A simple spring damper idea

[whipsaw]

Just had a idea, what do you think?

Cut a piece of bicycle inner tube to about 1.5 inches and stretch it over the spring. Position it roughly in the middle of the spring so that it is just hidden by the piston skirt, lightly lubricate and then re-assemble the gun.

The idea is that it will reduce twang and produce a smoother cycle firstly by being in permanent contact with the spring and secondly by preventing metal to metal contact. Problem might be that it migrates from its position over time and/or gets chewed up.

Has anything similar ever been tried?

When I get a bit of time I might try it!

[TonyL]

Nope; me no thinky that worky!

[pelletcaster]

Me neither but why not give it a try and tell us.

[Hsing-ee]

Just get an accurately made top-hat and spring guide made up; when cocked they will nearly touch so during the release phase the opportunity to twang is nullified.

Sticking old bits of vulcanised rubber inside your springer will cause knackeration and deprecisionisation and will result in a stripdown to remove the mess. it's on a par with completely filling the spring compartment with CV grease. Dinnae doit.

[Tox Laximus]

Rubber is made with oil and might diesel under pressure, if that is even possible for any kinds of rubber?

I would test it on someone else's gun first.

[whipsaw]

Rubber is made with oil and might diesel under pressure, if that is even possible for any kinds of rubber?

I would test it on someone else's gun first.

Thanks Tox, I didn't know rubber was made with oil, I though it was made with rubber! It's positioned around the spring, not in the compression chamber so I'm not sure how it will cause dieseling. But thanks for the reply

[Tox Laximus]

Thanks Tox, I didn't know rubber was made with oil, I though it was made with rubber! It's positioned around the spring, not in the compression chamber so I'm not sure how it will cause dieseling. But thanks for the reply

It's probably safe and I dunno if inner tubes can diesel, I'm sure someone has tried something similar on youtube.

[NewPaul]

Give it a go, I love a bit of innovation

[thisisdonald]

I've seen our cousins across the pond tame twang with shrink tubing on their springs. I seem to remember a lad with a big old Hatsan doing about 30 fpe on youtube

[whipsaw]

Just get an accurately made top-hat and spring guide made up; when cocked they will nearly touch so during the release phase the opportunity to twang is nullified.

Sticking old bits of vulcanised rubber inside your springer will cause knackeration and deprecisionisation and will result in a stripdown to remove the mess. it's on a par with completely filling the spring compartment with CV grease. Dinnae doit.

I've actually got a TBT top-hat and spring guide fitted but there's still room for improvement. It's my HW99 and there's still a noticeable twang on firing. Most people would probably try piston sleeve but I had the idea that the 'rubber sleeve' would do a similar job. I always imagined that the twang occurred later in the firing cycle, when there is some distance between the TH and SG. The rubber would be right in the middle of the spring all the way through the firing cycle providing dampening and preventing metal to metal contact.

Surely it's no worse that cutting up old milk cartons and beer cans and shoving them inside the piston! and it's definitely not on a par with completely filling the spring compartment with CV grease stop being silly!

[thisisdonald]

While as, it isn't, perchance, a bsa lightning?

[robs5230]

I've actually got a TBT top-hat and spring guide fitted but there's still room for improvement. It's my HW99 and there's still a noticeable twang on firing. Most people would probably try piston sleeve but I had the idea that the 'rubber sleeve' would do a similar job. I always imagined that the twang occurred later in the firing cycle, when there is some distance between the TH and SG. The rubber would be right in the middle of the spring all the way through the firing cycle providing dampening and preventing metal to metal contact.

Surely it's no worse that cutting up old milk cartons and beer cans and shoving them inside the piston! and it's definitely not on a par with completely filling the spring compartment with CV grease stop being silly!

Not something I'd do in my springers. I can see it adding drag for a start, let alone the possibility of introducing unwanted debris.

I'd personally try shortening the spring and sizing the seal assuming the guides fit properly.

[whipsaw]

Not something I'd do in my springers. I can see it adding drag for a start, let alone the possibility of introducing unwanted debris.

I'd personally try shortening the spring and sizing the seal assuming the guides fit properly.

Shortening the spring is a good idea - there is a lot of preload. The rifle just under the limit, which I believe is a lot for the little '99. At the end of the day, I just like tinkering and trying out new ideas and whilst I wouldn't do anything so drastic to my car or my boiler, it's just a couple of hundred quids worth of wood and metal so what's the worse that can happen?

[thisisdonald]

Personally I make my spring guides a tight, almost screw on fit. The top hat fits snug as well. Use a slip washer at each end to allow rotation, and as said, shorten the spring down.
Miller's red rubber grease does a good job of getting rid of any residual twang you can't tune out, you don't need a lot.
I had a bsa lightning which are notorious for twang. They come with a factory piston sleeve, and due to the design of The trigger, are dufficuktbto make delrin guides for, stainless is better. I persevered and came up with a delrin guide that was strong enough at the shoulder. Anyway, I had that gun apart a dozen times, trying this and that to get the twang to disappear! Now it's a great little rifle to shoot, but accurate past 25 it is not!

[whipsaw]

Personally I make my spring guides a tight, almost screw on fit. The top hat fits snug as well. Use a slip washer at each end to allow rotation, and as said, shorten the spring down.
Miller's red rubber grease does a good job of getting rid of any residual twang you can't tune out, you don't need a lot.
I had a bsa lightning which are notorious for twang. They come with a factory piston sleeve, and due to the design of The trigger, are dufficuktbto make delrin guides for, stainless is better. I persevered and came up with a delrin guide that was strong enough at the shoulder. Anyway, I had that gun apart a dozen times, trying this and that to get the twang to disappear! Now it's a great little rifle to shoot, but accurate past 25 it is not!

Your Lightening sounds like the Supersport I had many years ago. The first and last time I ever owned a BSA!