Pianoman's 97 And The Sfs Tuning Kit.

[andyfr1968 772]

Hello, lads.

 

Simon's tuning kit turned up earlier this week after a long delay due to HW's inability to supply Sandwell Fieldsports with the correct piston seal. All credit to Tony from Sandwell for stripping one of their own rifles to supply the correct part.

 

Simon's 97 is of a very recent vintage, not brand new but near as damn it. It shot well enough as it was but it just didn't feel right. It was rather 'twangy' and the cocking stroke wasn't as smooth as it should be. The whole rilfe just felt a little rough around the edges but to be fair, it was still pretty bloody accurate.

 

The kit Sandwell supplied consisted of a mainspring which came with a perfectly matched guide as well as the latest and correctly speced piston seal. Sandwell's springs aren't just the normal 'off the shelf' jobs, they're made to their own specs in Sweeden and their quality is superb. They also supplied two types of gease to go with it. I've got to be honest here and it's not that I don't trust Sandwell's recomendation but I used my own molly-graphite mix on the spring and guide and a tiny amount of pure silicon grease on the piston seal. I am a creature of habbit!!

 

HW's recent lack of quality control didn't suprise me though when I'd stripped Simon's gun. Whoever'd cut (butchered..) the spring for the UK market had slipped and taken a chunk out of the opposite side of the coil. It would have snapped and snapped soon leaving half a spring coil lose and free to feck up the piston and whatever else it may come into contact with. HW really need to get their shit sorted with things like this, there's really no excuse.

 

Anyway..... Once it was all back in one piece after a bit of a polish here and there and all lubed up nice I stuck about fourty or so pellets through it and then put it over my chrono. After two sets of ten shots and little more that 4fps deviation high to low, I was happy. H and N FTTs were used.

 

Thanks for reading.

 

I'll just have to wait for Simon's final verdict!!

 

Cheers.

[moxy 617]

You make it all sound so easy.

I'm sure you have done a sterling job and Simon will be more than happy.

It just goes to show what the right man with the know how, correct gear and the best products can do.

 

I look forward to pianomans delighted response.

 

Atb.

[fry 209]

thats great news! would you personally say it was better value pound for pound than a v-mach diy kit?

[zini 1,939]

Brilliant job Andy. I know Simon will be happy.

[andyfr1968 772]

thats great news! would you personally say it was better value pound for pound than a v-mach diy kit?

 

I can't coment on the V-Mach kit as I've never even seen one. Up until me joining this forum about four years ago I'd just been left to my own devices. I remember asking on here a long time ago about where I could get properly high quality mainsprings from as the Titan roundwire springs that I'd always used before had turned to crap. Sandwell came up and I've been useing their kit ever since and so far it's been spot on.

 

I don't know how much Simon paid for the kit he got from Sandwell or how it compares to V-Mach for a similar set up.

 

It'd be interesting to find out though :-)

[fry 209]

yeah i would be interested, did the sfs main spring come coated with that strange white gluey grease like the v-mach does?? and what the hell is that shit ha ha.

[andyfr1968 772]

yeah i would be interested, did the sfs main spring come coated with that strange white gluey grease like the v-mach does?? and what the hell is that shit ha ha.

 

LOL!! I've no idea, Frank. The SFS kit came dry but going in dry's never a good idea. This could turn into filth.... A-hem.

[pianoman 3,587]

I can't wait for the weather to warm up and the winds to calm down for a serious running-in target and a hunting session.

 

The kit cost just £47.50 inc. postage.

 

Can't fault that! :thumbs:

[fry 209]

well that is going on half the price of the v-mach!

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

Fack the lube dry is where its at!

[Skot Ruthless Teale 1,701]

anyway glad your finally sorted Simon, cant wait for a review.. not being too far from you i know what you mean with the wind.. mega pain in the ar5e cant wait for it to feck off so i can get some shooting done! amen to that

[fry 209]

its windy as a bast##d down here an all just annoying.

[gurtwurz 792]

Nice work andy. Its good to see the sfs gear is still bang on. I know the spring and guide you fitted in mine was top notch, and a decent price too.

 

Skot, you should never go in dry mate, it'll only wear faster lol

[sparkycrew 22]

Good stuff on the tuning kits guys,however my new Airarms prosport 177 has just chronygraphed AA field 8.4 grain 4.51 with an extreme spread of 5.1 fps over ten shots and its an out of the box rifle,i dont want to get into the my rifle's better than yours but i thought weirauchs were suppose to be muts nuts

 

Regards nick

[Mawders 595]

Good stuff on the tuning kits guys,however my new Airarms prosport 177 has just chronygraphed AA field 8.4 grain 4.51 with an extreme spread of 5.1 fps over ten shots and its an out of the box rifle,i dont want to get into the my rifle's better than yours but i thought weirauchs were suppose to be muts nuts

 

Regards nick

Hey nick,

 

Your pro sport is essentially as good as it gets out the box mate! They really are silky smooth from the get go pro sports. HW are one of the best spring piston rifle makes out there as well but of late there have been far to many reports of cheaper internals sourced for them or cut mainsprings that havnt been finished properly! The quality has really gone down hill of late with the occasional good one making it through.

 

Both AA and HW are still where its at in terms of top spring piston rifles but sadly both manufacturers have let the side down lately!

 

HW's have always benefitted from a good tune up which just puts them into a league of their own and what tony and his team do to them at sandwell field sports is amazing to say the least!

 

However you stick with your pro sport because it sounds like you got a good one there!

 

Phil