HW95 spring guide. Tight or loose?

[Steve Valentine]

Fresh out of hospital for my radiation treatment and I’m bored! What better way to relieve that boredom than playing with airguns?

Anyway, my new 95 is stripped down to component parts, I’ve fettled the trigger and I’m just working on the rest of the internals. There was slightly too much grease inside for my liking so I’ve degreased everything. There’s a metal piston/spring liner and the spring guide isn’t a fantastic fit. No top hat. The first coil is 14mm i/d and from what I can measure the rest of the spring is about 13.95mm meaning the guide is quite a loose fit, how tight does it need to be and is there any benefit to replacing the metal piston liner with PTFE?

Also, while I’m in there, is there anything else that would benefit a debur?

Ta muchly

[TonyL]

Hi Steve,

Sorry, I hadn't realised that you were ill. I know you frequent the non-airgun section but don't pop into here very often, so please accept my apologies and all the very best to you.

Re spring guide fit, I like them to be a tight push fit. So, a firm push with the palm of your hand and a fair bit of resistance, but not requiring hammering in.

Metal piston sleeve is fine; leave as is.

I'd be going for a top hat.

De-burring - just make sure the cocking slot is smooth and ensure the inner surfaces on the various cut outs on the inside of the cylinder show no sharp edges which may snag the piston seal when re-inserting.

If you can make your own guide and top hat, fantastic.

If not, a V-Mach kit (either full kit or just spring and guides) or a TBT kit will be fine and have those guides custom made to that particular spring. I also really like the SFS springs for the '95, and they're made to fit the standard nylon guide, but you'll need a top hat.

A sparing re-lube on reassembly and all will be good.

Whilst it's apart, double check the piston and breech seals and the barrel shims and replace if required.

All the very best on your little rebuild and best wishes for the future and hope the treatment goes well.

[Steve Valentine]

Thanks for the reply, Tony. Yeah health is a bit up and down but I’m over the worst now hopefully.

The spring guide is quite a loose fit and requires no effort to put in, it’s got quite a bit of clearance between it and the spring except for the first coil. Just re-measured. The spring is 14.15mm I/d the guide is 13.7 tapering to 13.6

[tinbum]

Thanks for the reply, Tony. Yeah health is a bit up and down but I’m over the worst now hopefully.

The spring guide is quite a loose fit and requires no effort to put in, it’s got quite a bit of clearance between it and the spring except for the first coil. Just re-measured. The spring is 14.15mm I/d the guide is 13.7 tapering to 13.6

I have just the very thing here that I've taken out of another gun. Pm me your address

[TonyL]

Sounding positive on the health front then, Steve.

If it were me I'd be going for a V-Mach spring and guide set and it'll be job done. And Mr Tinbum's similar kit will be excellent too. Many have also had excellent results with Mr Tinbum's piston nose extensions to reduce the stroke. My 95s still run the standard stroke and I'm more than happy with them in standard stroke guise; horses for courses.

[TonyL]

Aha, simultaneously posting and Mr Tinbum comes to the rescue!

[Steve Valentine]

I have just the very thing here that I've taken out of another gun. Pm me your address

Evening, Tim. Thank you very much! Pm inbound.

I don’t want to go down the VMach kit route, purely due to the cost. From what I’ve read the HW spring is more than adequate anyway

[Steve Valentine]

This is where I’m currently at;

Cocking slot on piston and main body deburred and polished.
Main body bedurred where necessary.
Cocking shoe polished.
Spring ends polished.
Piston polished.

Also I’ve stripped the trigger unit and polished the sears. I can’t believe the difference that this has made! It’s incredibly smooth and predictable now.

I got a little surprise in the post this morning thanks to TinBum so once I get back in later today I’ll be able to get everything reassembled

[Steve Valentine]

Well it’s back together and it all went rather easily. The firing cycle is a little bit quicker and the cocking is now smooth. I just can’t believe how nice the trigger is now, for a springer, it’s so predictable!

But, there’s always a but, I think it’s a bit hot. It’s definitely not dieseling. I removed two metal slip washers and a metal preload washer to fit a top hat and slip washer that Nick very kindly sent me, so could it be due to there being less weight in the piston?

I haven’t got a Chrono so that is now my priority. I’m loathed to squash a coil on the spring or cut it as it’s not reversible, would removing the top hat lower the power?

I guess I can’t do anything until I Chrono it now though

[tinbum]

Without a chrono you are stuck! It could be 13, it could be 10, I would get it checked as soon as poss, pref get a combro of your own for future use. Removing the top hat will drop it a bit though

[Steve Valentine]

Without a chrono you are stuck! It could be 13, it could be 10, I would get it checked as soon as poss, pref get a combro of your own for future use. Removing the top hat will drop it a bit though

There was quite a bit of preload, I think 40 or 50mm. Pity I can’t remember how much it had previously but I do t think it will have been much different. I’ll get a combro and go from there.

Thanks, Nick.

[TonyL]

Nice one, Nick.

Steve, glad you enjoyed the little play. Be interesting to hear re the power testing.

[Steve Valentine]

Nice one, Nick.

Steve, glad you enjoyed the little play. Be interesting to hear re the power testing.

It was quite therapeutic polishing everything, Tony. Especially the piston, it was gleaming

[TonyL]

Excellent stuff.

And a Very Happy Birthday to you, sir.

[Steve Valentine]

Excellent stuff.

And a Very Happy Birthday to you, sir.

Thank you, Tony. Going out for lunch later

Also, bought a combro last night. At £49.95 direct from Robin including postage, it’s a no brainer.