Slavia 620 - quick and dirty

[Nikkormat]

I've just spent a few days at a mate's house, and had an enjoyable few mornings shooting. She has a Hatsan Model 90 (better than expected but give me an old HW any day) and a couple of Slavia 620s.

Both of the Slavias have seen better days. Taking the better one, marked 1968, I took the action from the stock and rubbed it down with wire wool and oil until most of the rust had gone. I couldn't get to the insides as the end cap seems rusted in place. I didn't want to try too much as I wasn't sure what to expect in the way of pre-load. As I was just trying to get the gun shooting a little better, I pushed a bit of grease through the cocking slot. Unfortunately, while it's fairly smooth to cock, it's still low on power and suffering piston-slam; this suggests that the leather piston seal has died. Now, I think I've read that these were riveted onto the piston, and they are no longer available. Making one is probably beyond me, and my tools here are limited to a Swiss Army Knife. Any suggestions? Is there a chance that dripping oil through the transfer port might revive the seal?

The other (1967) Slavia is cosmetically worse, no blue, covered in rust, front stock screws sheared so it's only held together with the trigger guard screw. It shoots a little better though; I was tempted to cannibalize it to make one good shooter, but my friend is fond of both, and can shoot this one with a surprising degree of accuracy.

They do seem to be very solidly made rifles; I don't know what their original price was, but I'd say they seem better made than, say, a BSA Meteor of the time.

Matt

[ggggr]

I've just spent a few days at a mate's house, and had an enjoyable few mornings shooting. She has a Hatsan Model 90 (better than expected but give me an old HW any day) and a couple of Slavia 620s.

Both of the Slavias have seen better days. Taking the better one, marked 1968, I took the action from the stock and rubbed it down with wire wool and oil until most of the rust had gone. I couldn't get to the insides as the end cap seems rusted in place. I didn't want to try too much as I wasn't sure what to expect in the way of pre-load. As I was just trying to get the gun shooting a little better, I pushed a bit of grease through the cocking slot. Unfortunately, while it's fairly smooth to cock, it's still low on power and suffering piston-slam; this suggests that the leather piston seal has died. Now, I think I've read that these were riveted onto the piston, and they are no longer available. Making one is probably beyond me, and my tools here are limited to a Swiss Army Knife. Any suggestions? Is there a chance that dripping oil through the transfer port might revive the seal?

The other (1967) Slavia is cosmetically worse, no blue, covered in rust, front stock screws sheared so it's only held together with the trigger guard screw. It shoots a little better though; I was tempted to cannibalize it to make one good shooter, but my friend is fond of both, and can shoot this one with a surprising degree of accuracy.

They do seem to be very solidly made rifles; I don't know what their original price was, but I'd say they seem better made than, say, a BSA Meteor of the time.

Matt

There is a stripdown in the "idiots guide" sticky at the top of the page. http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....a-618-stripped. You may find this link helpful as well http://anotherairgunblog.blogspot.co...l/slavia%20618
Someone will be along to put up the link of how to make leather piston washers soon I expect. I think some of the piston washers were riveted and some had a screw to hold the washer.
If the front stock screws have sheared( broken off), you should be able to either wind them through or put a small drill through and retap to the correct thread. guessing 4mm? If the threads are stripped in the hole, then you can drill and tap them bigger and then use threadlock to put an insert in and drill and tap that to the right size.
The triggers are a bit crap on these and a new mainspring might result in it not cocking and holding. You could always get the trigger built up with weld

[Nikkormat]

Cheers ggggr, that probably covers it. I've found the leather piston washer guide.

Thanks for the advice on the stock screws; I'll take another look at them next time I'm there.

Matt

[Airsporter1st]

If you still cannot strip (or don't want to) you can try pouring e.g. neatsfoot oil through the transfer port and leave the gun standing vertical for as long as possible (several days at least, I would think). This may revitalise the leather to the point that you will get acceptable performance.

[Nikkormat]

If you still cannot strip (or don't want to) you can try pouring e.g. neatsfoot oil through the transfer port and leave the gun standing vertical for as long as possible (several days at least, I would think). This may revitalise the leather to the point that you will get acceptable performance.

Thanks Paul, I'll try to track some down. Looking at a few sites, it seems making a new leather seal might not be so hard after all, and I think my mate is keen to take on the job herself as a winter project.

Matt

[aircol]

or one of the first days , i will receive new piston seals for slavia 630 and 631 from germany , i have this idea that its the same as in 620 , maybe not , but i will tjek it out , i have two 620 ,and i have looked inside one of them , its not a leather seal ??

[aircol]

or one of the first days , i will receive new piston seals for slavia 630 and 631 from germany , i have this idea that its the same as in 620 , maybe not , but i will tjek it out , i have two 620 ,and i have looked inside one of them , its not a leather seal ??

and they match 620 exactly , 630-631-620 . same piston seal , but its not leather.

[Nikkormat]

and they match 620 exactly , 630-631-620 . same piston seal , but its not leather.

Ah ha! Thank you. I assumed they would be leather as the rifles date back to the late 1960s. I am not too far from the CZ shop, so will pop in and see what they have.

Matt

[aircol]

inside the old lady ,i dont know how old my two 620 are , but if the seal is made of leather , diana 25/27 seal would fit ,25mm.

[Nikkormat]

Two months later...

And the rifle is shooting nicely. Piston slam has gone, and power is up. It seems that after pushing some of this through the cocking slot, over the weeks the piston seal has been rejuvenated and is doing its job. The trigger is still awful, and it's shooting about 10cm low at 20 metres, but the cocking and firing cycle is smooth and accuracy is easily minute-of-coke-can.

Matt