I have written elsewhere that I ordered my first .25 Zelos from Dack's Outdoors. A day or two later I read a bunch of horror stories about Dack's, so purchased another .25 Zelos elsewhere while I waited to see how Dack's would play out. The second Zelos arrived in a few days - nothing from Dack's. DO NOT ORDER FROM DACKS! Dacks did eventually provide a refund, but it took some doing. I dealt with them for 50+ days. I found another low price using "not just guns", @$415 - and ordered another Zelos in .25. I received this one 4 days from date of purchase. Did I mention, don't order from Dack's
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On to the good stuff - the goal is to have one set up for plinking with pellets, the other to get serious using slugs. Much to my delight, everything has turned out as I had hoped.
I made the valve bodies, and found different springs to use in the valves, and hammers (based on pieces I wound myself). I am using softer springs than stock, with less preload required.
Fooled with both Hammer spring, and valve spring rates - both are softer than stock -
These are what I think everything spec'd out to - (used an online spring design software)
My pellet action is set to spit the 26.54gr Hades pellets at 910fps, while the Slug action is spitting 40gr Zan slugs at 1008fps. The pellet action is factory bore, the slug gun is a 700mm FX liner. I used a kit for the barrel conversion instead of making parts myself, being the first time I worked with an FX liner. It was not a perfect experience, but not far off - and understandable dealing with different brand tolerances. It did not take much to fit everything up. I will most likely eventually make a few new parts for the breech end. I also added a few grams weight to the hammer for the slug rifle. Still using the lighter/shorter hammer spring, too. It does shoot very well - I was surprised to tickle @80+ft/lbs out of the action, thinking it might top out at @70 without adding a plenum of some sort. I've backed it down to shoot 33gr Zan slugs, but am still testing ammo... I'd like to keep the slug gun shooting 35-44gr slugs depending on what I find works well. I have mostly been using H&N and Zan. I do have a few hundred RMR SLAP .25's (FX Hybrids) that shoot lights out from the liner, but am looking to carry a little more weight.
Using the stock valve in the pellet version, I had to crank in some additional spring tension to hit mid 900's with the Hades. I changed the valve to my own, and dropped to the softer hammer spring with no preload to hit 905's -910's with the same pellet at the same reg setting.
Of note - the second Zelos has a different tube clamp, picatinny deal. It goes around the barrel, too - and needs to be loosened in order to unscrew the tube. The action also has "regulator gauge" printed on it where the 1st one didn't. I had read someplace that they were altering the but plate to allow hammer spring adjustment, but this one is the same as the first. I drilled a hole to access the screw adjustment.
On to the good stuff - the goal is to have one set up for plinking with pellets, the other to get serious using slugs. Much to my delight, everything has turned out as I had hoped.
I made the valve bodies, and found different springs to use in the valves, and hammers (based on pieces I wound myself). I am using softer springs than stock, with less preload required.
Fooled with both Hammer spring, and valve spring rates - both are softer than stock -
These are what I think everything spec'd out to - (used an online spring design software)
My pellet action is set to spit the 26.54gr Hades pellets at 910fps, while the Slug action is spitting 40gr Zan slugs at 1008fps. The pellet action is factory bore, the slug gun is a 700mm FX liner. I used a kit for the barrel conversion instead of making parts myself, being the first time I worked with an FX liner. It was not a perfect experience, but not far off - and understandable dealing with different brand tolerances. It did not take much to fit everything up. I will most likely eventually make a few new parts for the breech end. I also added a few grams weight to the hammer for the slug rifle. Still using the lighter/shorter hammer spring, too. It does shoot very well - I was surprised to tickle @80+ft/lbs out of the action, thinking it might top out at @70 without adding a plenum of some sort. I've backed it down to shoot 33gr Zan slugs, but am still testing ammo... I'd like to keep the slug gun shooting 35-44gr slugs depending on what I find works well. I have mostly been using H&N and Zan. I do have a few hundred RMR SLAP .25's (FX Hybrids) that shoot lights out from the liner, but am looking to carry a little more weight.
Using the stock valve in the pellet version, I had to crank in some additional spring tension to hit mid 900's with the Hades. I changed the valve to my own, and dropped to the softer hammer spring with no preload to hit 905's -910's with the same pellet at the same reg setting.
Of note - the second Zelos has a different tube clamp, picatinny deal. It goes around the barrel, too - and needs to be loosened in order to unscrew the tube. The action also has "regulator gauge" printed on it where the 1st one didn't. I had read someplace that they were altering the but plate to allow hammer spring adjustment, but this one is the same as the first. I drilled a hole to access the screw adjustment.
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