Been given a RELUM TORNADO a few questions

[john paul]

A friend of the wife has had a clear out and, I have recieved a RELUM TORNADO .22 along with a mint Tempest.

Now I know nothing about this guns history, quality, country of origin etc. Not done any research as yet. Any info welcome.

Its a taploader wood stock is in very good condition, there was a bit of surface rust on the metal but wiped off fine with some gun oil to leave a little pitting - this was only on the barrel and loading lever. It cocks fine tiny bit crunchy compared to my old Airsporter, I have only test fired it x7 shots at ten feet the pellets were going through x1 *unMart and indented the one beneath a fair bit. I doubt its anywhere near the limit, yes I will need to check this via a chrono at a later date.

Now after the few shots with it my impression is it grouped very well, but the TRIGGER IS TERRIBLE very heavy is this normal? No sign of any adjustment screw on it. Is it possible to impprove this?

Info appreciate.

[ogilkes]

Welcome to the Hungarian airgun owners club! Tornado triggers are bad. Some of the earlier models had an adjustment screw to lighten the pull, but not all had this. Does your tornado have a rounded fluted stock, or a blocky plain one? If the latter you have the later Super Tornado, which is actually much the same as the original. Its possible to replace the double spring with a single new soring and a floating spring guide to improve performance.

[Gareth W-B]

Hi John,

I bought a Relum Tornado myself the other week as a bit of fun, as they were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s, as were so very cheap, and you could buy them via your Mum's mail order catalogues (Great Universal, Freemans, Kays etc), along with the break-barrel version known as the Relum Telly (nick-named the Jelly) in weekly instalments.

Tornados are EXTREMELY agricultural however, and the spring power is directly linked to the trigger so the only way to lighten the trigger is to put weaker springs in (yes, springs, as they have two, which is why there is a graunching noise when you cock them). Putting weaker springs in to lighten the trigger though, will therefore obviously, and dramatically, reduce the given Relum's power.

Relum Tornados are proper FUN GUNS imho though, and I am dead chuffed with mine. But the secret is to keep them in context, remember that they were at the bottom of the air gun under-lever food chain in the 1960s and 1970s, and enjoy them for what they are. For a fuller and franker defenition of what they are however, wait to see what BBS member I.J. posts when he sees this thread . Ha ha and hope this helps. Atb: G.

[john paul]

thanks guys for the info. yes older model on front screw on trigger guard has a screw within a screw is this to adjust the trigger? it came with an old bsa scope boxed scope is plastic eek and x3 the rifle also has a scope rail. can u put standard mounts on this rail not really examined it properly.

[Gareth W-B]

thanks guys for the info. yes older model on front screw on trigger guard has a screw within a screw is this to adjust the trigger?

No, that is simply for engaging the mechanism when re-assembling after a strip, as ...

... the spring power is directly linked to the trigger so the only way to lighten the trigger is to put weaker springs in (yes, springs, as they have two, which is why there is a graunching noise when you cock them).

Is there an echo in here ???

can u put standard mounts on this rail not really examined it properly.

Yep.

[ggggr]

I have done a strip down on these in the "idiots guide" sticky at the top of the page. The "crunchy" cocking will be caused by the small bush on the cocking arm having worn away and the arm rubbing directly on the cylinder. You can pick out the old bush with a small screwdriver etc, drop a bit of epoxy in the hole and refit the bush, leaving it slightly proud of the surface. If the bush is missing then you can cut down the bush from a butterfly tin opener and epoxy that in . Re the trigger, the sear catches on a bit of metal bent down from the piston. I spent an evening polishing up various bits of the trigger to improve it and the only bit that made any difference was to lightly stone the sear where it catches the piston ( very lightly radius it). The adjuster up the middle of the big screw is just for travel. Agreed a meteor spring and floating guide help these guns.

[I. J.]

For a fuller and franker defenition of what they are however, wait to see what BBS member I.J. posts when he sees this thread . Ha ha and hope this helps. Atb: G.

Ah - the Relum Tornado. Living proof that God has a sense of humour.

Very aptly nick named The Hungarian Swamp Donkey.
The best tunnig advice I can offer is to cut several inches off the barrel. That way they fit into the dustbin better.
I own several Tornadoes - they are holding up my front garden fence.

'Introduction to airgunning' - yes. But then so was the BSA Meteor, BSF 65 and Haenel 302/303 which were of a similar price and certainly in the later case far better quality.

In all honesty it doesn't really matter what you shoot as long as its safe and you enjoy it. And to prove this point I have again entered our clubs national round of the UKHFT and I will be using a 1913 (?) BSA Underlever.

ATB
Ian

[ogilkes]

thanks guys for the info. yes older model on front screw on trigger guard has a screw within a screw is this to adjust the trigger? it came with an old bsa scope boxed scope is plastic eek and x3 the rifle also has a scope rail. can u put standard mounts on this rail not really examined it properly.

Yes, the inner screw will adust the sear making the pull somewhat shorter, though not necessarially any less creepy.

[Gareth W-B]

Yes, the inner screw will adust the sear making the pull somewhat shorter, though not necessarially any less creepy.

Shorter, yes, but lighter? Nope . Just been playin' with mine on open sights this afternoon in actual fact, and got to say they are great fun guns with a real feel good factor ... "take that you twenty yard away tin can, you".