Airgun World – July 2019

82 AIRGUN WORLD http://www.airgunshooting.co.uk

smoother operating gun.

The typical areas to look at are the cocking

slots, and in particular, the internal surface, but

be careful because the edges can be quite

sharp. Smoothing this internal surface is also

helpful when you come to refit the piston

because these sharp edges can degrade the

piston seal leading to premature failure. It’s not

the easiest job, due to access, but take some

time with a fine file, or some abrasive paper on

a dowel. Make sure you keep clear of the

compression chamber, the last thing you want

is to remove material from this area.

SPRING INTO ACTION

Another often overlooked area is the end of the

mainspring. Take a look; these can be quite

rough, but it’s an easy task to spread some

abrasive paper on a flat surface, keeping the

spring at 90 degrees, and rub away until you

get a nice smooth surface Of

course, this assumes you

have a spring that has a

flat ‘finished coil. If you

haven’t, it is of vital

importance that this

task is undertaken.

Spring shortening and

finishing is a subject in

itself, and a skill that any

spring-gun tuner must be

proficiently – there is cert y g

wrong way to do it. This s j

very comprehensively by

March 2018 edition of thi g

One other area that can be e t o a tt e

attention is trigger sears, w

be a little rough. There ar y p

to think about with trigger

importance that sear surf

changed; keep the angles j y

fine abrasive paper to sm y

left from machining.

SUITS YOU SIR

We all grow into different sizes, so it must be

an absolute nightmare designing a gun to suit

everyone. The best that can be achieved is an

average-shaped gun which it’s hoped will fit a

fair number of the general airgunning public.

Regular readers will be aware that a certain

Mr Doe has a healthy obsession with gun fit,

and judging by his shooting ability, perhaps

we should be giving this subject some serious

consideration. Target shooters have always

understood this principle, just take a look at

any field target competitor and the

adjustability that their stocks afford. There

does appear to be a changing of the tide,

though. Some manufactures are adopting a

cross-over in stock design, where there are

PETE EVANS

sound-deadening material can help matters. I
know some people use expanding foam, often
used as a gap-filling agent, particularly around
window frames. Personally, I would avoid this
because I don’t like the idea of anything
expanding inside a closed space. Silicone
sealant can be used, although there will be
some additional weight added to the stock,
and if you want to remove it, you are in for a
difficult job.
The best cheap, non-permanent solution I
have used is a car-cleaning sponge, bought for
39p, cut to size, and pushed into the void.
Because of its composition it conforms well,
and does help to reduce noise transmission.

SPIT AND POLISH
It’s a fact of life that smooth surfaces move
over each other easier than rough ones and
our airgun internals are no exception. Very
often, there will be fine burrs left behind
during the manufacturing process, which
wear away over time, but we can accelerate
this process and reap the rewards of a

Sharp edges can be left behind after the

manufacturing process. Your gun will be smoother

without them, but be careful not to cut yourself.

Often neglected, a smooth end to your

spring will help it to rotate smoothly.

A chopped unfinished coil will not sit squarely on
your guide. Spring finishing is an art every tuner
must learn.

A smooth trigger sear will reward its owner.

Concentrate only on the surfaces that connect. Be

careful not to re-profile.