Tuned Ruger Air Hawk Chrony Testing

[microsalmo]

Cross reference these two threads for the first two chapters of the trilogy 

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,22446.msg202645.html#msg202645

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,23136.msg209418.html#msg209418

I re-tuned my Air Hawk earlier this week, and after 100 "settle down shots," I put it to the test on the Chrony using 18 different pellets.  Scroll down to see which pellets were winners, and which were losers in this gun. I was pleasantly surprised with the outcome of the tune, overall, but was equally as disappointed in the quality of the Crosman Premier pellets sold in a tin... the exception being the Premier Hollow Points.  I'm not sure what to make of the Beeman Crow Magnums - most were consistent, but 2 or 3 really threw off the batch.  And the Crosman Premier Hunting were really cooking, but what a mess    In the end, for $108 from Walmart, who's complaining? 

Some mentionables first.  I replaced the OEM spring with Vortek's .130" (high output RWS 34 replacement spring), and I used the Vortek RWS34 piston seal too.  If you read the links, you will see why.  And the OEM spring, I broke last week - it had about 500 shots on it 

THE FIELD IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:



THE RESULTS... IN ORDER OF BEST PERFORMERS TO WORST, AS MEASURED BY LEAST AMOUNT OF STANDARD DEVIATION:





































Here are the FPE in order as shown above. kudos RWS for all being whompers 

HNBM 14.8
RWSSM 14.8
JSBEM 13.2
JSBE 13.3
CPDL 13.4
RWSSHP 14.0
RWSSPE 14.4
JSBEH 14.4
PM 12.9
RWSSD 14.6
BFTT 13.3
BFTS 13.3
JSBEEXP 12.2
CPHP 13.5
BCM 13.4
CPDEX 14.1
CPW 13.6
CPH 14.0

I hope you guys find this enjoyable.  I think I figured out which pellets to test for accuracy in this riffle.  When I get it outside, I'll supplement this thread with some shot groups.  I have high expectations now 

[Mark 611]

glad it all worked out for you!

[s10gto]

Looks like she turned into a sweet shooter! Nice numbers! 

[microsalmo]

Thanks guys. I worked real hard on this one.

What is considered "great" for sprigers in terms of standard deviation in this price point? I searched, and couldn't really find anything.  Im guessing this 2-3 FPS stuff is good, right?

My only real world reference is that any pellets under 5 FPS standard deviation seem to group at under .5O" at 25 yards. Is this typical of what you find too?

Thanks.
Steve

[peterdulux]

Now that is a good post....

[ivanpros]

I have seen the same thing, stdev of <5 good groups if head size is comparatively the same.

[blind dog]

This is a great post! Thank you for providing all this reference info!

[microsalmo]

 

Thank you.  Im glad it helped somebody out.  I was looking for something like this a few month back and couldnt find it. So i made my own in case anyone else needed it.

[microsalmo]

What is considered "great" for sprigers in terms of standard deviation in this price point? I searched, and couldn't really find anything. Im guessing this 2-3 FPS stuff is good, right?  What' the best one could achieve?

Thanks.

[microsalmo]

Tonight, I continued forward with this project and did some accuracy testing.  I shot indoors at 21' from a bag... all the groups were 5 shots each.  I learned that lower standard deviation does not always translate into better accuracy... ie the Crosman Destroyer EX's    I also learned that the Ruger Air Hawk has the potential to be a very accurate & powerful magnum springer.  More than one type of pellet went 4/5 through the same .177 sized hole, and several painted clover leafs.  Others shot like doo-doo. 

There was a time when I was seriously considering throwing away this gun.  This just goes to show you that issues are sometimes solvable, and that it may take you more then 2 or 3 repairs/tunes before you get it right. 

Finally, a word on the Vortek High Output .130" Spring.  After 300 shots, it settled down nicely.... and the addition of RWS Spring Oil to Maccari's Moly on the spring cured any remaining harshness.  Dare I say that the cocking is nearly as smooth as a Nitro piston now?  It's real close.  The shot cycle still hits real hard, but the spring has certainly not impaired this riffle's accuracy.  It remains stiff, and a workout to cock, bit it's as smooth as silk now, and the gun shoots great.

THE FIELD:





BARACUDA MATCH 4/5 IN ONE HOLE:



RWS SUPERMAG ALL 5 IN CLOVER LEAF:



JSB EXACT HEAVY 4/5 IN ONE HOLE... 5TH TOUCHING:



RWS SUPERDOME 4/5 IN CLOVER LEAF... 5TH JUST OUTSIDE:



BEEMAN FIELD TARGET SPECIALS 4/5 IN CLOVER LEAF... 5TH TOUCHING:



JSB EXACT EXPRESS 4/5 IN CLOVER LEAF... 5TH JUST OUTSIDE:



JSB EXACT 5/5 TOUCHING IN CLOVER LEAF:



BEEMAN CROW MAGNUMS 4/5 IN CLOVER LEAF... 5TH WAS FLYER



CROSMAN PREMIER DESTROYER EX 5/5 IN CLOVER LEAF:



I hope you guys found this report to be fun & useful information.

Steve




 

[thekid]

Excellent write up.
Happy to see it turned out so well.
I Noticed the numbers for the cphp and the cp domed are right on par with what my 34 .177 shoots.

I Get my springs and kits from a Canadian dealer, wondering if they are selling the .130 wire to me. I guess I will have to strip it down and find out.
Thanks for taking the time to do an extensive post like this.
Rob

[ivanpros]

Great review! I know this takes a lot of time and patience. Thanks again, very useful information.

