Bash dates 2025

[TonyL]

Oval spring and worn guide won't be helping, Paul.

Any of those kits from ARC, Welsh Willy or Tinbum will be just fine.

[NewPaul]

Tell you what.....I'll get my wife to talk to your wife about gifts etc., and you get yours to talk to mine about granting me a room or clearing my previously prepared "man cave / shed" of a load of clutter so I have a proper workspace.

Oh no! Has ‘Er Indoors reclaimed your man-cave Tone??

[TonyL]

Oh no! Has ‘Er Indoors reclaimed your man-cave Tone??

Not quite, Pauly. But it's not ideal.....a few family members' clutter has found its way there and I have very little in the way of bench space or the ability to have tools easily to hand (I have to stick them in the cupboard). Could be worse though. I did manage to build the '35 up in there last week. And yesterday I was able to have a play with the bench grinder and rotary tool in there, despite the limited space. The thoughtful gift you sent me hasn't been put to use yet, due to the lack of wall space, but I will do so one day.

[Waddy]

Oval spring and worn guide won't be helping, Paul.

Any of those kits from ARC, Welsh Willy or Tinbum will be just fine.

I've got WW kits in the 97 & Airsporter, but as the 95 is doing well with a TBT spring I'll go for another one of those seeing as the new kits are out now. Not sure how the rifle would perform with one of the softer WW springs now it's running a lightened piston.

As for the 35, well there's a wanted ad up for a new piston

Just to rub salt in the wound there's a wanted ad up for a 35 and someone offered a rifle for what I paid for this action

I keep seeing images of the 35 action spinning through the air & out over the surface of the lake




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[Waddy]

I hope '35 tinkering went okay, Paul. Be nice to have it as it should be very soon.

Sounds like your old Black & Decker is a trusty and favourite companion. It's nice how we can get attached to certain tools that make our lives easier. I've had this Aldi sourced (Dremel-esque) rotary tool for years now and hardly ever used it. Having seen what a great and versatile little thing it is (and I have a wide selection of other tools for it - mainly for grinding and polishing), I'm sure it will see a lot more use in the future. It'll save so much time compared to hand filing etc. when I get round to finally attending to the cocking levers of a few 30s and 99s. Recently, when using a hand saw or file it sets my tendonitis off too, so using this will be a godsend.

Tell you what.....I'll get my wife to talk to your wife about gifts etc., and you get yours to talk to mine about granting me a room or clearing my previously prepared "man cave / shed" of a load of clutter so I have a proper workspace.

I'm not quite sure how old this 50 is. I'll have to check that out. But it is the older style one with the screw-in end block and 25mm bore, as opposed to the later one which we know as the 99 over here but is called the 50 elsewhere. I seem to think they probably stopped making them around the mid to late 80s, but couldn't be sure. I'm going to guess that it's a later example of this type. I've not shot it for years. And that was just a few quick shots to try it out. I seem to remember it being a bit twangy, so that will need addressing. And it has the less than perfect "Perfekt" trigger fitted, but I've had a Rekord waiting in the wings for years.

Nothing like finding really good uses for a tool that's been horded for years Even better when it's decades

I didn't really get granted the room, I just kinda did it up for myself & filled it with my stuff currently sharing it with a large silk spider. The other bigger & warmer spare room has the wifes stuff in, unsurprisingly.

That 50 sounds like a piece of history, is it a leather or synthetic seal ?



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[TonyL]

I'm not really sure whether this little '50 will have a synthetic or leather seal, Paul. If the rifle was made in the mid 80s (as I'm guessing it probably was), they wouldn't have been using the synthetic seal in 25mm flavour for long (they started using it in 1984 with the introduction of the '77) and may not have moved the little '50 over to synthetic? I'm happy either way......if it's leather it'll have old school charm and they last a very long time. If synthetic, new seals easily available and more consistent.

I'd always fancied one ever since the early 80s but hadn't got round to getting one. I've always had a soft spot for lighter, softer shooting rifles with medium power. Steve Thornley's son, Robert (Steve was the creator of the Predator) had one of them back in the day which Steve had beautifully hand chequered and refinished. It was a lovely little thing. Seem to remember mine's a .22 and should deliver a nice, smooth 9ft.lbs.

[TonyL]

I've got WW kits in the 97 & Airsporter, but as the 95 is doing well with a TBT spring I'll go for another one of those seeing as the new kits are out now. Not sure how the rifle would perform with one of the softer WW springs now it's running a lightened piston.

As for the 35, well there's a wanted ad up for a new piston

Just to rub salt in the wound there's a wanted ad up for a 35 and someone offered a rifle for what I paid for this action

I keep seeing images of the 35 action spinning through the air & out over the surface of the lake


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Pretty sure the WW spring would do a fine job, Paul. But Tinny's kits are excellent and are a known good performer to you, so go for that. The quality of the spring is excellent and the newer design two-piece spring guide very nice.

Don't lose heart with the '35 project. I hope your quest for a piston is successful. You will get it right and the resulting rifle, with that lovely stock, will be a cherished member of the family for many years. Does yours have the later piston (lighter and giving more stroke) or the earlier one with a synthetic head convertor fitted?

If your search for a piston isn't successful (and I'm sure you will find one, either here or at somewhere like Protek), one of our highly skilled engineers, like NickG, might be able to make and fit a new piston rod to your existing piston?

[TonyL]

93 / 69 to go, peeps.

BOING!

