My father-in-law while cleaning out his shop located both of his old air rifles being a late 50’s or early 60’s Weihrauch HW35 and this unknown unmarked Chinese made .177 caliber under lever. He decided to keep the HW35 for a little longer and to have something to shoot when his grandsons (my boys) bring theirs down to plink around. As for the Chinese underlever he gave that one to me on Thanksgiving Day 2020 and told me to use it as a test gun for rebuilding air rifles.
Well I am doing just that. So far I have refinished the stock, I was amazed to find such a nice wood with a pleasing grain pattern hidden under some ugly thick orange type wood stain that hid the wood and made it look almost toy like.
I asked my father-in-law where he bought this air rifle, he told me he got it in the mid to late 70’s at a tool truck sale on heels on Main Street in Townsend, MT. He told me he had only shot it a few times long ago, decided he did not like it that much so he just tucked it away.
Based on his recollection of when he obtained the rifle (please keep in mind he is 72 and has Parkinson’s) and the location and design of rear sight which does not look like ones I have seen on line it must be old - but how old I really don’t know, but it for sure looks like an early B3-1 but I could be wrong. So far the only new part on the gun is the screw that holds the rear sight on the receiver as I misplaced the original one, but when found it will go back on where it belongs.
So far I have tore it down twice to find what causes the ratchet like sound it makes when cocking and give it fresh lubrication and moly where applicable and inspect the piston seal and soak it in silicone when I discovered it was leather, found the plastic spring guide cap assembly still in tact.
I put it all back together, it cocks and fires just fine, is fairly accurate and there is no metal to metal grinding/galling, it just has that ratchet sound still, looking at it closer tonight I noticed the first click it makes is when the linkage pull is initiated from there it does it until the piston engages the sear, there is no noise when returning the cocking arm to the barrel clip. Any ideas on what is causing this are very welcome.
Also I know I want to replace the plastic spring guide/retainer assembly but not sure who has this part available or an alternative.
Well I am doing just that. So far I have refinished the stock, I was amazed to find such a nice wood with a pleasing grain pattern hidden under some ugly thick orange type wood stain that hid the wood and made it look almost toy like.
I asked my father-in-law where he bought this air rifle, he told me he got it in the mid to late 70’s at a tool truck sale on heels on Main Street in Townsend, MT. He told me he had only shot it a few times long ago, decided he did not like it that much so he just tucked it away.
Based on his recollection of when he obtained the rifle (please keep in mind he is 72 and has Parkinson’s) and the location and design of rear sight which does not look like ones I have seen on line it must be old - but how old I really don’t know, but it for sure looks like an early B3-1 but I could be wrong. So far the only new part on the gun is the screw that holds the rear sight on the receiver as I misplaced the original one, but when found it will go back on where it belongs.
So far I have tore it down twice to find what causes the ratchet like sound it makes when cocking and give it fresh lubrication and moly where applicable and inspect the piston seal and soak it in silicone when I discovered it was leather, found the plastic spring guide cap assembly still in tact.
I put it all back together, it cocks and fires just fine, is fairly accurate and there is no metal to metal grinding/galling, it just has that ratchet sound still, looking at it closer tonight I noticed the first click it makes is when the linkage pull is initiated from there it does it until the piston engages the sear, there is no noise when returning the cocking arm to the barrel clip. Any ideas on what is causing this are very welcome.
Also I know I want to replace the plastic spring guide/retainer assembly but not sure who has this part available or an alternative.
