Relube of leather washer & Vintage Air rifle service

[Argonaut]

I have a Relum Super Tornado 0.22 under-lever loading.
Been very well looked after, still fires well, even though this year was probably first use in 20 years ..... Not bad for a rifle that cost me £21 new in 1973

The barrel always has a few drops of 3-in-one oil down it after use, but read now that mineral oils not considered the best for the leather washer. (though still working well after 45 years)

Thinking of giving it a service. (ready for its 5oth birthday !)

If I take washer out assume its pretty soaked with mineral oil .... what is best way to clean it before soaking in a silicon oil. (reading that this is better than Neatsfoot ?)

Thinking that I would take springs out - if they look undamaged, clean, re-grease with Molybdenum.
If damaged - getting conflicting advice - several posts talk about replacing with single Airsporter or Meteor spring .....but 2 of the companies that sell such springs advise I would be better to stick with original dual-concentric springs, putting in single spring only makes cocking more difficult, makes a noisier action but does not increase output.

[junglie]

Take no notice of the shops & stick a meteor spring in, airsporter spring is slightly too large outer diameter & will bind on cocking. Grease it with moly & make a pop bottle lube sleeve for in the piston, that'll quiten it down a lot. You'll be surprised how bucked the old twin springs are whe you pull it apart I''ll bet. I'd wipe the piston washer with alcohol ,dry, then soak in hempseed oil wrapped in cling film overnight, just pushed into the end of the cylinder to stop it swelling too much. That makes re-fitting much easier next day. I think there's a knack to getting the piston past the trigger too but can't remember it. No doubt someone will tell you on here I've only done one tornado for a freind & had to glue the barrel in on that as it was loose & rotating slightly so check the barrel joint too while you have it apart.Don't expect top power from it either . The most they'll make is 8-9ft/lbs tops.

[Argonaut]

Take no notice of the shops & stick a meteor spring in, airsporter spring is slightly too large outer diameter & will bind on cocking. Grease it with moly & make a pop bottle lube sleeve for in the piston, that'll quiten it down a lot. You'll be surprised how bucked the old twin springs are whe you pull it apart I''ll bet. I'd wipe the piston washer with alcohol ,dry, then soak in hempseed oil wrapped in cling film overnight, just pushed into the end of the cylinder to stop it swelling too much. That makes re-fitting much easier next day. I think there's a knack to getting the piston past the trigger too but can't remember it. No doubt someone will tell you on here I've only done one tornado for a freind & had to glue the barrel in on that as it was loose & rotating slightly so check the barrel joint too while you have it apart.Don't expect top power from it either . The most they'll make is 8-9ft/lbs tops.

Thanks for the comments.

Assume no need to replace washer if I clean & re-lube ....... so is hempseed oil better than silicon or neatsfoot ? (I don't have any of them so have to buy either way)

I also don't understand "make a pop bottle lube sleeve for in the piston" what is this, is it just for the re-lube or a permanent addition

[averageplinker]

There is an old mantra I like to live by.....if it ain't broke don't fix it! You say she is working well so I am guessing the power and accuracy is ok and it is not making any horrible noises on cocking and firing. If so, sit back relax.
Rich.

[Josie & John]

I'd advise a conversation with Vic at Protek Supplies. He has an extensive stock of original Relum parts including springs and is a font of knowledge on Relums.

Good luck,

John

[Argonaut]

I did contact Protek ... they advise putting in anew pair of concentric springs (not a single Meteor), and lube washer liberally with Neatsfoot oil.

[Argonaut]

There is an old mantra I like to live by.....if it ain't broke don't fix it! You say she is working well so I am guessing the power and accuracy is ok and it is not making any horrible noises on cocking and firing. If so, sit back relax.
Rich.

I do think after 45 yr a service is worthwhile - even if just to clean out old grease & relube

[junglie]

Thanks for the comments.

Assume no need to replace washer if I clean & re-lube ....... so is hempseed oil better than silicon or neatsfoot ? (I don't have any of them so have to buy either way)

I also don't understand "make a pop bottle lube sleeve for in the piston" what is this, is it just for the re-lube or a permanent addition

Do a search on here for making a lube sleeve. You can use a pop bottle or beer can for this depending on the clearance between the spring & piston. All springs outer diameter gets larger as they are compressed so you don't want them binding(catching on the inside of the sleeve when cocking)I wouldn't use silicon oil at all in springers & wouldn't recommend hempseed oil if I didn't belive it was the best for the job.It is very nice as a salad dressing too btw.....At the end of the day it's a relum tornado, a poorly made crude cheap rifle that is really only suited to shooting tin cans at garden range so I wouldn't expect miracles from it. The best you can do is get it shooting smoother & slightly more accurate. Sorry if that offends you but I wouldnt even bother putting a scope on it as it will just show it's limitations even more.

