50 or Beeman R8. A gun that felt like I was cranking up a house before to shoot, now is a more accurate and enjoyable rifle. With the 460, it seemed like a chore to just shoot 20 or so pellets through it, now I can have a great time and shoot all day.
I agree about de-tuning rifles. I just bought a vintage R7 Santa Rosa model that's even been completely professionally tuned and Maccari spring installed and there's just nothing quite like it. This rifle hasn't been de-tuned, but because of it's low power nature it is without a doubt the most pleasing, smooth, quiet and accurate springer on the planet. And as far as even hunting power, I have taken 3 rabbits with it so far in the last couple of evenings, with one shot out to 40 yrds. All three kills where instant and the guys just laid over on their sides because I was able to place the .177 cal pellet so precisely where I wanted.
I think most rifles are just too roided out on power for there own good from the factory just for sheer velocity advertisement purposes. A slight drop in power along with a tune in just about any rifle seems to bring together all sweet medicine: smoothness, quietness, easy cocking, consistency in shot strings and squeezes every drop of accuracy potential from a rifle. Just my humble opinion.
anytime you go supersonic it costs dearly in accuracy. form what i have read when you go over about 900fps in .177 you lose accuracy. then there is the
the recoil that is created when you power up to get over 900. the airgun
manufacturers would have you believe that velocity is all important. i have seen the same phenomenon in fly rods over the years. casting distance is all
anyone thinks about yet it is extrememly difficult to set the hook at anything over 30 feet. most fish being caught inside 20 feet.
Doc, I know what you are talking about. I have a Santa Rosa tuned by Mz with a Maccari spring and it is a treasure to me.I bought the gun in Mint condition.Obviously it was not detuned. I also have a vintage HW 30 I recieved from MZ with a Macarri spring tune. I shoot with with open sights, and it is a blast to shoot. Someone would have to own one to know what we are talking about. By the way, I also own a Beeman C1 carbine that is light weight and easy to carry into the woods.
Wow, man, great find in those guns! I got a great deal from a guy on the yellow forum 2 weeks ago for the Santa Rosa and your right, you just don't understand the hype & myth on a good R7 until you experience it.
Now i'm saving up my pennies to get my 54 tuned by John in PA and then begin a question for an R1 San Rafael
boy does this thing like jsb exacts (8.4 grn) very accurate. it is however sensitive to the pivot bolt tension. i have to make sure it was not too tight for loose. fiddled with it and it is just right. when its not right it does
effect accuracy.
