Ruger Airhawk Elite II Upward Bent Barrels
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Ruger Airhawk Elite II Upward Bent Barrels
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Topic: Ruger Airhawk Elite II Upward Bent Barrels (Read 522 times))
Ronno6
GTA Senior Contributor
Posts: 5037
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Real Name: Ron
Ruger Airhawk Elite II Upward Bent Barrels
«
on:
April 29, 2023, 09:42:44 PM »
So far I believe I have repaired 4 Ruger (Umarex) Airhawk Elite II rifles
with upward bent barrels.
I have not come across this on any other rifle.
Obviously caused by releasing the barrel before it is latched,
or pulling the trigger with the barrel not in the closed position....
Why this rifle??
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USA, Stone County, MS
You can lead a man to water, but you can't keep him from urinating in it.
Roadworthy
Honorary GTA Moderator
GTA Senior Contributor
Posts: 9706
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Real Name: Thomas
Re: Ruger Airhawk Elite II Upward Bent Barrels
«
Reply #1 on:
April 29, 2023, 10:28:50 PM »
It may be they have a stronger than average spring for that power of airgun or it could be they use softer steel. It could also be that the owners of this particular rifle are less safety conscious than many other owners. It could even be a problem with the safety not latching part of the time making it easier to accidentally pull the trigger with the gun open, or perhaps there is a problem with the sears? You'd have to query each owner about events leading up to the catastrophe.
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Near the Southern Coast of Washington State
Real knowledge is knowing the extent of one's ignorance.
mikeyb
Expert
Posts: 1939
Quattro Trigger Animation
Real Name: Michael
Re: Ruger Airhawk Elite II Upward Bent Barrels
«
Reply #2 on:
April 30, 2023, 01:16:26 AM »
At one time it was a common <$100 (new) air rifle at Walmart and probably other local stores. Shortly after I got back into airguns and started learning about current springers (late 2017) the RAHE2 refubs were being sold at several online stores for ~ $55. I think qty>3 bulk orders from DCPI wholesale were even lower (~$47 each maybe?).
https://www.dpciwholesale.com/pellet-guns/?sort=price&sort_direction=0
I got a couple of RAHE2s as refurbs from S.G. and they still shoot well (after a little tweaking). I'm only guessing but the rifle was positioned as a "starter springer". Sized for adults it would have been an easy error to purchase one of these rifles for children too young to handle the adult cocking force of the TNT gas spring! I can easily see children AND adults with no springer experience accidentally damaging one of these rifles by letting the barrel "slip" before full trigger latch.
There could have been a factory defect or recall but I'm am unaware of either. The trigger does have some plastic parts I wish were metal, but none of my RAHE2s has shown any sign of premature failure. I'm thinking mostly inexperienced user error and just hope no one was seriously injured by a flying barrel.
Links to old sources, most no longer available.
https://www.dpciwholesale.com/ruger-airhawk-elite-ii-.177-air-rifle-refurbished-10170.html
https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/ruger-airhawk-elite-ii-air-rifle-177-caliber-4x32mm-scope-refurbished?a=2183538
https://www.fieldsupply.com/ruger-airhawk-elite-ii-177cal-air-rifle-black-refurb.html
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=151806.msg1552828#msg1552828
Did find one new online at ~$150, but IMO that is asking too much for this rifle. I think it WAS an acceptable air rifle at $100 new with scope and ~$50 refurbished with scope.
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USA, NY, Rochester
Too many toys & not enough play time!
Bayman
GTA Senior Contributor
Posts: 4839
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Real Name: Ron
Re: Ruger Airhawk Elite II Upward Bent Barrels
«
Reply #3 on:
April 30, 2023, 09:51:23 AM »
I'm gonna guess this model has a softer metal barrel than others, so it's less tolerant of mishandling.
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mikeyb
Expert
Posts: 1939
Quattro Trigger Animation
Real Name: Michael
Re: Ruger Airhawk Elite II Upward Bent Barrels
«
Reply #4 on:
April 30, 2023, 09:51:05 PM »
Softer barrel steel is a possibility.
Slipped from grip before full trigger latch is possible as Ron noted.
There is an auto-safety link but
NOT a full anti-beartrap link!
I can release my safety and pull trigger to DE-COCK my RAHE2. THAT could be the primary cause of bent barrels.
I experienced a bent (but repairable) barrel on a different rifle where I had a trigger fail (my fault). I HAD my hand on the barrel the whole time when the trigger let go about 5" before barrel lock-up. I wasn't expecting the release so the barrel JUMPED the last few inches to lock-up faster than normal even though I had it in my hand. Barrel was bent UP a full 1/2" inch at the muzzle. That was easily bent back to normal so it seems most springer barrels are pretty soft steel. I expect the rifle would have had much worse permanent damage if the barrel were totally free to swing all the way to lockup under mainspring power.
Basically the RAHE2 is same as the Umarex AIREM2 air rifle.
Some RAHE2 and AIREM2 information and links in this thread.
https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=197850.msg156306778#msg156306778
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USA, NY, Rochester
Too many toys & not enough play time!
gloob
Marksman
Posts: 485
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Real Name: Ken
Re: Ruger Airhawk Elite II Upward Bent Barrels
«
Reply #5 on:
May 02, 2023, 01:41:35 AM »
I'm on that list. I have quite a few springers, and this is the only one I've accidentally fired with the barrel open.
Not sure if there's a reason that it happened on this rifle, in particular. I have plenty of other rifles with the safety completely removed. I can't remember why it was open, but I had the crosshair on target and thought I was taking a shot!
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AZ, Phoenix
gloob
Marksman
Posts: 485
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Real Name: Ken
Re: Ruger Airhawk Elite II Upward Bent Barrels
«
Reply #6 on:
May 02, 2023, 01:44:33 AM »
Oh, I just realized something possibly significant.
This rifle has a 2 piece compound cocking arm, so when it's cocked the arm doesn't stick out the bottom of the forestock. You wouldn't feel it, unless you were to hold it at the very end of the forestock, and it's a long rifle.
The barrel hinge is also very stiff, so you wouldn't feel any movement from the unlocked barrel swinging around.
And you can, as said above, turn off the safety after you cock it.
That's a perfect storm, so to speak.
On the plus side, after mostly unbending it now I get a better cheek weld. And with the open sights, I don't have to jack the rear sight so high.
«
Last Edit: May 02, 2023, 02:00:47 AM by gloob
»
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AZ, Phoenix
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Ruger Airhawk Elite II Upward Bent Barrels