Idiots guide to classic airgun strips (pt 1)

[ggggr]

Here is the link to the Index that Phil has done. http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....ts-Guide-Index And check out this thread, particularly the info that Phil has put up about springs. http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....ng-data-thread Ok--here it is. I apologise for it being simple and not having any pics as Im a computer idiot and cant do links either.
I dont have a spring compressor or a vice so we are talking basic here.
TOOLS-- a small hammer. Buy yourself a set of pin punches from Chronos or the like (about £9 for 8),screw drivers and posi,s, A flat stubby screwdriver with a fork ground in it, a small block of wood (to press barrel plungers in with ), A larger piece of wood (to place on the floor when you refit mainsprings), files and needle files, some dowel (to wrap rag or kitchen paper round to clean out cylinder and piston), cotton buds (for delicate places) ,small paint brush (for painting gn paste onto stuff),solvent ( I use meths and then isopropyl alcohol from the chemists), some latex gloves to keep handies clean( guarantee you will remove them at 1st problem), Rigger gloves (to push down when fitting mainsprings) AND a bit of steel tube with slots cut in it so you can push mainsprings and guides down and push pins through the cylinder. Its not ideal but safer than screwdrivers. I got some bike saddle tube and ground slots in it. For smaller diana,s and webleys, a socket is better. On to part two.

[ggggr]

READ PART 1! These will be basic strips and I hope people will put up pics and feedback later + pm me for any corrections. I am going to do these from memory so some stuff Ive done, Im not confident enough to do a strip on from memory (diana G4 pistols). Other stuff Im hoping that people will post the stripdown guides that came with the guns(Airsporter and webley hurricane and tempest come to mind).
I assume that when stripped the guns will be cleaned and lubricated and put back together. You will just have to watch how the triggers go when you take apart. I suggest that when the gun is stripped, that if the cylinder end plug was tight or the washer on the guide tube, that they are deburred. I also suggest looking closely at the hole that the pin goes through on the cylinder and deburr that to stop it from damaging piston washers on the way in or out.
On to part 3

[ggggr]

READ PT1 AND 2.
BASIC strip for break barrel airguns.
Remove sights and put in a tin or box. This applies to all bits you remove. You can put them in pellet tins (stock screws,trigger bits,pivot pins etc). Undo stock screws and remove action from stock. Remove pin/screw from cocking arm and then slide it from barrel and cylinder. Just break barrel a little and depress barrel plunger with small block of wood and knock barrel pivot pin out,gently releasing pressure on block of wood so plunger and spring dont fly. Remove trigger bits and cylinder end cap and then you are ready for the cylinder. Place your cylinder on your big bit of wood,breech jaws down,then using your tube with a slot in, push down with your rigger glove on the tube to compress the mainspring and guide and push out the cylinder end pin. (helps if you put your gut over the hand you are pushing down with). Slowly release weight and the spring and guide should come up. If they dont, then keep the end of the cylinder pointed into a rag in a safe direction as sometimes the endplugs or guides are tight. You should now be able to slide the piston out and get to the piston washer. SPECIFIC GUNS COMING UP NEXT! It will be Diana22/23, webley junior,jaguar,ranger strip.

[ggggr]

READ FIRST TWO POSTS. The Diana 22/23 +Webley junior/jaguar/ranger strip. These are all more or less the same gun except some have pins instead of nuts and bolts and different way of holding the piston washer on. You may remove the sights to prevent breakage. Undo the front 2 stock screws and the one to the front of the triggr guard and remove action from stock. Unscrew (remove pin) from cocking arm. I use a screwdriver with a gap ground into the middle of the blade to undo the nut. This nut is about 5/16 OD and is tapped 3/16 bsf if you need to make one up as they go missing a lot. Do the same with the barrel pivot. If you want to remove the plunger on the cylinder you will have to undo the little grubscrew and it may be peened over. remove the plunger and spring and clean up. If this spring needs replacing,better to take it to local shop to find match or send it to Nibbs otherwise he will send you the wrong one(they sent me two wrong ones).Using a small screwdriver, hook trigger spring of tang on end cap. You may have to tap endcap with a punch to remove from cylinder. Triggers sometimes seize to pivot pin and may need "plus gas" to free off. Undo pivot and remove trigger. Clean any old grease you can see in the back of the cylinder because this sometimes gets under the sleeve holding the spring in when it starts to move. Next find a socket that will fit on the sleeve and an extension bar to put on it. GO TO NEXT POST.

