The problematic .22 Tracker

[evert]

I've got a small collection of post-war webley spring rifles, and have managed to get a few of them sorted out.

But one of the .22 Trackers seems more difficult than the others.

I have checked the tap alignment, and it seems fine. Not much leakage either.
Tried several seals, bot the teflon type, and fitted Gamo/AA-type seals.
All possible brands of new and vintage pellets.
Several different springs.
More piston weight.
Differing preload on different springs.
Little lube, much lube, in between etc, several types of greases.
Polished the compression tube and transfer port, radiused the port entry slightly.

I had a combination with Maccaris spring, a fitted gamo seal, max preload and a large piston weight that was pushing superdomes at about 570fps, but It did recoil a bit too much. Other Trackers have been much easier to work with, giving similar results with the same spring with less spacing, and less piston weight and the original seal. I dont waht to push the gun too hard!

So, I'm hoping some of you guys might have an idea of something I have not tried... anyone?

[JLB]

Both mine run much better with old school 'Eley' wasps 5.6mm or next best is the new 'Defiant' variants 5.6mm pellets. As you have already found Superdomes are the next in line. Shoot a lot sweeter at lower velocities though if just for garden plinking. I run mine with TX200 seals at the moment which is better than standard, but plan trying a Weihrauch piston seal when I can find the time.

John

[p.sharp]

I tried everything in mine, including a long stroke. Still only made 8ftlb. I'd have gave my right arm to get anywhere near 10ftlb.

[evert]

I tried everything in mine, including a long stroke. Still only made 8ftlb. I'd have gave my right arm to get anywhere near 10ftlb.

Sounds like my problematic one.. for you guys in the UK, where getting a "new" .22 tracker isnt much of a problem, I'd just use it for parts and get a working one.
The others havent give any problems at all, it just seems to be a few of the trackers.
I am thinking of trying to get a new unfit tap, fit it as snug and in line with the bore as I can, and see if that helps things.
The HW style seal might be worth a try too, it worked wonders in the Osprey.

[evert]

Both mine run much better with old school 'Eley' wasps 5.6mm or next best is the new 'Defiant' variants 5.6mm pellets. As you have already found Superdomes are the next in line. John

I have tried them all... new 5.6 defiants are NOT good at all in this gun.
Old 5.6mm wasps, Old gamo match, old superdomes and meisterkugeln, old Milbro select and twin rings have all given decent results.

[rabbitman]

The action is probably bent when they
Welded the trigger housing on contracting
It pulls the action into a banana.
If so make an insert on a lathe and mallet
It back to true.I did one some years back and
Gained 3.5ftlbs no other changes.

[evert]

The action is probably bent when they
Welded the trigger housing on contracting
It pulls the action into a banana.
If so make an insert on a lathe and mallet
It back to true.I did one some years back and
Gained 3.5ftlbs no other changes.

Now that is some new info, thanks!
Come to think of it, another airgunner here told me about damaging the soft tube on a Tracker, from having it inserted in a Bull-pup stock with setscrews holding the action. He fixed it a similar way to what you are describing.

[Bruno27]

Mine (.22) has got the tube distorted at the back block end, the later has become hard to push in. The piston also shows wear mark at the back. I think I have over done it with the scope mounts. I use the original PTFE seal and it is quit hard to push it buy hand in the tube; so I don't know if it is because of the seal, a banana shape or the tube out of round.
I have used an endoscope to check tap alignment and made a shim 0.11mm thick from a coke can.
Accuracy is good with Milbro TR, with 9 ftlb. I will soon get a gasram from Airmagnum so it will be in bits and I will let you know my findings.

[evert]

I took out the problematic Tracker again. My other .22 Tracker shoots great, so it is not just me that is the problem...

Theres two issues with the problem gun, power and accuracy.
I have to push it with piston weight and max spring spacing to get decent power from it, and the only pellet it gives acceptable groups with is Superdome. It has a well fit Diana type piston seal.
Theres some leakage around the tap, but I imagine the accuracy problem must come from something else?

We cant buy new .22 air rifles "off ticket" here in Norway after 2009, but we can keep the ones we already owned.
So I'm motivated to get the guns I already owned working properly, but I really dont know where to start on this one.

[maximus]

Have youbtried pushing a pellet through the tap and down the barrel? The tap could be sizing the pellets too small to grip the rifling in the barrel.

[Danny1978]

If the tap is leaking its losing compression and could be misaligned causing the pellets to clip, totally ruining accuracy too

[TonyL]

Yep, guessing that even a "slight" leak is going to rob performance, combined with the less efficient to start with tap. Might be worth having a play with some different pellets, too. (I wonder if the larger sizes of the FTT might work well?). Plus, did I see on another loading tap related thread (maybe the Airsporter?) a tip relating to flaring the pellet skirt slightly to help promote a better seal, giving a more consistent start position?

[TonyL]

P.S....evert, following your experiences with breech sealing / thread issues on the Vulcan, could it also be that some sidelever models have similar issues (although caused by a different fault)?....,

Having said that, you did manage to raise the power, albeit with a less than ideal set-up. So maybe a non-issue and more down to the tap. Might still be worth having a good peer at the cylinder end, though, and performing a pre-emptative leak fix with HD thread sealant?

[evert]

Yeah, tap alignment or sealing issues are suspected problems.
I've tried to push pellets from the bore into the tap, and cant detect any problems that way.
A way to test cylinder sealing would be to remove the tap and fit a plug of some kind in the tap bore that seals up really well, and the see how the piston seals.
But I'm tempted to heat up the gun and take it apart. With the tap housing removed from the cylinder and barrel, it would be easy to detect any alignment issues, and since the gun really does not work well, theres not much to loose.

The pellets I've tried are among other:
Milbro select and twin ring
RWS hobby, superdome
H&N FTT 5,50-5,53-5,55
JSB express and exact 5,52
Gamo match and hunter
Old and new blue tin Wasps

The funny thing is, I've changed the tap between this Tracker and my old worn Osprey, and the Osprey performs better no matter which tap is put in.

[TonyL]

You've certainly given it a good chance to show itself in a positive light with a good cross-section of pellets there.

With your skills and knowledge, as you say, a strip-down and internal inspection would be the route to take next.