[VAFarmer]

  "Tonight, I continued forward with this project and did some accuracy testing.  I shot indoors at 21' from a bag... all the groups were 5 shots each.  I learned that lower standard deviation does not always translate into better accuracy... ie the Crosman Destroyer EX's "

Very good observation!!! 

IMO there is a "best practice" for ironing out guns.....after your visual inspection, tightening of fasteners, basic sighting in.....

A wide variety of a) diameter....b)length.......c) weight in your pellets is your friend.   
I shoot for groups before I do any "micro-anaylizing"   or pull out a chrony...

It is TOO easy to make a mistake by setting up the chrony first......because the numbers sometimes WILL lie   funny you mention the Destroyers too, as I have experienced the EXACT same thing, the numbers on .177 destoryers were horrible thru my P-17, but they shoot VERY well.

Having said that, if I find 2-3 pellets that will group the same....say 1/2 groups at 20yds, I will THEN bring out the chrony and choose the most consistant shooter.....this way, I SHOULD get the most consistant energy at 50 yds. If they all shoot within a 5 fps spread over 10 shots, then I go with the heaviest.
I have the b-25, which is very much the same gun.   You are right, they can be EXCELLENT shooters.  To the tune of--can go shot for shot against any 34 that the gun is cloned from.   But they do need attention...
They airhawk/blackhawk/b-25 series are the best value out there in spring gun potential, if you ask me.   Probably a toss up for a new shooter, who hasn't the patience, time or expertise to put into it.
But for someone who will take time to try out pellets to get one to group, you are rewarded with very good groups.

My b-25 (blackhawk in .22) is really a hammer too.   Perfect spring gun hunters for 60 yds or less.  Make a great truck gun.

Congrats on your rewards for patience and perseverence.   
Now go enjoy that accurate, hard shooter.  And laugh all the way to the bank with the money you saved.

God bless,

Farmer

[blind dog]

Yeah, minimal std. dev. is a start--one factor in accuracy--but there has to be a pretty wide velocity variation to spread the group vertically at normal shooting ranges. There are so many factors to add to that to get tighter groups. I don't worry too much about velocity variation anymore unless it's all over the map. I'm more concerned about concentricity of mass and stability against wobbling in the air. Of course you pretty much just have to shoot some targets to find that out.
I think the Destroyers are not that stable, because I get great accuracy at 20 yards, and poor at 35 yards. I suspect they begin to wobble more and more past 20 yards for some reason...at least in my rifle.

[microsalmo]

It's nice to hear that my Chinese Walmart Special is shooting similar to an RWS 34.  From what I have read, I doubt the shot cycle or trigger is quite as smooth though.  How does the accuracy compare?

... I am still learning about the Chrony/accuracy relationship.  I was mistaken in believing that consistency in velocity translated into greater accuracy.  Today's lesson taught me that the magic pellet preference can change as shot counts increase.  As first I thought I had a dirty barrel or loose screw somewhere.  I ran double dry patches through the barrel, and checked the stock screws too.  As it turns out, the pellet preference change was repeatable.  Now, this rifle likes RWS Super H Points, the RWS Supermag, and the H&N field Target Trophy - weird 

Have a look:

[thekid]

Accuracy is definitely there.
The 34 will do roughly those groups at 24 yards, IF I do my part.
When you stretch her legs for the longer shots, she will show you the pellets she really likes. The farther out you can shoot, the better it is to find the best pellet.
Cphp's give me great results out to 60 yards, .75- 1. inch groups.
 Any further shots and she wants the Crosman ultra mags 10.5 gr... At 100 yards I was consistently killing cans, Target shots about (2-2.5 inch groups) could be better but I can't remember. Been a long while since those long shots, doubt I could do that good right now.... need more practice.
Rob

[VAFarmer]

Well, dont be too surprised that it shoots that well.....the clones are very good guns in general.

QB cloned the what--160 I think?   I know my AR2078 is dressed up QB, but I will put it up against any gun, PERIOD.  This gun is scary accurate.  Very good barrel.

As you are finding out, your clone is getting good accuracy, likewise a 34 does.

The B-26's are supposed to be very accurate, cloned from the HW95s

The b-40...wow!!...cloned from the TX

The china guns can be made into very good shooters.

But you are right about the other stuff.   Fit, finish,shot cycle sometimes leave a little to be desired.  They are what they are.....but when its said and done, you will end up with a good shooting working gun.

BTW, I have heard rumor that you can call Mike Melick and get a b-25 bbl in .22 to fit that gun.  Remove pivot screw, linkage, and swap to .22

God bless,

Farmer

P.S.  If so inclined, you could take a little off of the spring, if you think you are getting piston slam.  Take it off till she settles some, and watch velocity.  If it goes down drastically, you can shim with washers to bring back up.  Also, what is there a tophat/weight?

[microsalmo]

Im good with the spring.  It's not hurting anything at the moment, and the gun performs to my expectations.  Thanks for the information.

[mtsheron70]

Alot of work there you did!!!   I love testing and tuning more than I do shooting..................does that sound crazy?  I was surprised to see JSB's lower on the totem pole.  They usually perform quite well.  But scientific results are results!  Great post!

[microsalmo]

If you are, then birds of a feather flock together.  I like it more too.  It's very fulfilling to see the results of a good tune.