Tuning Tuning and noise

[Sawney Bean]

For those of you who have either tuned several springers or owned several tuned springers, what is your opinion on the effect of tuning on the overall sound of the report? I don't mean will going from 20 fpe to 11.5 make things quieter, as that will obviously have an effect, but rather if you keep power levels roughly the same and do everything else to make it smooth and vibration free does it also make it a noticeably quieter rifle and if so how much?

I'm just wondering as it seems to be the conventional wisdom that most of a springers report comes from the noise of the action. I've installed a couple of Vortek kits in the past and cleaned and lubricated springers before, but I've never done a real tune or compared a tuned and untuned gun side by side.

 

[Moog]

I installed new springs from Air Rifle Headquarters and new piston seals from Vortek on a couple of HW95s. The inside diameter of the springs are narrower than the factory springs so I trimmed down the spring guides so I would get a snug fit. I also did a proper clean and lube on the internals. Both rifles remained at the original power levels.

Prior to this when I fired a shot I would hear a buzz or a twang like sound. After I did the work the only thing I hear now is the "thunk" of the piston when it slams forward when I fire.
I'm no professional tuner but I've been very happy with the results.

I can't really tell if my rifles are actually quieter than before. It's just a different sound.

 

[Mycapt65]

Most of the the muzzle report is determined by power output, barrel length and caliber. Of course a moderator reduces that. Tuning will or should reduce twang and felt spring noise to the shooter but does nothing to the sound your neighbors hear.

If you safely step off to the side and down range of most non magnum springers you'll be shocked how quiet they are without a moderator. They sound more like a staple gun than a rifle to everyone but the shooter. The shooter has their face strapped next to a metal tube with all sorts of violence going on inside.

Tuning should take away the buzz or twang but does little else about noise.

 

[gdc999]

I have tuned a couple and recently bought a used HW50S Hunter with moderator that had been tuned. I could not stand the twang of my new R9, and I was getting dieseling, poor accuracy, and inconstant velocities. So, I ordered a Vortec PG4 kit with piston seal. Turned out the original factory seal was badly burned from the dieseling. Installing the kit got rid of the twang, gave a smoother shot cycle, velocities were very consistent. However it did increase velocities and made the rifle a little more hold sensitive. I agree that downrange the sound isn't that bad. I took my R9 squirrel hunting last week and could hear the smack of the pellet over the sound of the shot cycle. I have shot my HW50S with and without the moderator, and can't tell much difference if I am doing the shooting, but if standing downrange there is a noticeable difference.