[ggggr]

You now put your cylinder breech jaws down onto a piece of wood and push down onto the sleeve with the socket and extension bar until you see the locking tang on the sleeve move in the recess in the cylinder and then you flick it with a small screwdriver and slowly release pressure. The sleeve,guide and mainspring should all come out. Ease piston out with a screwdriver or rod and inspect the piston washer and whee the cocking arm pushes against. The piston washers are held on either by a screw or a special nut (time for the screwdiver with the gap again) onto thread on the piston. If all looks ok then you have got away with it. If the nut is all bashed,you can try to grip it in vice and unscrew it. Where the cocking arm pushes is often worn as its very thin and may result in the piston not going far enough back to cock the gun (other causes being worn slot on piston rod,worn trigger or small screw being put in cocking arm instead of proper bolt or pin). If its bad then a complete piston and washer set up is about £22 at Nibbs which seems ok compared to £14 for the piston washer set up. If its your only gun it may be worth paying the money for the piece of mind knowing you will not have to do it again. GO TO PART 3

[ggggr]

So now everything is clean and lubed ready to go together. If you want to change breech washer, now is a good time to do it while you have room to work. They take the rubber webley washer ,although Diana 23 I did had a thinner washer than other Ive done,(rounded side facing barrel) or make one out of leather by cutting round a small socket and putting hole in middle. I soak them in almond oil. When the gun is together you may have to keep poking the hole open for the first few days till it settles in. Replace your spring and plunger and nip up grub screw (till it locks plunger and then back it off) I had some 4ba brass bar and just cut a length of this and cut a slot in top for small screwdriver. Piston,spring and guide back in cylinder and then the sleeve (NEXT BIT TRICKY) push on sleeve with bar and socket and then turn it to locate on recess when far enough down. THERE IS A LOT OF PRELOAD ON THESE SMALL SPRINGS. Offer triggerup and replace pivot. Locate endcap and push in till you can just get trigger spring in and then tap home. Replace barrel and then cocking arm and then fit back in stock and replace sights. Ive seen a lot of these where the trigger AND/OR piston rod is worn--filing them square again will get the gun working but keep an eye on it for safety. God Im sick of this already. Diana 25/27 next.

[ggggr]

The only real differences between the german made diana 25 (i have a 1951 version) and gecardo (which I think was the name they used for America) and the British made ones are the German ones have two pins for the sleeve that does in the cylinder,one to hold the sleeve and one for the trigger, while the British ones have one pin to do both jobs. The German ones also have a pin in the piston that pushes against the piston head screw and will probably need drilling out if you want to remove the piston washer.
Remove sights. Remove two front stock screws and screw from front of trigger guard and take action from stock. Unscrew cocking arm lock screw and pivot screw and remove cocking arm. Unscrew barrel pivot lock screw and pivot screw and remove barrel. There is a little screw on the side of the breech block if you want to take out barrel locking plunger and its spring. Unscrew the cylinder end cam and any washers that may be behind it. The 27 has a small spacer tube about 3/4s wide. Use small screwdriver to remove triggr spring off tang on sleeve. Tap trigger pivot (on german models) and remove trigger. SEE NEXT POST

[ggggr]

On the British version you will need your piece of tube with the slots cut in to push down on spring guide to enable you to tap out pin. Its difficult to line it all up( and hard to get trigger back) so once pin has moved enough,leave punch in the hole and as you push on your bit of tube you should be able to pull pin out with fingers. Remove your punch and ease pressure on tube. Guide and mainspring should come out. Ease piston out. Check if washer needs replacing (and whether you will have to drill lock pin out on German guns -refer to above post). Cleaned and lubed? Put piston ,mainspring and guide back in the cylinder and then the sleeve. With the German guns, push down on your bit of tube and locate the pin that holds the sleeve and then take your time to put trigger and pivot pin in. On British ones You push down and just locate your pin and use your punch or a slave pin to locate the sleeve hole with the hole on the other side of the cylinder. Take your time and wangle the pin through the sleeve,side of trigger,floating bit of trigger,other side of trigger, slleve and cylinder, ( your mate with the German one will be laughing). THIS WOULD BE MUCH EASIER WITH A SPRING COMPRESSOR. Hook on trigger spring and replace washers and end cap. Replace your barrel plunger and spring back in the barrel if you have had them out. GO TO PART 3

[hwvixen]

Great effort..........long way to go though.......you'll need to recondition your keyboard when you finish!

[ggggr]

Replace barrel and barrel pivot bolt and the lock screw. You can use or make up a bit of shim so the cut outs in the bolt head line up with the lock screw. Replace cocking arm and its pivot and lock screw. Put action back in stock and tighten up stock screws. Replace sights.
I find these a very well made,robust gun and an ideal starter to strip. The only real problem on the British ones being lining up the trigger when replacing the pivot pin. The pistons are much better than the 22,s and I reckon if you have a decent piston and breech washer and keep an eye on the pivot screws,will probably not need doing again until you need a new mainspring. I think meteor springs will fit the 27 and are a touch "softer" although there is not much in it. If the trigger goes light, you can file or stone the trigger face square (and /or ) the piston rod face. You can also play with different bits of trigger spring to get a feel you like. Manchester Airguns used to sell lengths of spring for a few quid and this was ideal for playing with trigger and barrel plunger springs.

