New Memeber of "I tunned my Hatsan!" Club.

[Gut2Fish]

Two things got me a bit stymied. First being that it's a gas ram the safety cover/end block didn't come all the way out on it's own and I pulled and pulled. Looked on internet for some pin or what not I couldn't find then after an hour put a screw driver behind and pried it out. Made sure to moly paste it before putting back and still was a pain getting started. Second frustration was getting the bolt back in to connect the barrel. Wow, that took patience with brute force not to scratch anything up. Over an hour figuring the safety cover/end block to get out and an hour reattaching barrel. Other than that it went smooth. Not as smooth as this thing cocks, barrel closes or silky as the trigger is now but things went well enough I could take my time with trigger block out grinding down screws to get the perfect trigger for me with both screws bottomed out and could visually see the spring adjustment screw to set one turn up from bottom to have some tension of spring.

It's just so slick to cock and fire now. Was getting too dark to put on the scope and back calculate speed with distance shots but I know I've got my power back and likely more than when the gun was new. The main seal looked good but it was certainly undersized. Was a lot of wiggle for something that's supposed to seal and press air. The new seal ordered from Custom Air Seals in Australia didn't seem too tight but certainly fits the chamber. Molyed up and first pumps made a suction sound then few shots after made some noise. Took 10 or so shots in to final trigger assessment and decided to take out second travel screw and grind down a bit more to back off the hair trigger. The seal is quieter now but definitely touching all sides of chamber. She should have power back on.

All I can say is "Wow, she shoots so sweet now."

I highly recommend any major trigger adjustments be done with stock off to visually see the sear contact. And while your at it you can lube up the contacts. I didn't think this trigger could ever be made that fine. But with visual inspection as one adjusts and wiggles things you know it's safe. I could guaranty the trigger would not auto fire but holy &^^& was it too fine with that first shot. I rest aftere first stage to take the shot and it was far sooner and faster than prepared for. Definitely needed small grinding of screw end to back it off a touch. So now anyone can adjust the trigger but it will never get jumpy as the screws are bottomed out.

Christmas morning before my son gets here in afternoon I'll be setting up a target range to see what my gun can do for speed now. So happy, best gift to myself this year!

[GD Giles]

looking forward to your test firing tomorrow. Not sure you ever mention which model Hatsan you tuned. Merry Christmas.

[longhunter]

just so you know, for the next time, when reinstalling the barrel/breach assembly, it can be installed in the "cracked open", ( not fully cocked ), position. what you were fighting against was the breach seal.

[Yogi]

Thanks for sharing!  Nice report.
Why did you order a seal from Australia when you are in Vermont?
When you did your trigger work, I assume that you had the entire trigger assembly removed from the receiver?
I tried adjusting my trigger with just the stock off and found that without the stock as leverage, I was unable to cock the gun.
I have been very hesitant to go further into the guts of the trigger, but I guess that is my only option....

-Y

[Privateer]

ARH has a flat shipping rate of $7.something?
I always order several seals at a time knowing I'll use them for trading material if not work on my own guns.
 

[Pappywith4]

? What did you do to the break action to make it easier?? Mine takes close to 50lbs to break over, 145 bar in the vortex might have something to do with it!
Thanks for sharing  !!!  pappywith4

[Methuselah]

Garrett,

You know it's required to post pics of your tuning efforts 

The slop in the seal you mentioned is more than just fit of the seal, it is also probably excessive clearance in the piston to compression chamber bore.  If you have reason to take it apart again, maybe button the piston in at least the back end.

Did you stone the trigger components?

I am envious    as I too need/want to get involved in some tuning and probably will start with my 125 when I get a seal for it (I'm going to have to take the ram out of it and get the factory to look at charging it or replacing it first ... hope when I do that they don't just tell me taking it out voided the warranty but I don't wish to ship the whole gun for a simple decrease in FPE issue).  Maybe I can get the spring compressor for the tear-down built this weekend.

Hope you post some targets when you get to shooting it!

Happy New Year!
Steve
(Methuselah)

Edit;  plans, ordered something to make it with:

[Gut2Fish]

just so you know, for the next time, when reinstalling the barrel/breach assembly, it can be installed in the "cracked open", ( not fully cocked ), position. what you were fighting against was the breach seal.

It was cracked open. What I was fighting against was the newly lubed up washers fitting in proper place in such a tight fit. Another person would have been helpful to put outward pressure on the forks providing just enough added space so the washers didn't scrape out of position. Once out of dimpled slot were impossible to move back in place without losing all I gained trying to insert the barrel.

