Gotten interested in tuning after all the reading on this forum. I decided to experiment with 2 identical rifles, this will allow me to compare differences between them and how they react to changes.
I purchased 2 Ruger Air Hawks in .177, 480fps versions. I always liked these guns for a budget springer. These were somewhat cheap due to being low power? I was looking to tune these around 12 ft/lb.
I had both apart many times with various springs. Much trigger work on both. Barrels recrowned and polished.
Air Hawk I @ 11 ft/lb ; .119x30 coil spring, Crosman PHP 7.6gr @ 800fps.
Air Hawk II @ 13 ft/lb ; .120x30 coil spring with top hat. H&N FTT 8.64gr @ 830fps.
So what did I figure out;
Rifles are not the same even if they appear identical.
You cant force a rifle to like a certain pellet. Few hundred shots on each with many different pellets. One of the guns grouped best with CPHP 7.6. I spent much time trying to get it to group with H&N FTT 8.6 since the other gun grouped great with them.
The crown matters! Initially both guns really weren't grouping well. I looked at the crowns and the lands looked smashed into the grooves, like a dull tool just pressed into the barrel. I recut and polished the crowns on both guns and this is where significant changes happened. Both give dime size groups at 25yds. One seems slightly more accurate but may be in my mind.
In the end they both have great shot cycles and accuracy. Triggers pretty decent. These shoot as good (maybe better) as my Diana 34. Fun time messing with these but I never seem to leave well enough alone so im sure Ill keep messing with them.
I purchased 2 Ruger Air Hawks in .177, 480fps versions. I always liked these guns for a budget springer. These were somewhat cheap due to being low power? I was looking to tune these around 12 ft/lb.
I had both apart many times with various springs. Much trigger work on both. Barrels recrowned and polished.
Air Hawk I @ 11 ft/lb ; .119x30 coil spring, Crosman PHP 7.6gr @ 800fps.
Air Hawk II @ 13 ft/lb ; .120x30 coil spring with top hat. H&N FTT 8.64gr @ 830fps.
So what did I figure out;
Rifles are not the same even if they appear identical.
You cant force a rifle to like a certain pellet. Few hundred shots on each with many different pellets. One of the guns grouped best with CPHP 7.6. I spent much time trying to get it to group with H&N FTT 8.6 since the other gun grouped great with them.
The crown matters! Initially both guns really weren't grouping well. I looked at the crowns and the lands looked smashed into the grooves, like a dull tool just pressed into the barrel. I recut and polished the crowns on both guns and this is where significant changes happened. Both give dime size groups at 25yds. One seems slightly more accurate but may be in my mind.
In the end they both have great shot cycles and accuracy. Triggers pretty decent. These shoot as good (maybe better) as my Diana 34. Fun time messing with these but I never seem to leave well enough alone so im sure Ill keep messing with them.
