Idiots guide to classic airgun strips (pt 1)

[ggggr]

The two guns are similar although the major is larger,has different sights, a longer cylinder and barrel and an adjustable trigger. Early versions had a small stock screw in front of the trigger guard and later ones the large bolt through the stock into the trigger block (5/16 BSF by the way). The front ones are 7/32 Bsf and you will have to get them from Nibbs if you need them unless somebody could make a batch up? The barrel and the trigger housing are interchangable on the guns but if you fitted the major barrel to a cadet you would need to retain the cadet cocking arm.
Remove stock screws and remove action from stock. remove cocking arm pin and cocking arm. Knock out barrel pivot arm remove barrel and watch out for plunger and spring which are just pushed into the cylinder and not retained. If you have to change the breech washer its a bugger to fit a new leather one (your on your own with that) but in AGW the bloke used a bit of plastic with 12mm OD and 8MM ID and habd finished it. I have heard of people using two "O" rings. If its a Major you can undo sear adjuster screw a bit then knock out sear pin and remove sear spring and sear. GO TO NEXT POST

[ggggr]

From her on its the same. The cadet and Major actually have the same trigger lever. Knock out the trigger pin and remove trigger, its spring and the little spring guide that looks like half a nail. You now need to unscrew the trigger block and may need a vice if the gun has not been apart for many years (or ever). On one I did I used the vice to hold the cylinder and placed a piece of thick flat bar in the trigger housing slot and levered it. (this was after plus gas and heat). This was why we removed the trigger--to allow this. Once undone,remove guide,mainspring and piston. Pison washer is leather held on by a special threaded nut. The piston rod used to be listed as a spare part but I dont know if it still is. Clean bits. See if trigger block will screw right home and slot line up with cocking slot. If not, Ive filed a touch off end of cylinder so you are not forcing thread on block. Lube and replace Piston, mainspring and guide and screw in trigger block. If you cant get proper mainspring then a meteor one cut to about 19.5 cm will do. Put guide pin in spring and locate and refit trigger and pin. On major refit sear and spring. Locate cylinder plunger and spring,refit barrel and then cocking arm. Replace action in stock and tighten stock screws. NEXT UP THE METEOR!



Just adding this that Ray (Abellringer) put up to help clarify things about the stock screws.



"Also posted in general airgun. This is in reply to a request to post an accurate thread size for the Front Stock Screws on both of these models. All of them are very similar and in fact will fit. It's worth noting there are two variations of screw; one has a reduced dia shank from the end of the thread to under the screw head; the other has the major dia all the way along to under the head. So starting with the correct one.

1] 7/32" BSF 55deg angle inc. 28tpi 0.219" O/D tapping drill 4.6mm

2] No 12 [7/32"] UNF 60deg angle inc. 28tpi 0.216" O/D tapping drill 4.7mm

3] 1BA 47.5deg angle inc. 28.25tpi 0.210" O/D tapping drill 4.5mm
Hope this helps in some way. "

[ggggr]

I think this applies to the Meteor mk3 version as well. The mk4 and mk5 versions mainly differ in that the mk4 has the single piece cocking arm and the longer slot in the stock and the mk5 has the articulated lever and the shorter slot. Sights differed a bit as well. Most pistons have the "keyhole" slot piston that the piston head slots into although some mk5,s Ive seen have the circlip set up like the scorpion. The front stock screws and the rear one are all 2BA thread. Later front screws are longerand will need cutting down or packing if used on an earlier gun. If you dont mind cheeseheaded screws, these can be bought for about 10p each from Chronos or the like. The earlier triggers had a wide metal trigger and sear. The later ones had narrower triggers and sears and the trigger became a slip on plastic thing you pinned onto the actual trigger piece. Ive seen sears with the large pivot hole round and others that are elongated. I think they all swap. Im noy sure if trigger pin sizes changed slightly at some point as I remember having to file some to fit the TE (mk3)version I had as a kid. The later versions have the trigger stop pin fitted so you only have to sort the other two. GO TO NEXT POST

[ggggr]

