Hey guys, I just wanted to share my experiences with the R9 in .22 caliber thus far after I got it back from John in PA for a full service tune and Vortek kit install, including Vac Seal and Vortek breech seal. John tuned this rifle for me last month but I've been extremely busy over the past several weeks and haven't been able to get much trigger time to really put it through its paces since the tune until now.

Since I purchased this R9, I fell in love with it out of the box. I've owned an R9 in .177 in the past that I really liked, but sold it and got an R11 in .177 to take it's place and still have that rifle. Later, I bought an R9 in .20 caliber from a friend here on the forums and really liked that rifle over the .177 as a hunting rifle, due to the larger .20 cal wound channel that it creates. But I had always wanted to get a .22 cal R9 to compare to my .20 cal R9 and I'm really glad I did.

To date, the .22 cal R9 has been hands down the smoothest shooter out of the 3 calibers that I've owned the R9 in(as compared in UN-tuned forms). I credit this to the larger caliber making more efficient use of the swept volume of air. The .22 configuration had the quickest, quietest and most docile feeling shot cycle of the 3 to me and seemed to be the least hold sensitive(not that the .177 or .20 were extremely hold sensitive at all). But the .22 cal seemed to put out a shorter, more dampened "thumP" upon firing.

Out of the box and after 2 tins of pellets, the .22 R9 settled in at 685 fps with 14.66g FTS(it's favorite diet). This was the EXACT same speed that my .20 cal R9 shot 13.73g JSB Exacts. Comparing the two side by side, they shot with the exact same accuracy and trajectory at 30, 50 and even 80 yrds. If I shoot 11.42g FTS's in the .20 cal R9 however, I get 744 fps in stock form after break in, so those pellets allow me to achieve a flatter trajectory between the two un-tuned rifles(hence, if a springer prefers the lighter 11.42g FTS, this is the ONLY time I would prefer the .20 over the .22, in order to get that 'real-world' and not 'theoretical' flatter trajectory). But if a particular .20 doesn't shoot the lighter 11.42g FTS the best, I personally pass on it and go up to the .22 caliber which makes more sense due to the similar trajectory, but greater energy delivery and larger wound channel on small game that it produces. This is a hunting rifle, after all.

So I sent the rifle off to John in PA because I had always heard such great things about him and wanted to try his work. I must say that John was such a gentleman to work with and not only kept in contact about the rifle and its progress, but the turnaround time was around a week.

After I got the rifle back, it wasn't even the same rifle as before. The cocking action is perfectly smooth now, with none of the spring noise, or grinding and scraping sounds that it had before(even after over 1000 break-in shots). Even though the Rekord is a fantastic trigger out of the box, it's still an assembly line made and assembled rifle that doesn't receive the kind of machining attention that a pro tuner will give it and John's trigger work is incredible. The first stage now has zero metal to metal contact feel, no wobbly side-play and pulls back as smooth as silk. The second stage now comes to a complete stop with an audible "click", then just under 1 lbs of pressure and the shot breaks off perfectly clean.

John took every piece apart and carefully cleaned off the excessive factory lubes, then deburred, stoned and polished all the mating surfaces, honed the compression tube, polished the barrel using JB Non-embedding Bore paste, then carefully re-applied higher quality lubes in the correct amounts as he installed the upgraded kit and seals, then carefully put the rifle back together using the perfect amount of barrel tension, etc...

The shot cycle is now one of the shortest, quickest and most docile that I've ever experienced with a spring rifle. It's just a quick "put" sound now and the Vortek kit even dampens the mechanical sound and makes the rifle very, very quiet for backyard friendly use. I prefer this shot cycle over a gas ram because it's every bit as smooth as a gas ram now, but it doesn't have that "snappy" feeling that a gas ram's recoil gives, so it feels as if you get the best of both worlds between the two.

After 2 tins of 200 count 14.66g FTS's, the rifle has settled in to a velocity of 742 fps, right at the 18 FPE mark and deadly accurate! My best groups after a couple of warm up groups are measuring 0.34" C-T-C at my sight-in distance of 30 yrds for 5 shots. I've been able to achieve a few 1/2" 5 shot groups at 50 yrds, with most of my 50 yrd groups averaging 3/4".

I'm currently running a Leupold 3-9x33 EFR(only 11 ounces in weight) with the custom shop added mil-dot mounted with Sportsmatch 2-piece medium rings, which keeps the overall weight down really nice and low and makes this rifle such a lightweight, reasonably short and handy hunter at 8.5 lbs of total weight. The cocking effort is so light and easy as well and makes it a pure joy to cock and the break barrel action of course is the fastest and easiest to load and I think it's simply the preferred choice for a hunting rifle.

