Author Topic: Getting my D-34 Tuned (Read 8731 times))

Booger · « **on:** February 02, 2013, 10:11:47 AM »

I am getting my D34 .22 cal tuned. The surprise is the cost, this is not a complaint. The rifle cost me $220 and the tune will be another $230. This tune will be a complete tune (the works) with trigger tune as well. It will also be getting a Maccari spring and custom guide. It will also take 6 to 8 weeks to get back into my hands. I told the tuner to take his time because I wanted it done right. I also told him I wanted accuracy over power, he said he should be able to get both. He has been very professional to this point, and has explained to me everything that he will do.

If he is able to do what he said I will either be sending him my TX200 or my other D34 .177 cal for the same tune. I really did not realize that a professional tune would be so much, but I have learned that in this world you get what you pay for. After I get the rifle back, I will give you the results and the person who did the tune for me.

clip · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2013, 02:22:27 PM »

A tuned rifle makes all the difference in the world. Easier cocking, smoother firing cycle. etc. It will extend the life of the airgun.
Good luck finding a place that will accept it for shipping, however. I just tried to ship an air rifle via UPS and was told they wouldn't accept it. This is a store that I have used to ship my air rifles many times over the past 3 years...so often that they know me by name when I walk in. The owner/manager told me that it would have to go through their "Hub location"....a place that has never been a good experience for me. If you will, let us know how it turns out for you.

Kailua · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2013, 02:34:21 PM »

The price sounds kind of high. Like something in the future Star Trek time frame. LOL

tjk · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2013, 04:12:10 PM »

Sorry Pal, but unless you are sending that 34 to Paul Watts for his full tilt AVD custom tune,...including a Sunnen honed comp tube correction,.... BTW, I don't think PW tunes 34 anyways,.....then you are getting RIPPED!!!!! Gotta call BS on that one. It's one thing to spend +$200 for a tune on a +$500 gun,....but to shell out more money than the rifle is actually worth is plain dumb. There are plenty of other tuners both "pro" and "hobbyist" that will tune your rifle just as well,... for alot less. I would seriously reconsider this if I were you.

Booger · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2013, 06:18:19 PM »

I agree, the price seems high, but if he does a good job I really do not care. It is only money (from a consulting job) and I can't take it with me. My last consulting job netted me $3000, so I got a TX200MK3

.

thekid · « **Reply #5 on:** February 02, 2013, 06:44:17 PM »

The Maccari spring and guide is almost a hundred dollars alone.
So the tune is only really 150, for a professional job.

Booger · « **Reply #6 on:** February 02, 2013, 07:32:57 PM »

Quote from: thekid on February 02, 2013, 06:44:17 PM

The Maccari spring and guide is almost a hundred dollars alone.
So the tune is only really 150, for a professional job.

Thank you for making me feel better. I will report in about this tune after it is done. If it is done well,l I will let you know who did the tune (I will not trash anyone, but I will sing their praises).

jusanothajoe · « **Reply #7 on:** February 02, 2013, 09:32:41 PM »

Quote from: thekid on February 02, 2013, 06:44:17 PM

The Maccari spring and guide is almost a hundred dollars alone.
So the tune is only really 150, for a professional job.

And prolly $15 of that to ship gun back.

girwin · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2013, 10:43:35 PM »

Many of us want a smooth shooting accurate gun and a couple hundred dollars is worth it to us. I love my 34 with a JM kit installed. You will love the gun...enjoy.

thekid · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2013, 10:47:35 PM »

Quote from: John B on February 02, 2013, 09:33:04 PM

Quote from: thekid on February 02, 2013, 06:44:17 PM
The Maccari spring and guide is almost a hundred dollars alone.
So the tune is only really 150, for a professional job.
A JM kit in the US is $69.00.
John

Maybe so...I have to pay for the shipping of the parts as well.
If he is happy doing the tune, then I guess its worth it to him. I spent 1700 dollars on an Fx rifle, some would say that is crazy, to me it wasn't.

tjk · « **Reply #10 on:** February 03, 2013, 12:10:50 PM »