The pin for the cocking arm is different for the two versions and I fitted a roll pin when I was playing with one recently.
Remove sights and remove the 2 screws at the forend of stock and the trigger guard one. Carefully lift action from stock as trigger pins can fall out. Remove bottom pin and trigger should drop a bit. Remove top larger sear pivot pin and the trigger,trigger spring (bent wire thing) and the sear should come out together. On earlier version the trigger stop pin will also come out. REmove plastic end cap. Knock out cocking arm pin and remove cocking arm. (note piece of plastic In cocking arm on early version to stop pin moving). Break barrel and push in barrel plunger and knock out barrel pivot pin. Remove plunger and spring and then the barrel from the jaws. Place cylinder jaws down on piece of wood and using your bit of tube (SEE 1ST POST PG1) push down on guide and remove cylinder pin. Ease pressure and remove guide, spring and piston. The piston head may be loose if the piston buffer washer has rotted and crumbled (they all do). On the late version the retainig circlip may have broken and the piston will come out and leave the head behind! GO TO NEXT POST

[ggggr]

I used a foot pump with a bit of wet rag to seal the adapter and put it in the transfer post and managed to blow the head back far enough to wangle it with a dowel. (same trick worked on scorpion). Piston washer is an "o" ring. I replaced a buffer washer with two bits of leather (not worth the hassle but I was curious) and have used a tap washer in the past.Clean and lube. Slide piston buffre and its washer onto piston head and insert into keyhole of piston and it should snap into place although you may have to file small chamfer on one side of washer. With circlip set up a piece of tube to push clip on would help but Ive done it wirh two small screwdrivers. Place piston, spring and guide in cylinder and push down with your piece of tube and refit pin. It is worthwhile changing breech washer as it is made of same stuuf as piston buffer. I make leather ones. Place brech in jaws and fit plunger and spring,depress and fit barrel pivot pin. Fit trigger stop pin (tape on left side of trigger housing stops them falling out) then offer trigger,spring and sear into housing. Locate sear and fit pin and then trigger should push up to enable trigger pin to be fitted. Replace plastic cap and refit in stock and fasten screws. ( if you adjust trigger at all, 1/2 turn of the little screw in plastic in the trigger can stop the sear from engaging).

[Garvin]

Some parts diagrams:

BSA Airsporter Mk6
BSA Mercury Mk3
BSA Airsporter S
BSA Meteor MK5
BSA Meteor Super Mk5
Diana G79-G80
Webley Hawk Mk3
Webley Osprey
Webley Vulcan
Webley Hurricane
Webley Tempest
Webley Typhoon

[red bob]

probably one of the most imformative posts in years ,did a little job for guy; make up a couple of end caps for his zenit pistol ,the sort of thing i enjoy doing for the pleasure of helping a mate get a classic back to life in return he sends me the best part of a pistol for myself after admiring his example plus he gives me all the drawings and instructions to make up my own!
what he knocks up in his flat in manchester puts my efforts in a fully equiped state of the art factory in the shade,tapped my paratrooper trigger block back square over a block with a bar on his kitchen floor!.but his advise on knocking out the old pins and replacing the sear etc revived the above to full working order.ironic thing was our contact started with me advising guy on the pitfalls of refurbing the para[lol very loudly]cheers guy keep it up .

[ggggr]

This is for the Slavia 618 and 622 ? There are small differences which you will see if you look up my thread "Slavia 618 stripped" on 10 /5/ 2009 http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....ghlight=slavia . Cartertools gun was slightly different to mine.
http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....a-618-stripped

[ggggr]

This is for all the ones apart from the later trigger, which I havent seen yet. Firstly remove the little trigger adjusting screw and its spring that goes in the centre of the stock screw at the front of the trigger guard. Remove the two front stock screws. Remove the rear stock screw you have taken the adjuster out of. Lift action clear of stock.If you want to remove loading tap, you will need a screwdriver with a gap ground in the middle of its blade or gently punch the retaining nut on RHS of tap while holding tap to stop the tang breaking against the stop screw. This nut should unscrew and there is a spring behind it. When removed, the tap should come out.Undo cocking arm pivot screw and withdraw cocking arm (you sometimes have to push the leaf spring on it up against the bracket to do this). Undo cocking lever lock screw and cocking lever screw and remove lever. Remove trigger pins, trigger spring,trigger and sear. Push down on the endcap and the cylinder end pin should push out. Release pressure, remove cap and mainspring or springs should come out.( the original guns came with 2 concentric springs But these may well have been changed) GO TO NEXT POST

[ggggr]

