Has anyone had any issues with valve lock in CO2 guns at elevated temps?? I tried to shoot my 2300T and my 2300S today at a silhouette match. The temp was over 95deg. Power was very low to the point that the pellet would not exit the barrel. Even a dry fire would not release gas. The puncture was light on both guns. I tried bulbs from a different box of Powerlets with same results. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Paul

Pressure of the gas + valve spring is greater than the force of the hammer fall, so it won't release any co2. Cool the gun off, and it goes back to normal. Can tune a gun for warm weather shooting (stronger hammer spring is the easiest way)...but even that won't cure high heat.

When the Piercing pin barely makes a hole in the CO2 it isn't valve pressure lock but simply an overtightened front cap.
The piercing pin must go thru a hole in the face seal. When you crank the cap to the max you are closing the hole in the face seal and the piercing pin can't get thru it.
These guns are made so a small child can tighten the cap enuf to seal the cartridge against the face seal. They make it easy by using fine threads on the front cap.
When a Man cranks down on the cap the face seal gets squashed to the point that the hole in the middle closes up. The warmer it is the easier the seal get mashed.
More than likely if you regularly crank the down on the front cap you have cost yourself power by restricting the forward movement of the piercing pin and wasted the face seal so it needs to be replaced.
If it was well known that tight caps make for slow guns I doubt people would tighten them so much. The gun certainly would shoot harder if the cap was only tightened enuf to make a seal.
Many people don't realize that the cap doesn't pierce the cartridge. The firing of the gun does that and when the cap is cranked there is no way a cartridge will get adequately pierced so the gun can deliver full performance.
This is the most common problem the current crop of Crosmans suffer from and it is product related but consumer induced.



"NO GUNS WOULD BE A RIOT"

Later

Tim

Mac1 Airgun

..thanks for the information. Going to have to give that a test to see how much it changes things.

Do I need to replace the seal?

guilty of 'cranking' down on the cartridge for a 'good seal', not realizing in our zeal for the seal, we are over compressing the pathway for better gas flow.
I know that I Always have to Remind my self to snug tight and back off 1/4 turn. It's counter intuitive having to 'loosen' the connection for better function. That's why I have to 'remind ' my self Each and Every time.
Thanks again for the timely Reminder Tim.

History IS the Preview of the Future, don't Forget any!
doug,P.

Once the cart is pushed up against the seal, it doesn't take much force to hold pressure. You can see the shape left in the seal from the cart in this pic, and I try not to over tighten, but i'm sure I do!

[IMG][/IMG]

Metro Boston

Regardless of whether the actual problem is valve lock (as you guessed) or an inadequate piercing of the cartridge (as Tim guessed), that should help.

Steve

I usually have the adjuster all of the way in. I have not noticed much difference in power or shot count based on position.

I tightened the cartridge retention knob just enough to stop leaking as an experiment to determine if I was over tightening. It seemed OK.

...would make it moreso.

Steve

I have experienced 'valve lock' with most of my CO2 guns. I have found a stock 2240/2300 etc. start loosing powder at temps above 86 F. and total lock -up at around 90F. I make it a routine to change the striker spring on my Crosman CO2 guns to part 781A051 and valve spring to part 111A026. Another option Disco striker spring part # 1761-009. A stock valve will only open .070-.075 in. and while you may see fewer shots it will function at 95 F +. With the Disco spring you will be able to shoot at 100 F+.

D R