[Gut2Fish]

? What did you do to the break action to make it easier?? Mine takes close to 50lbs to break over, 145 bar in the vortex might have something to do with it!
Thanks for sharing  !!!  pappywith4

Moly paste. It was the only lube I used for this tune. If I had a spring I'd have gotten the entire lube kit from Maccari and used light tar on some points but with no need for heavy tar on spring I simply used a high quality Moly  paste for all lube points.

To get a smooth cocking cycle lube the seal after debur and cleaning of piston housing. The other point to lube for cocking is the barrel washers. Those two things make it so smooth not to mention it flies back in cocked position. Prior to tune it took some snap to lock barrel back in place- it glides back to locked now.

The shear fluidity is what makes it seem less effort in cocking. Obviously the lube taking out friction will lessen the ft-lbs required a bit but it's still a heavy ram. That's why we bought them. More power calls for a bigger ram. Though, good fitting breach seal and main seal with a polished/conditioned barrel (I use Tetra Gun L) will always max your power. Likely you'll only have to clean a barrel once but if done a good conditioning product to polish is a nice touch. If you shoot over 900fps the conditioner will lessen the leadening of barrel.

[Gut2Fish]

Methusalah,

I tried the trigger ratcheting style clamp and it just isn't enough power to press the ram back. You will need a screw type press/clamp. The good thing about gas rams is you don't need to worry the spring will fly and move the gun about when released. Ram only comes out 1 1/2 inch and without major force.

You'll see videos of home made press and they put a lot of work into holding the gun in place center of gun.  That's not needed pressing a gas ram, only spring. Make a nice press but don't get too carried away if you don't have the time. I used free floating blocks of wood and a screw clamp on pipe. That's it. Would it have been nicer without the block of wood popping out now and then while tightening. Yes it would but was not dangerous nor liable to scratch the gun. Thick towel over pipe and 1x pine used between gun and metal clamps.

I had a serious loss of power prior to tune. I'm certain it was the worn main seal. It was very loose fitting. I the ram is working and still takes a lot of effort to cock then there is nothing wrong with it. Your problem areas are likely the breech seal and main seal. Order both and I bet your problem of power is solved.

Good luck.

[Gut2Fish]

There are a lot of videos out there to pour over prior to tuning. The above three are all you need. Mike Ellingsworth is a bit of a wind bag but it's thorough and must see three part series. He polishes all trigger components. I'll tell you now that is not needed, nor is lubing entire sears. Wih moly on contact points of sears and proper screw lengths and adjustments my trigger is smooth and light short second stage. Night and day difference.

I recommend trigger adustment with stock off. You can recock the trigger with small screw driver so are visually looking at the upper sear contact to know if it's unsafe contact and are getting a feel of trigger pull prior to putting gun back together and testing. It will fire a bit different when together and gun cocked but you should have already cut and ground conical your screw so you can never over adjust from a safe position of sear. I found it fires with less effort with gun cocked. Was a dangerous hair trigger that I ground down a bit more using dremmel after gun was together.

Not much for photos. Took one to remind me of how the safety spring attaches and another for which pin and general connection of safety slide- do not lube this slide! Was a mistake and still need to correct. Then of course is a photo of my beast with scope on it and barrel clamp bipod. On misty/rainy days I just open the garage door and shoot out across the lawn to targets at range. There was no need of more photos as all was self explanatory after that or identical to above video so had that as reference of trigger if needed. I didn't, was simple especially as I kept upper sear in place.

[Pappywith4]

Which rifle do you have a 125?  Glad everything has worked out for you! Looking forward to some numbers and targets!!  pappywith4

[Gut2Fish]

Walther Talon Magnum in .22, had the nitro piston option installed so came with original spring in box. It's identical to Hatsan 125 excepting the Walther logo on barrel.

Temps are hovering around 0F lately and have things to do but will get to shooting it again soon. Believe my recent replacement scope is already on it's way out too. Not in a hurry about getting back out to confirm it as going to replace it with an Airmax AO of equal value. Price point of $200 side focus scopes are just not holding up on this gun. Talked with Hawke tech and all will go smooth for getting 4-12X40 Airmax with the new reticle design but they've yet to receive them from manufacture. Could be 3 days could be 3 months- manufacturer is late on supply.  So when I get time to shoot next week and scope hold out well enough I'll back calculate trajectory for fps. If the scope wont hold then I can't even do that at this point unless I throw on the Centerpoint. May just do that once I verify the new scope is toast.