Crazy $ for Hy-Score Phoenix Sporter Air Pistol.

[harvey_s]

You live in the right country for this. Curious what FPS you getting? I heard the internals were indentical to the US model? No doubt the early one just looks right. Not really sold on the Mark 2, the sight looks blocky to me and I read it’s plastic?

I had a black one some time ago and far from being the rumoured power-house - I do recall being very disappointed with my velocities...

I re-sprung and resealed mine - but the improvement was marginal, I cannot remember the exact velocity now, but they were advertised here as being 500fps in .177, but from memory I think mine struggled to hit 400fps.

The 'silencer' was just straight through and ultimately I felt disappointed with mine so it went...even though it was one of those guns I really wanted when I was younger.

I'd be interested to know if mine was untypical of the model...

[DT Fletcher]

I had a black one some time ago and far from being the rumoured power-house - I do recall being very disappointed with my velocities...

I re-sprung and resealed mine - but the improvement was marginal, I cannot remember the exact velocity now, but they were advertised here as being 500fps in .177, but from memory I think mine struggled to hit 400fps.

The 'silencer' was just straight through and ultimately I felt disappointed with mine so it went...even though it was one of those guns I really wanted when I was younger.

I'd be interested to know if mine was untypical of the model...

The "trick" in obtaining good velocities with the original version is to lube the piston with white grease (if memory serves, Lubriplate, a known American brand of lube that comes in a tube and is white, of course, is what they used.) Using this paste was what the factory substituted in place of the original piston rings. No idea if the version was any different.

[Benelli B76]

You can make a flat polyurethane washer that fits inside the piston and has a centre hole that is a good fit around the barrel. The polyurethane washer is then covered by a steel washer to protect it from the spring. This is much better than the grease which soon loses any sealing effect around the barrel.

Baz

[harvey_s]

The "trick" in obtaining good velocities with the original version is to lube the piston with white grease (if memory serves, Lubriplate, a known American brand of lube that comes in a tube and is white, of course, is what they used.) Using this paste was what the factory substituted in place of the original piston rings. No idea if the version was any different.

IIRC the Pheonix versions had an o-ring outer piston seal and nothing other than a sliding fit as an inner seal!

[gingernut]

My British one had more power than the American ones I’ve had.
But neither were powerhouses.
Especially when compared with American co2 pistols.

[45flint]

Must stick up for the early American guns. I just Chronied this 1952? Hyscore Sporter below with 7 grain Hobbys. It was hitting right at 500 FPS. As you can see it is almost in new condition. Have no idea if it has the metal rings, I know they phased out the metal to O rings sometimes during the production cycle. I think in comparing vintage guns we often compare well used guns, which don’t reflect what standards at which they could originally performed?

[harvey_s]

Very cool in its own way - looks a bit Dan Dare with the ultra short barrel instead of the extra cylinder length for the silencer thread.

[gingernut]

My Americans both had the longer barrel.
Target model?
Also both in .22 which didn’t help.

The Phoenix was .177 and the short barrel so was a bit feisty.

[DT Fletcher]

Very cool in its own way - looks a bit Dan Dare with the ultra short barrel instead of the extra cylinder length for the silencer thread.

Dan Dare: the English Flash Gordon.

There's a rare Dan Dare metal squirt gun which has always escaped my grasp.

[45flint]

Must stick up for the early American guns. I just Chronied this 1952? Hyscore Sporter below with 7 grain Hobbys. It was hitting right at 500 FPS. As you can see it is almost in new condition. Have no idea if it has the metal rings, I know they phased out the metal to O rings sometimes during the production cycle. I think in comparing vintage guns we often compare well used guns, which don’t reflect what standards at which they could originally performed?

Interesting I have several Hy-Score all in very good shape. They all shoot in the low to mid 400 fps except for the above Sporter which is 500+. Curious to me? Is a short barrel good for spring gun speed? But my other short barrel is low 400’s. Could just be the random spring, or this one just seals better in the loader?