I am very interested to know the details of the tune. I still think that is a rather high price for a JM kit installation. And the wait time being what it is seems ridiculous for a rifle it only takes a few hours to work on at best. I was once told by a tuner that it would be 6 to 8 weeks for one of my rifles to be worked on. After ordering the parts myself and studying the parts diagram and forum search homework, I was able to perform the work in less than an an hour. And hear is my point, what do some of these "pro" tuners ( full timers as well as part timers) do in between repair projects?!?! Yes there are tuners that have full time jobs, and a tuner like PW has back orders of work due to his top notch work including custom fitting and modification of parts,..... So that makes me very curious of the details of the work to be performed on your Diana 34. I am not insinuating that sending a rifle of to be tuned is a bad thing in general as there are a lot of folks out there that do quality work, but the price you are paying seems high. Cross-hatching a comp tube with a brake hone and glue on buttons isn't something I would onsider a custom tune warranting the price point. On the other hand, a sunnen honed compression tube correction, custom embedded piston buttons, or some other similar custom piston work, balanced piston, properly sized seal or custom fitted o-ring type of seal fitted, along with the basic deburr/lubricant work performed, and also some tweeking of the barrel port and crown with custom fit bronze or brass breech block pivot washers/spacers/shims (whatever you want to call them) then maybe yes to the price asked for the work done on you Diana rifle. That's the reason I am asking for details for such a high end priced tune.

jusanothajoe · « **Reply #11 on:** February 03, 2013, 12:49:22 PM »

Here's another way to look at it.
69.00 JM kit
9.95 seal
8.00 heavy tar
8.00 moly
9.00 shipping
------------------------
$ 103.95
+ price to build spring compressor
+ price of brake hone
=

Can he get a good tune done cheaper....... Yes. Is the price he is payin outrageous......... No

Booger · « **Reply #12 on:** February 03, 2013, 01:11:40 PM »

I am paying the price because I want it done right, that is the bottom line. When I learn to tune I want to learn on a very cheap rifle that I do not care if I mess it up. Some of you are pros, and I am not mechanically minded. I will have failures to gain my experience, and from my experience I will gain success. I just want my success to happen on something I care little about than something I really care about. Just today I saw a stock posted by 'TheKid' that is $200 and I am really thinking about getting it. So now my $200 rifle will cost more than my TX200. So as one poster put it 'It is crazy to spend as much on a tune as the rifle cost' and I will also add it is crazy to spend that much on a stock, which I plan to do when my rifle gets back just because I really like my RWS.

jusanothajoe · « **Reply #13 on:** February 03, 2013, 01:37:27 PM »

Quote from: Philidor on February 03, 2013, 01:11:40 PM

I am paying the price because I want it done right, that is the bottom line. When I learn to tune I want to learn on a very cheap rifle that I do not care if I mess it up. Some of you are pros, and I am not mechanically minded. I will have failures to gain my experience, and from my experience I will gain success. I just want my success to happen on something I care little about than something I really care about. Just today I saw a stock posted by 'TheKid' that is $200 and I am really thinking about getting it. So now my $200 rifle will cost more than my TX200. So as one poster put it 'It is crazy to spend as much on a tune as the rifle cost' and I will also add it is crazy to spend that much on a stock, which I plan to do when my rifle gets back just because I really like my RWS.

I had a $100 gun tuned and a Vortek kit installed. So I guess we're both crazy LOL. Bottom line is I spent my money and you are spending yours. I was happy with what I spent and that's all that matters to me. Also remember seems there are some on here that are real, shall we say...................... " thrifty"
I personally get no satisfaction from tuning my own gun, would rather save up some money and pay someone that knows what he is doing. to each his own.

