Pro- Elite- question for the aficionados

[jonnyone]

So, after managing to purcahse a .177 barrel for the above some time ago for the princely sum of £35. I have procrastinated on the job of swopping barrels. The example I have has some vertical play in the barrel lock up and this (I am guessing) could have a detrimental effect on accuracy. I have managed to purchase most of the items needed to try and improve or remove this issue from Chambers- all except barrel shims. And this leads to my question(s).

I had made an assumption that there is some wear in the shims/barrel pivot pin area and have finally managed to modify a wide screwdriver blade to unscrew the nut on one side of the breech jaws. I cant seem to find any wear in the barrel catch (but have bought a spare anyhow- and a spring to go with it). The shims are my concern. I would have thought they would be a slight friction fit into the barrel block? One was- but the other had seized and had to be lightly tapped out with a drift. There is no adverse wear signs on the outer shim face or the breech jaw due to this, but the old barrel pivot pin does seem a slacker fit than the new one I bought.

The design as a whole seems well thought out and good but my question is where would you suspect the "play" in the lock up is? As shims are obsolete and un-obtainable their replacement is not an option. Am I right about the shims? Were they designed to rotate when the action is cocked? Could this be where the vertial play has occured (adverse wear in some way)?

I'm really looking forward to having a .177 Pro Elite- but not if it comes complete with the old "play" in the lock up

I could just re assemble with the new barrel pivot bolt and hope for the best- but am wondering if there is anyone out there who on reading this could give me some advice on looking for areas of concern?

Thanks in anticipation of any guidance.
Dave

[Shed tuner]

I have two pro Elites and can't relate to your problem...

Where is the play - laterally or vertically ?
Is the breach seal too thick / damaged ?

[smoothly]

Mmm ive 24 proelites,177 and 22,walnut,beech etc and 2 x brand new never fired in boxes and one in a glass fronted case for show [sad isnt it],and a couple of basket cases that have been brought back to life,ide put it together as best you can and try it thats all you can do with what you have i cant see it shooting bad they seldom do,obviously its parts from two different guns so there might be some play in something,ive been and had a wobble on half a dozen and theres nothing if minimal play in none of them,ive had loose barrel problems with the little allen screw underneath and piston seals sticking and demounting etc just old proelite problems but thats about it,put it together and have a go and let us know how things went.

[jonnyone]

I have two pro Elites and can't relate to your problem...

Where is the play - laterally or vertically ?
Is the breach seal too thick / damaged ?

Hiya jon. The play is vertical mate. When you firmly brace the rifle and hold the muzzle you can move the barrel around the pivot pin. Clearly the lock up should be solid and not move. The breech seal seems fine. I am also wondering if the shims should rotate freely? To be fair there's not the play in the shims that I thought there would be.
Any advice please let me know?
Thanks
Dave

[jonnyone]

Forgot to mention that I have two PEs and the first one I bought does not suffer the same issue.

[smoothly]

Ive just re read what jon has wrote about the breech seal and i remember a long time ago now i bought one of mine and i always strip and clean relube replace etc before useing them and the barrel was not locking up right on further inspection it had five very thin washer like spacers underneath the breech seal weihrauch used to use these on the old 80,s,anyway on phoneing air arms i was told they hadnt ever used breech seal washers for packing so it was obviously a attempt at some kind of modification,i told the previous owner and he sweares blind he bought it new from fawcetts in lancashire which was probably the last people to sell the proelite new or from stock and he had never even had it out of the stock funny isnt it what you find out!!!!.

[jonnyone]

Thanks for the input lads,
Ive finally swopped the .177 barrel onto the gun today. I've only had it nigh on 8 years (so no one can accuse me of rushing things).

I didnt do things that methodically (to try and track down the play). I just degreased, cleaned and re greased the relevant bits on the .177 barrel and I used the existing barrel pivot pin back in the set up. I put a new breech seal in the gun (was a tad loose in the recess in my books) but I must say the lock up now seems solid. I cant prove (but suspect) that the shims in the .22 barrel may well have been at fault.

I've run the gun over the chrono just for curiosity sake and its spot on 10 ft llbs with H&N FTT. Come the summer I will give it an overhaul and home to improve on this figure.

Thanks again,
Dave

[Shed tuner]

Improving on 10 Fp with a Pro Elite isn't hard - keeping them under can be !

Glad you sorted it though... Keep the .22 barrel, even if the block has some kind of fault, the barrels themselves are easily removed from the blocks, so you could change cal in the future.

[kappapappa]

mmm ive 24 proelites,177 and 22,walnut,beech etc and 2 x brand new never fired in boxes and one in a glass fronted case for show [sad isnt it],and a couple of basket cases that have been brought back to life,ide put it together as best you can and try it thats all you can do with what you have i cant see it shooting bad they seldom do,obviously its parts from two different guns so there might be some play in something,ive been and had a wobble on half a dozen and theres nothing if minimal play in none of them,ive had loose barrel problems with the little allen screw underneath and piston seals sticking and demounting etc just old proelite problems but thats about it,put it together and have a go and let us know how things went.

24 thats down right greedy :d

[jonnyone]

24 thats down right greedy :d

Too damn right. I thought it was a typo myself

This explains the national shortage of Pro Elites on the market

Thanks again chaps,

Dave