[ggggr]

I cant do links ---but if you check Richiet,s "webley mk 3 date " thread of 18/4/09 and see my post2 then that will do for most of it. Dont know about guide but strip is very easy ---take out of stock,take off cocking arm and under lever--Take breech plate off and remove tap. Take out trigger screws and then pins to remove trigger and sear--UNDO LEFT HAND tHREAD SCREW-Unscrew trigger block-- Remove mainspring and piston----(hard bit coming up) I think earlier ones had the piston washer rivetted on and later ones screwed---Sometimes,as on all guns with a countersunk screw holding on the piston washer, The screw gets battered and can be hard to remove, usually resulting in a damaged piston washer. If you are lucky then the washer will be in good nick. I think its pot luck---Ive seen some guns around 45 or 50 years old that the washer is okay on and others where it has rotted away, probably due to too much oil being put into the cylinder. I hope this helps.
Regarding putting the trigger back on these, its a "patience" job---One of those that will go in first time or spend 30 mins swearing at it. You put the sear in and locate it with the pin, then you put the trigger spring in and sort of have to push the trigger up and forwards to compress the spring a bit and locate the trigger pin. If the gun doesnt cock and you are sure the you have done everything right, remove the main spring and see if it cocks then ie. if the piston is coming far enough back. Sometimes the cocking arm has bent a touch and the piston rod is a few thou short of engaging. IF YOU ARE SURE THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING-remove the cocking arm and place either end on a block of wood, then place a smaller block of wood on the bend of the arm and give this block a sharp tap with a smallish hammer. This should cure the problem. NEXT UP ---WEBLEY FALCON ,then HAWK MK1


Re--the mainspring. Troubled shooter says " The original spring was: 9 ½" x 27/32" x 29 coils (24.2cm x 21.30mm) "
I found a spring that was 20.5mm Od and about 2.75mm thick wire. I cut it to the same length as the Webley spring and it is a nice, pleasant to shoot and easy to cock plinker.

[Ulverston]

Excellent...

[ggggr]

Remove rearsight. remove two front stock screws and the screw in front of trigger guard and remove action from stock. Undo cocking arm lock screw and pivot screw and remove cocking arm.Undo locking screw and barrel pivot screw and remove barrel. Small screw on left of breech block if you want to remove plunger and spring.Tap out trigger pivot pin and remove trigger and trigger spring (more in minute). Tap out sear pin and remove sear. The trigger bit you pull on goes into the bit that endgages on the sear and has a small pin securing it. These often wangle and I remove the pin and solder the two bits of the trigger together (making sure pin hole lines up)> you could try araldite but make sure pin holes line up ang you grease the pin or use paper clip till glue dries. On the left of the cylinder is a small 4ba grub screw. You need to remove this before trying to undo trigger block--The heads are often broken and you may have to try to tap it round with a small punch or grip it with long nose pliers. I had to drill one out and then retapped hole to 3ba. (screws and taps available from chronos etc and come in handy). Unscrew trigger block. There is not as much pressure as on a lot of guns. Keep pressure on until its undone and slowly release. GO TO PART 2

[ggggr]

Remove guide. spring and piston. Piston washer is leather and held on by a countersunk screw on a dished washer. The pistons on these can wear where the cocking arm pushes as the metal is quite thin. If you know someone handy they could probably mig weld where its worn and file it up. I have fitted a Diana 25 spring to one I did for my niece to give the gun an easier life and to make it easier for her to cock. Worth thinking about if you only plink. Every thing clean and lubed? Put piston, spring and guide back in cylinder. (sometimes you have to push edges of washer to ease it into front of cylinder where cocking arm slot finishes). Place piece of thick cardboard on a block of wood on floor and place breech jaws down. You should then be able to put pressure on and screw block into cylinder. The cardboard enables cylinder to turn so you can get a part turn with both hands! Replace small screw on side of the cylinder.Replace barrel and pivot and lock screws. Do same with cocking arm. Replace sear and pin then (as with mk 3 post above) replace trigger spring and push up and forward to line trigger and pin. Replace action in stock. Tighten the 3 screws and refit rearsight. WEBLEY HAWK MK 1 next

[ggggr]

The plastic rearsights on these are fragile so Id just be careful rather than remove it. Undo 2 front stock screws and one in front of trigger and remove action from stock. This rear screw can strip and Ive tapped them out to 1ba when they have, Ive heard of people putting a nut on the inside of the trigger housing but have not tried this. Sometimes this screw can push on the sear and stop the rifle from cocking. A washer under the head of the screw should cure this although Im sure you could grind away the underside of the sear. With action out of stock you can ondo cam and slide out barrel.(suggest you do this with breech open or you wont be able to get to barrel plunger later) You can take circlip off cam and remove cam to grease up. Remove roll pin in cocking arm and remove arm. Depress barrel plunger and remove pivot pin and then plunger and spring to grease up. Flick the two circlips off the trigger pins (noting how trigger goes) and remove pins and then trigger,trigger spring. safety catch and sear and sear spring. I find with hawks its easier to place encap on piece of wood and push down on the breech end and remove cylinder end pin. GO TO PT 2