Disclaimer ; these views do not reflect the views of this site or it's members. they are just my opinion

JimL911 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2013, 01:39:47 PM »

I think it is a reasonable price. Yes anyone can slap in a kit and lube it. But a proper job takes some time. A trigger tune with polishing can take 30+ minutes. Fitting any kind of buttons is time consuming. Crowning a barrel takes time. Sizing a seal takes time. They should be compensated for their time. Don't forget the extra few bucks for electricity used. Few tune full time. An hour or two after work or weekends. Any back log needs to be taken care of before your guns gets any attention, so the time frame is not that bad either. As to paying as much as the price of the gun for a tune, it is what it is. The price of gas is the same whether you drive a chevette or a corvette.

Ddgrego · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2013, 02:21:29 PM »

lol funny. I bet i have over grand in my Disco and wouldnt have it anyother way.Will i ever get my money back? No.Do i want to? nope Its just the way i want it now and shoots very well.Glad i did it though despite all the cost.

Booger · « **Reply #16 on:** April 20, 2013, 11:43:03 PM »

Just got a call from my tuner

. My rifle will be ready next week. He also found the spring to be broken in two places. This was a brand new air rifle. I can hardly wait until it is ready, if it shoots as well as my untuned D-34 .177 I will be a happy man and then I will either send off my TX200 or my other D-34, but I just might buy a Condor first. This hobby is making me a poor man.

palonej · « **Reply #17 on:** April 21, 2013, 10:36:19 AM »

Really looking forward to hearing how this turns out Jess!!
I put a JM ZRT, $100 kit, in a 56. Prob paid same as you with ship and tune and I'm totally satisfied!! Would do it again in a heart beat. Mainly cause I won't do it myself.
Keep us informed bro!
Joe

Booger · « **Reply #18 on:** May 01, 2013, 10:21:23 PM »

Quote from: tjk on February 02, 2013, 04:12:10 PM

Sorry Pal, but unless you are sending that 34 to Paul Watts for his full tilt AVD custom tune,...including a Sunnen honed comp tube correction,.... BTW, I don't think PW tunes 34 anyways,.....then you are getting RIPPED!!!!! Gotta call BS on that one. It's one thing to spend +$200 for a tune on a +$500 gun,....but to shell out more money than the rifle is actually worth is plain dumb. There are plenty of other tuners both "pro" and "hobbyist" that will tune your rifle just as well,... for alot less. I would seriously reconsider this if I were you.

First I would like to address the cost I am paying. Rob Hawkins prices are as follows:

Full Tune - $295.00

New Gun Case - $35.00

Scope Mounting Service - $25.00

Sight In Scope After Mounting - $25.00

Second I get to pick up my rifle tomorrow. The tuner had several problems that turned out to take longer than expected. He had to hand lap the barrel, and do other things that just popped up.

When he got the rifle apart the first thing he told me was that my spring was broken in two places. This was a brand new rifle with only about 1000 shots through it, now I know why my first post on the rifle was "I Like my RWS, but I want to love it".

Tomorrow I will give you my first impression of the tune job, and list everything he did. He even told me he would provide some pictures. When I get home Friday (evening) I will begin my putting her through some paces and do my best to give a full report. I am not a professional, so please do not expect that great of a report. If she does well my TX200MK3 will have a visit at the tuners as well. My first requirement will be accuracy, smoothness in cocking and recoil, and any gain in power will just be icing on the cake. If this works out well, I may stop dreaming of an FX Independence or an Airforce Bounty, and put my sights on another RWS (54, 48, or 460). I would love to have a powerful and accurate air rifle. If my house payment wasn't due this week end I would be in the dog house because of the scope I want to get.

sperho · « **Reply #19 on:** May 02, 2013, 12:05:12 AM »

Look forward to hearing about the results...

Oh and this may not always be a good thing for your TX: "any gain in power will just be icing on the cake." I'm nearly convinced that a TX that is sent to the US at 15 fpe is a marketing ploy and not a good thing... I was happy that after my Vortek kit install that after a little bit of breaking in that it has lost some power and not gained. If you're only plinking or hunting at short range, it may not be a huge deal, but I'm after accuracy with my TX and if I were to send it to a tuner, I'd say, "13 fpe, please".

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Getting my D-34 Tuned

Author Topic: Getting my D-34 Tuned (Read 8731 times))