To give you an idea of hunting trajectory with this rifle and tune, after sighting the rifle in at the 30 yrd mark and setting the magnification to 8X, the first mil-dot lands at 45 yrds, the second at 56 yrds, the third at 65 yrds and the 4th mil is at 74yrds. With just a turn to 6X magnification, I can easily stretch out past 80 yrds with no clicking. Too easy!

I also ordered a set of brass screw cups with allen screws as well as a smooth and flat-faced brass safety button from Tim Einck, who does incredible work!

After all the work, here she is in all her glory:




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John Thomas tuned my RWS 48 earlier this year...for a gun I had for 20+ years, it came back a completely different animal..smooth, no twangs or vibrations and the trigger... OH Boy, light and crisp. Can't say enough about the guy.

My next gun is going to be a R/HW95 in 20 cal. What mine tunes also.

and your R9 looks really nice too. Very nice setup. I'm glad you wrote this review because it always seems to me that everyone 'bypasses' the .22 caliber version of the R9, and that just makes zero sense to me. I had one in .177 caliber, but I never warmed up to it. Too buzzy and twangy and it was very hold sensitive. I always wondered if the R9 in .22 caliber might have a much better 'shot cycle' due to it's larger bore. My experieces with springers leads me to believe that most of the time, the larger the bore, the smoother the shot cycle feels. That's one of the reasons I chose the .22 caliber when I bought my HW50s last year. You're review is making me wonder if I would have been better off with the R9 in .22 caliber instead of my HW50s. The 50s is a good, solid gun, but there are a few things about it that I don't like. One, is the lack of checkering on the forearm area. The stock is so well sanded and finished that it is very slick, and if you're not careful, you can darn near drop it. And the other thing is the "cocking effort" required, in relationship to it's power output. Cocking effort seems just as heavy as my old R9, and that seems like a lot of effort, to only get 540fps out of it with 14.33 grain pellets.

Now, you're seriously making me wonder if I should trade it in on an R9 in .22 caliber. Either that, or send my HW50s out for a similar tune?

But then again, the HW35e is still beckoning me as well.

Oh geez, here I go again. Will it ever end?

Just sold my Vortek RWS 350 here on the Yellow and I'm now purchasing a PCP (trying to choose which), but look forward to then getting either an R9 or TX/Prosport. This post of yours is pushing me in the R9 direction for sure! Everything you describe is exactly what I want in a springer. Enjoy this beautiful shooter!!

After buying a .20 R9 many years ago and being less than pleased with the performance I bought a .22 R1 barrel, had JM chop and choke it for me (he did that stuff back then) and even though I ended up selling all my "fat pellet" R9 barrels and settled on .177 cal only, I much preferred the .22 version over the .20 barreled version.

Thanks for posting your results!

To put up in front of me, because now I must have one just like it,,WOW!

That thing is sweeeet!

Lets see now, you have, quality, accuracy, shootability/smoothness, power, and it looks great.

I thought you were a good guy Parallax why would you show me this gun that I must now have?

And great pics too!

noreasta

You definitely nailed it on the head with the blend of attributes. She's definitely got it all and i'm very pleased with the work John did! Thanks buddy

an awesome job on mine also, along with excellent service and communication. i shot 5 shots into same pellet size hole at 15 yds. congradulations on that awesome lookin gun and believe me i KNOW IT SHOOTS AWESOME...take care j

These are some incredible shooters and in .22 cal with this powerlevel, there's nothing you can't do with these that one would do with a higher powered rifle. Take care!

I just ordered one, actually it's the HW95 Luxus model in .22 from AOA.

I hope you're happy now, (actually you must be I saw the gun you have.)

This gun with the way you have it set up, with the tune and other details
really makes this very close to the total package.

Thanks for your great review, and I'll let ya know how it goes!!

noreasta

you'll love it man, trust me. It's a little buzzy, twangy out of the box like all brands of springers are in factory form, but definitely get it tuned and it is phenomenal and puts out plenty of power. It seems that everyone i've talked to that's had a Vortek tune on their R9's are getting between 17 and 18 fpe with them which is terrific for such a light and handy hunting rifle.

Also, be sure and get a few tins of the Beeman badges 14.66g FTS because your barrel will likely prefer them over all the others. My rifle shoots several different pellets very, very well, but HW seems to design their barrels with FTS's in mind and you'll find that most HW's will shoot them the most accurate AND the most powerful. I prefer the Beeman branded ones over the regular H&N's because the Beeman branded ones are FAR more consistent in size and weight. I don't even bother weighing and sorting them anymore. They 'click' into the breech really nice and snug and are super consistent and accurate. The H&N FTT's that I bought(tried several tins of them) had very inconsistent head sizes and pellet weights. Beeman must do a more diligent process of weighing and sorting them or will only allow their name on the H&N's with the best die and best quality control or something.

Cheers!