Its a common question about mainsprings for these. As they are a Bas---d to cock anyhow, I think an old style Meteor spring to be about the best option although they will take the later one if you wont listen to sense.Withdraw the piston. It should have a leather washer rivetted to the piston. If this needs changing, either buy the leather one and the rivet,or try one of these options. (I tapped one piston to 5/16 Bsf and used a countersunk screw--You could tap some round bar and drop it in the piston to do the same job-- Or see whether you can get a ptfe washer that will fit and do the same thing. Im sure some modern guns must have washers near the right size). Clean and lube. Replace your piston. Replace sear,trigger and trigger spring. Now refit your mainspring and endcap and pin. If your gun has been grinding when cocking,the little Piece of fibre/nylon on the cocking arm may be worn. You can pick this out with a small screwdriver, put some araldite underneath it and replace it a few mm proud (leave araldite over night to go off). Replace cocking arm and pivot screw. Replace cocking lever, pivot and lock screw. GO TO NEXT POST

[ggggr]

Replace loading tap,spring and nut and tighten (again using forked screwdriver or punch for last couple of turns). Replace action in stock and tighten front two screws. Replace rear screw ---VERY IMPORTANT! You need to pull the trigger while you are tightening this screw to make sure it goes all the way home. If you do not, it feels home but can come loose when you cock the gun and result in a split stock. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. Replace the trigger adjusting screw and its spring in the centre of that screw. If this screw is missing then the screws out of a light switch plate can be cut down and the head filed to do the job and a biro spring can be used. The adjuster screw doesnt really do much and the guns seem to work fine without them.

[ggggr]

This is a later Relum break barrel, Introduced in 1978? to relace the larger Relum break barrel. It seems to have simalar styling to a Webley Hawk mk3 although the rear of the stock is much shorter. It has a different trigger to the ealy Relum 322/tornado,s that I have seen but it is the same as the super Tornado I think. I think I put the trigger back together the wrong way (more later). I like the fact they have done away with that fine thread rear stock screw,which I consider a weak point on the Tornado as you have to pull the trigger when you are tightening it or the screw doesnt go all the way home. The gun is lighter than you think it should be but I reckon its a good rifle to give to someone who knows nothing about them. ie-- its hard to break or mistreat.
If you are removing the rearsight it is necessary to undo the lockscrew you can see through the hole in the top of the sight. Once removed, you can drift the pin out (watch for 2 springs). Remove front two stock screws and one in front of trigger guard and lift action from stock. Undo cocking arm pivot and remove cocking arm. Break barrel and remove barrel pivot lock screw and barrel pivot and remove barrel and its shims. GO TO NEXT POST

[ggggr]

Knock out small pin through breech block and remove barrel plunger and spring. You can clean, lube and replace these now and replace leather breech washer if required. I suggest you knock out,lube and replace the pin through the breech jaws that the plunger locks against. Remove trigger adjster screw and spring from behind trigger.Remove trigger pins and slide out sear and trigger spring. The actual trigger is a 2 piece trigger with a steel blade that springs onto it and held in place by two dimples. I wangled the lot out and in but if you can "spring" the dimples it would make reassembley easier. Put pressure on end cap and remove cylinder end pin. Release pressure and remove cap, mainspring/springs and slide out piston. It has ususal rivetted washer which you could change for material and fixing of your choice as mentioned in 522 strip above. Clean and lube. Replace piston,mainspring and endcap and cylinder end pin. I think the correct way to replace trigger is to slide sear in 1st then wangle the trigger blade and triggr spring and finally the actual trigger piece in from the front and locate it on the dimples. Refit barrel and shims,pivot screw and lock screw, cocking arm and pivot and then replace action in stock and tighten screws. Refit rearsight if removed and tighten that lockscrew on top once sight is in place.

[scratchyboy]

Hi im new so please forgive if not right place. I have a Cadet major and have followed instructions (including deburring and finally got all bits apart( thanks to ggggr). However, I cannot find anything that looks like a leather washer on the end of the piston or anything that looks like a washer could screw onto. At the front end of piston is a black rubber seal around the end but thats it. The rifle has been used and seems to work ok. At least it did before I took it apart. Am i looking in the wrong place as I asume the washer should be at the front end of piston ahead of the black rubber seal jobbie. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Bill

[Phil Russell]

I find it difficult to visualise what you have found as the Cadet and Cadet Major used leather piston seals. Have a look at the Chambers gun spares web page for the Cadet and you will find an exploded diagram. Maybe you have a leather seal but it has worn flat?
Any chance of a picture?
Cheers, Phil

PS please put any reply in Collectables as a new thread ... we try to keep this thread for 'strip instructions' only.