I know I have talked about this some before as it was all transpiring. And I was getting advice and guidance from the forum. But I think this is amazing and it is finally coming to an end.
I bought a fantastic modified Air Arms HFT-500 with a regulator. I love it . One night I went to say good night and the gauge on the fill probe was reading zero. I did not have a compressor or a tank just a hand pump. So I tried to pump it up and it would not hold air at all. After fooling around I found air coming out of a tiny hole in the air tube. I did not know anything about this gun. And being used and modified and living in Iowa there is no one that can help. The forum was helpful. But the problem was to hidden at the time.
I replaced all the O rings in the regulator and put it all together but still could not get it to hold any air. I have everything apart and I studied the diagrams and was able to find the air was bypassing the firing valve. It is held in place by a spring. I did not understand that the spring does not hold the valve closed. It holds it in place and air pressure holds the valve closed and sealed. LESSON ONE.
So i ordered a whole new block and valve seat.
It was still leaking out of the transfer port. What I did not understand was the hand pump cannot provide enough volume to push the valve shut. So I bought a compressor and after a lot of fiddle I got it to seal and shoot and everything was OK. Except ever since I had the gun it would only hold 2800 psi. If I filled it to 3000 or more it would go to 2800 and then hold that for weeks. I thought it was a feature of the regulator or something.
But to tune the gun I needed to drain and refill the whole thing and it was still leaking past the valve and difficult to fill when it’s empty.
LESSON TWO
You need a big rush of air from a strong compressor or a tank to shut the valve. The regulator blocks the air and that little compressor won’t do it. So I get a big compressor and a tank. Problem solved. The tank will fill it right up. And the gun is amazing. Then one night I go to say good night to it and the gauge is empty.
I take everything apart and after very careful investigation I find air is leaking from the fill probe in the quick fill unit. So I take it apart and find a screw with a scratch in it.
The screw holds an o ring that acts like a one way valve. Air can go in but not out. So the scratch would let out any air above 2800 psi. But when it gets cold it would let out all the air. The first time this happened the regulator moved forward exposing the vent hole. That was the original cause and effect that led me to replace the firing block and buy two compressors and a carbon fiber tank.
But it gets better. Before I figured out the problem and discovered the screw damage I ordered a new quick fill gauge from Apex . They shipped it out right away and FedEx lost it right away . Gone
So I called them and they were very sorry and said they would ship out a new replacement right away. But I am a motorcycle racer and can’t stand not to have back up parts. So I ordered a new air tube an Apex regulator with a debounce kit and hammer spring and proper transfer port drill the works. So now the whole air delivery system will be brand new. All because of a scratched screw.
Now I know about this gun and have no reservations about traveling to a competition and being able to address any problems that could arise.
I bought a fantastic modified Air Arms HFT-500 with a regulator. I love it . One night I went to say good night and the gauge on the fill probe was reading zero. I did not have a compressor or a tank just a hand pump. So I tried to pump it up and it would not hold air at all. After fooling around I found air coming out of a tiny hole in the air tube. I did not know anything about this gun. And being used and modified and living in Iowa there is no one that can help. The forum was helpful. But the problem was to hidden at the time.
I replaced all the O rings in the regulator and put it all together but still could not get it to hold any air. I have everything apart and I studied the diagrams and was able to find the air was bypassing the firing valve. It is held in place by a spring. I did not understand that the spring does not hold the valve closed. It holds it in place and air pressure holds the valve closed and sealed. LESSON ONE.
So i ordered a whole new block and valve seat.
It was still leaking out of the transfer port. What I did not understand was the hand pump cannot provide enough volume to push the valve shut. So I bought a compressor and after a lot of fiddle I got it to seal and shoot and everything was OK. Except ever since I had the gun it would only hold 2800 psi. If I filled it to 3000 or more it would go to 2800 and then hold that for weeks. I thought it was a feature of the regulator or something.
But to tune the gun I needed to drain and refill the whole thing and it was still leaking past the valve and difficult to fill when it’s empty.
LESSON TWO
You need a big rush of air from a strong compressor or a tank to shut the valve. The regulator blocks the air and that little compressor won’t do it. So I get a big compressor and a tank. Problem solved. The tank will fill it right up. And the gun is amazing. Then one night I go to say good night to it and the gauge is empty.
I take everything apart and after very careful investigation I find air is leaking from the fill probe in the quick fill unit. So I take it apart and find a screw with a scratch in it.
The screw holds an o ring that acts like a one way valve. Air can go in but not out. So the scratch would let out any air above 2800 psi. But when it gets cold it would let out all the air. The first time this happened the regulator moved forward exposing the vent hole. That was the original cause and effect that led me to replace the firing block and buy two compressors and a carbon fiber tank.
But it gets better. Before I figured out the problem and discovered the screw damage I ordered a new quick fill gauge from Apex . They shipped it out right away and FedEx lost it right away . Gone
So I called them and they were very sorry and said they would ship out a new replacement right away. But I am a motorcycle racer and can’t stand not to have back up parts. So I ordered a new air tube an Apex regulator with a debounce kit and hammer spring and proper transfer port drill the works. So now the whole air delivery system will be brand new. All because of a scratched screw.
Now I know about this gun and have no reservations about traveling to a competition and being able to address any problems that could arise.