[andrewM]

I have found the comments here interesting. Since I joined the site - and improved my knowledge considerably - I have found that most people appear to favour neatsfoot compound. I soaked a washer in this in an eggcup overnight and then fired off the surplus oil (for my Webley Mk3) with some 30-50 shots.

It would be interesting, however, to read of the pros and cons for a silicon oil as opposed to a mineral oil.

Rgds
A

[Argonaut]

I have found the comments here interesting. Since I joined the site - and improved my knowledge considerably - I have found that most people appear to favour neatsfoot compound. I soaked a washer in this in an eggcup overnight and then fired off the surplus oil (for my Webley Mk3) with some 30-50 shots.

It would be interesting, however, to read of the pros and cons for a silicon oil as opposed to a mineral oil.

Rgds
A

Accept that Neatsfoot is the optimum product for leather washer ... and ordered some.
What ‘oil’ do people put in barrel after use.
For all of guns life (45 yrs old now) I have put a couple of drops of 3-in-1 down barrel .... and occasionally (
Once a year or so) put some in charging tap ... and fire off empty .... ensuring full mist of oil in barrel.

Would Neatsfoot be a better choice for overall lubrication ?

[andrewM]

Accept that Neatsfoot is the optimum product for leather washer ... and ordered some.
What ‘oil’ do people put in barrel after use.
For all of guns life (45 yrs old now) I have put a couple of drops of 3-in-1 down barrel .... and occasionally (
Once a year or so) put some in charging tap ... and fire off empty .... ensuring full mist of oil in barrel.

Would Neatsfoot be a better choice for overall lubrication ?

I have never poured any oil into the barrel of an air rifle. I don't think it is necessary as the barrel does not require oil.

You should not put any oil into the transfer port unless there is a leather washer (as you have), in which case it seems to be a few drops every 1000 shots, say. Or two drops - no more - after 500 shots. Then work/suck it into the cylinder and leave the rifle upright overnight to soak into the leather washer.

Yes, use neatsfoot for this purpose - no need to mix.

No, don't ever fire an air rifle without a pellet; it is very bad for the internals. You can obtain small spongy wads to fire into the barrel to clean it. They come in small tins of about 200 and could be soaked in oil but I have not used them because they are far lighter than a pellet and might cause damage to the internals. If you want to clean the barrel, use a special cleaning rod without any sharp edges, so as to protect the barrel.

I think everyone here will agree with this advice.

Rgds
A

[Argonaut]

Seen so many pictures on forums of guys selling airsporters & Tornados full of rust, all blueing gone.
That is the visible outer - Imagine what bore would be like.
I come from army background, and barrels always pulled through to clean (sometimes with a brush) then pulled through with lightly oiled cloth, before storage.

Pull through dry then before first use.

Can’t pull through this due to fixed barrel ... hence put oil drops down the barrel.

The fact my Relum is still shooting well 45 years on shows my regime hasn’t done it any harm.

I appreciate your comments, and maybe for a less solidly (agricultural) engineered rifle it may have not been so good.

[andrewM]

Seen so many pictures on forums of guys selling airsporters & Tornados full of rust, all blueing gone.
That is the visible outer - Imagine what bore would be like.
I come from army background, and barrels always pulled through to clean (sometimes with a brush) then pulled through with lightly oiled cloth, before storage.

Pull through dry then before first use.

Can’t pull through this due to fixed barrel ... hence put oil drops down the barrel.

The fact my Relum is still shooting well 45 years on shows my regime hasn’t done it any harm.

I appreciate your comments, and maybe for a less solidly (agricultural) engineered rifle it may have not been so good.

There is a difference: when one handles a rifle, one places sweat from one's hands onto the metal and it is this that causes the rust, unless the rifle has been allowed to get wet in the rain or some such, without wiping with an oily cloth afterwards. The inside of the barrel, by contrast, is not touched and should not be exposed to rain either. I suspect it is also made of a different type of metal (would need to check that).

Yes, with a firearm or shotgun, it is essential to clean the barrel because of the chemical composition that is emitted upon firing a cartridge. It is this that corrodes the barrel. You can tell a poorly cared for shotgun by inspecting the barrels and these, you will see, ultimately become pockmarked.

An air rifle is also slightly different because oil will upset the ballistics, having a far greater impact in a mechanism that relies upon air as a propellant. Too much smoke creates variation in the velocity.

One of the worst things you can do to an air rifle/pistol is fire it without a pellet (springer that is).

Rgds
A

[wild boar]

looks like there is a difference between neatsfoot compound and neatsfoot oil - intresting - worth a read




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neatsfoot_oil

[andrewM]

looks like there is a difference between neatsfoot compound and neatsfoot oil - intresting - worth a read




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neatsfoot_oil

Yes, this is correct; for an air rifle, one needs the neatsfoot compound, which is a compound to combine the best properties of mineral oil and neatsfoot oil. Neatsfoot, for instance, can solidify in its pure state at low temperatures.

Protek sells neatsfoot compound.

Rgds
A