[TonyL]

Restoring a 1993 HW50, 22 cal, so the last of the line with a screw in end block. What spring is recommended? I'm thinking a factory 99 spring? Mach 1.5

So, I'd remembered this thread from recently concerning suitable springs for the old school '50. And, according to this from Paul, Mach 1.5, they were produced until the early 90s. So a good chance that the later ones had the synthetic seal?

[Waddy]

I'm not really sure whether this little '50 will have a synthetic or leather seal, Paul. If the rifle was made in the mid 80s (as I'm guessing it probably was), they wouldn't have been using the synthetic seal in 25mm flavour for long (they started using it in 1984 with the introduction of the '77) and may not have moved the little '50 over to synthetic? I'm happy either way......if it's leather it'll have old school charm and they last a very long time. If synthetic, new seals easily available and more consistent.

I'd always fancied one ever since the early 80s but hadn't got round to getting one. I've always had a soft spot for lighter, softer shooting rifles with medium power. Steve Thornley's son, Robert (Steve was the creator of the Predator) had one of them back in the day which Steve had beautifully hand chequered and refinished. It was a lovely little thing. Seem to remember mine's a .22 and should deliver a nice, smooth 9ft.lbs.

I have to agree about softer shooting lower powered rifles, I was disappointed with my Airsporters power initially but then it's manners & accuracy won me over.

Pretty sure the WW spring would do a fine job, Paul. But Tinny's kits are excellent and are a known good performer to you, so go for that. The quality of the spring is excellent and the newer design two-piece spring guide very nice.

Don't lose heart with the '35 project. I hope your quest for a piston is successful. You will get it right and the resulting rifle, with that lovely stock, will be a cherished member of the family for many years. Does yours have the later piston (lighter and giving more stroke) or the earlier one with a synthetic head convertor fitted?

If your search for a piston isn't successful (and I'm sure you will find one, either here or at somewhere like Protek), one of our highly skilled engineers, like NickG, might be able to make and fit a new piston rod to your existing piston?

I'll get a TBT kit next month, in the meantime I've been offered a super duper double glided piston for the 35, can't really say no but what a money pit this rifle is

It's defo a synthetic seal piston with no convertor, I'm now convinced someone at some point has fitted a massive spring in it that's buggered everything up. I've never seen metal torn like on the piston latch rod & sear, the forces must have been stupendous.


Ah well, at least my bad back has got me out of driving, every cloud & that

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[TonyL]

That new piston should do nicely, Paul.

And what a shame that it's been subjected to, maybe, such hard use coupled with inappropriate parts in the past. All will come good, though.

[Waddy]

That new piston should do nicely, Paul.

And what a shame that it's been subjected to, maybe, such hard use coupled with inappropriate parts in the past. All will come good, though.

I've had all day to think about this piston & I can't shift the image of the inside of the cylinder when I saw it had been sanded or something, it's much coarser than the original honing marks you see in cylinders. I think it would wear the plastic bands on a glided piston down in no time.

On another note I saw a one piece 30mm mount up for sale, listed as "medium", it looks identical to the one I found in a drawer the other day that I thought was "low". So I went & got it out, and to my amazement it's spot on for this new scope I bought, might have to ditch the flip up cover on the front but that's not a problem. Just need to work out which rifle gets it, or indeed if It requires the purchase of another rifle.....



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[TonyL]

I have to agree about softer shooting lower powered rifles, I was disappointed with my Airsporters power initially but then it's manners & accuracy won me over.

Ah well, at least my bad back has got me out of driving, every cloud & that

.

I've had all day to think about this piston & I can't shift the image of the inside of the cylinder when I saw it had been sanded or something, it's much coarser than the original honing marks you see in cylinders. I think it would wear the plastic bands on a glided piston down in no time.

On another note I saw a one piece 30mm mount up for sale, listed as "medium", it looks identical to the one I found in a drawer the other day that I thought was "low". So I went & got it out, and to my amazement it's spot on for this new scope I bought, might have to ditch the flip up cover on the front but that's not a problem. Just need to work out which rifle gets it, or indeed if It requires the purchase of another rifle.....

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I hope your back's feeling better soon, Paul.

Good news on those mounts.

Yes, low to medium power rifles with good accuracy and superb manners are most enjoyable and rewarding to shoot, aren't they? Especially when enjoying extended sessions. And they drive home the fact that you really do not need "maximum power approaching the limit".

Mmmm.....what to do with that cylinder? That's a sad and annoying state of affairs. I guess an amount of further honing etc might increase the diameter to an unacceptable level? Maybe with enough moly buffed into that surface when building, some high content moly paste on the tail and a little extra helping of moly grease on the cylinder walls after installing the piston and pushing forward will help?

[TonyL]

I'm now wondering about the bore of the cylinder, it looks a bit too honed to me. I can see the factory honing which is like you'd see on a car or bike cylinder, but further in it's a lot more pronounced like coarse wire wool or wet & dry has been used. I'm concerned that this is going to eat the new seal. I'm thinking of stripping it again & giving it a polish with autosol.


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I just remembered this previous post, Paul, and thought you had mentioned this finish further into the cylinder. Yes, guessing just a bit of finer polishing with a paste is all you'd dare do. And then buff some moly powder / Dri-Slide / moly paste into it.

Shame you're having to pour so much effort, angst and money into this.

Of course, you could sleeve it down and go smaller bore, but that's REALLY going to increase the spend, probably to unacceptably high levels and you'd have a big chunk of money invested in something that really then HAS to outshine everything else in your cupboard?

[TonyL]

How's The Moose, Dave?

Has he been out lots swooning the ladies?