Single Stroke Pneumatic Rifles

[T 20]

I've unfortunately not had the pleasure to see a sportsman in the flesh.

You nearly have, Tom.

The multi stroke Mohawk shares the same pump and valving as the Sportsman MK2.

The pumps for the Mohawk's were made in India for Titan, when Titan went under a batch of unused Mohawk pumps were sold to Daystate.
Daystate added their own barrel, breech, stock and trigger unit to the Mohawk pump and called it the Sportsman MK2.
It would be quite easy to alter the Sportsman MK2 to be a single stroke 12ftlbs gun.

I have both single stroke and multi stroke Mohawks and a Sportsman MK2 to compare.





All the best Mick

[NTSOG]

G'day,

I did not know SSPs came in higher power models than the 10M rifles, but I have done great damage with my FWB 600 At 25 yards the rifle is deadly with Meisterkugeln. Given the effort to cock a target SSP I can only imagine the power required to cock a 12 ft. pd. rifle. Then again I shot about 80 pellets through my FAC HW 90 yesterday without qualm and that does take an effort to cock.

Jim

Via Ballarat
Australia

[Geezer]

Back around 1990, I was sure the full-power SSPs were the future. All the benefits of a springer, but recoilless and without the cost/hassle of a PCP or the faff of a multi-pump. Well, I was wrong.

They still intrigue me. Which is probably why I have just bought but not yet picked up a Mohawk.

I have had a PH Dragon for ages. But, in a comparison with a good springer of similar price, in this case a contemporary tuned HW77K, this is what happens:

Build quality/finish: different, but equal. Both ooze quality.
Looks: HW77.
Ease of cocking stroke: HW77.
Ease/speed of reloading: HW77.
Reliability: HW77. By far.
Handling: HW77 (Dragon is both top-heavy and lop-sided).
Scope creep issues: presumably the Dragon, but no issues with any of my 77s. So, draw.
Facility for using huge long scopes that I do not favour: Dragon.
Theoretical accuracy: Dragon.
Practical accuracy: draw. See handling, trigger, etc.
Trigger: HW77.
Safety catch operation: HW77.
Quietness: Dragon with PH silencer. But 77 isn't exactly noisy.
Ease of servicing: HW77, by a very long way.

That, and the obvious attractions of the PCP, especially the repeaters, I think explains the demise of the 12 ft/lbs SSP. As a concept, brilliant. In practice, not so great.

[tomdavies9]

Mick you make a good point about the valving there but ooo a single stroke sportsman would be one I'd like to try if anyone has done such a thing.

Jim, honestly I don't find the cocking effort too bad on the full powers. Bit of a knack to it but once you get the hang they come around nice.

And geezer honestly on paper the SSP is the superior system, and with my Dragon in my opinion the trigger breaks as nice as a rekord (controversial I know haha). One thing I've never found that a few have mentioned is the "lop-sided" effect as it has never bothered me, but the world would be boring if we were all the same
The throw on the Mohawks lever is a lot longer than the Dragon, but again comes round nice with a little practice, I'm sure you'll have great fun with it!!

[Muskett]

Air Logic Genesis, is another. One stroke to full power though were made in .22. Heavy and hard to charge even with a long side lever. Shot beautifully, and very accurate.

[NTSOG]

Hi Tom,

A quick internet search found a number of these SSP 'cannons'. Are parts still available for them or are they condemned to become attractive wall fittings when seals break down? I have not seen one advertised here, but they look magnificent.

Jim

[robs5230]

Hi Tom,

A quick internet search found a number of these SSP 'cannons'. Are parts still available for them or are they condemned to become attractive wall fittings when seals break down? I have not seen one advertised here, but they look magnificent.

Jim

Seal parts are certainly still available for the Parker Hale Dragon though mechanical parts are very scarce / non existent.
The Dragon's a truly amazing rifle to work on. Engineering overkill with a very unusual trigger / valving system. Complicated but easily worked on with a methodical approach. I resealed one a few years ago with the help of a very good guide written by Phil Russell.

I've owned 2 dragons, the first a mk1 number 93 when they first came out and a later mk2 that I owned and resealed a few years ago. If another came along at the right price (at the right time) I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

[tomdavies9]

Yes seal kits for some of the models are still available Jim, I haven't opened any up yet but I do like how you can remove the piston from the Mohawk without going fully into the gun. They are magnificent though, and I have great pleasure shooting mine

And Rob mine is also a MK1, number 106, and like you I wouldn't hesitate to buy another

[NTSOG]

Thank you both for the information.

I'll keep my eyes open in case one comes up here, but I'm going to have a larger gun safe the way things are going.

Jim

[greenwayjames]

There is a great deal of information and photos of single stroke pneumatics on the John Bowkett official Fanpage where I am an editor. The Mohawk single and multi-pumps were made using many parts from the Titan Manitou pcps and a pump unit made in India. The Mohawk uses a simple lever but his early (circa 1980) one offs used an unusual folding lever that reduced effort to very low levels at the cost of extra movement and added complexity. JB services and upgrades many Mohawks and has to de-tune the single strokes after the mods to bring them below the limit

[tomdavies9]

NTSOG - Definitely keep your eyes open mate, they are a joy to shoot once you are familiar with them And +1 in the gun safe isn't a bad thing haha!!

Greenway - Will have to check if I am on the official fan page but if I am not I soon will be I knew he has serviced a few and his reputation obviously precedes him

[JustinThyme]

[QUOTE=robs5230;7332403]Seal parts are certainly still available for the Parker Hale Dragon though mechanical parts are very scarce / non existent.

Not entirely correct, dont be stuck for PHD spares as I have one or two knocking about

[tomdavies9]

Always good to know Keith, would a shame for any of these rifles go to waste!!

I think its about time manufacturers revisit this system personally

[Geezer]

There is a great deal of information and photos of single stroke pneumatics on the John Bowkett official Fanpage where I am an editor. The Mohawk single and multi-pumps were made using many parts from the Titan Manitou pcps and a pump unit made in India. The Mohawk uses a simple lever but his early (circa 1980) one offs used an unusual folding lever that reduced effort to very low levels at the cost of extra movement and added complexity. JB services and upgrades many Mohawks and has to de-tune the single strokes after the mods to bring them below the limit

That is good to know. I had heard there were some Titans (maybe just the not very successful JB1) that John refused to work on. Obviously not the Manitou or Mohawk. My two questions for him, if you can influence what he sends you to go on the FB page, which I do follow, would be:

- You offer servicing on the Mohawk as both an SSP and a 2-3 stroke multi-pump. Do you have a preference between the two options, and why, or is it just a different strokes for different folks thing?

- Could you describe the Bowkett tune that took a Meteor to 11+ ft/lbs? I assume a bigger spring, opened TP, piston weight and a general polish/lube. But I'd love to know for sure.

[QUOTE=JustinThyme;7332890]

Seal parts are certainly still available for the Parker Hale Dragon though mechanical parts are very scarce / non existent.

Not entirely correct, dont be stuck for PHD spares as I have one or two knocking about

Also good to know. If I ever get around to trying to sort mine out properly. Anyone got a link to the strip down instructions mentioned above?

[oliver13]

You may be interested in this American chap who is currently developing a single stroke pneumatic, the Freedom 700. It seems like a nice gun, I'm particularly impressed by his mechanically advantageous approach to the cocking stroke. Just when you think there can't be another way of doing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnR1KxFqOAc