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All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General > Czech & Russian Air Guns
IZH Questions
Oldernewgunner:
I have an IZH 46M and an IZH 61, bought around 2010-2011. Both airguns have been hiding in my closet since they were delivered. The IZH 46 has had one round put through it. The IZH 61 still has the plastic covering that sealed the box when shipped by Pyramid Air. Since going through my closet and re-discovering them, I want to shoot them and that leads me to my question.
Since neither gun has been used in the past 12 years, is there anything I need to do to the seals or any other parts on either airgun prior to starting to use them. I have read your excellent tutorial on how to prepare an airgun to shoot and will follow those instructions but I still wonder if I should do anything to "wake" up the seals and if so what products should I use. I have Ballistol and various gun oils like Hoppes etc but want to use the best product to get the seals and moving parts ready for 2022.
Any guidance you can provide - other than don't do this again - will be appreciated.
Thanx - Dave B
subscriber:
Dave,
If you have the user manual, lube per those instructions. My manual speaks of gun oil, rather than cleaner. If you look at other SSP airguns, many or them specify 30 weight non-detergent motor oil.
I use mineral oil (sold as a laxatives) for the piston seal. I add dilute moly grease with this oil and apply it to metal friction points: Cam and pivots. If it cocks smoothly, it is probably OK with whatever lube you used. Just don't use CLP. The solvent in it may be hard on seals and o-rings. If you cock the pistol fast enough, that solvent may even ignite; although I think that risk is low. The manufacturer states gun oil, and some people may read that to include CLP. Looking at other SSP airgun lubes specified in their manuals, plain oil is the ticket.
I would not used silicone oil because the metal piston runs against the cylinder bore. Silicone oil is not good for that.
I would add a few drops of clean oil to the transfer port holes in the receiver, to lube the valve.
The breech block seals may have taken a set; especially if you stored the gun with the breech locked closed (manual states to store closed but not latched).
Anyway, you will notice if there is compression or not, and if it shoots at reasonable velocity. You can measure the velocity. If it is below 450 FPS with a 7 grain pellet, shoot some more to see if exercise improves it.
My 46M shoots slower if over oiled. Detected by sneezing oil mist, visible when dry fired with muzzle an inch from cardboard.
You could shoot some cleaning pellets wet with oil to clean the barrel. Other than old oil residue, what is there to remove? Rust? I hope not. Aggressive cleaning from the muzzle with the metal cleaning rod in the kit seems like it could do more damage than solve a problem.
You can "wake" the piston seal by rapidly compressing and decompressing the cocking lever, just short of latching. After lubing generously: four drops of oil on the seal, visible when the cocking lever is all the way forwards.
I am sure that the piston seal could be lubed with some form of grease. At worst, the gun may not be as accurate, if the wrong lube, or too much is used. Other than solvents affecting seals.
Oldernewgunner:
Many thanks for the complete and understandable answer. I now understand how to lube each of my airguns. I appreciate your input.
Dave B
subscriber:
I should have led with, "my instructions are for the 46". I did not address the 61 at all; so here goes:
The 61 is a "springer". Other than lubing the hinge pivots and detent with oil, the piston and spring are factory lubed. Dripping oil into the compression chamber is likely to result in uncontrolled dieseling. While it may "shoot faster", it will likely burn the seal and may damage the spring. This applies even to mineral oil. So, a little bit of grease is preferred.
Now, having said that, I researched the 61 afterwards, and at a rated 490 FPS at the muzzle, it is such a low power springer that dieseling is a much lower concern. Even if you used mineral oil to lube the piston. https://www.pyramydair.com/product/izh-61-multi-shot-air-rifle?m=76
What grease to use on a springer and where to apply is a huge and frequent topic on this forum. You will find a range of opinions very strongly expressed. Many people are deathly afraid of dieseling or "detonation", and can't sleep if they see any smoke come from the muzzle, or detect a burnt oil smell on discharge. Meanwhile, for generations before synthetic piston seals existed, oil soaked leather piston seals the only option. Many of those springers still work today, despite burning a little oil on every shot.
That said, adding mineral oil to the compression chamber of a modern 12 to 20 foot.pound springer that uses a plastic piston seal, is asking to damage it.
I like to read the manufacturer's manual, even if I decide that I am going to do something else. In the manual, "high flashpoint oil" is mentioned to lube the piston seal, rather than grease. That means, definitely no CLP, or anything containing a solvent. It is not specific, except to use "springer piston lube" (implied). Strictly speaking that points to silicone oil, such as this:
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/rws-air-chamber-lube-dropper-silicone-oil-50-oz?a=3002
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/crosman-silicone-chamber-oil?a=311
Machine oil is mentioned for the pivots and spring. Something like non-detergent engine oil. Not silicone oil. I like to use mineral oil with a touch of moly grease mixed into it. May would say, 3-in-1 or sowing machine oil, although 3-in-1 that has a "cleaner" in it, might include a flammable solvent.
Here is the user manual for the 61: https://www.pyramydair.com/airgun-resources/manuals/izh-61-multi-shot-air-rifle-owners-manual.pdf
--- Quote ---MAINTENANCE
Before doing any maintenance on your airgun, make sure it’s unloaded. Lubricate the air compression chamber with a high-flashpoint oil designed specifically for use inside an air compression chamber. Lubricate the piston seal through the air transfer port, located on the inside bottom of the barrel breech when the magazine has been removed from the IZH 61 or when the bolt has been pulled back on the IZH 60. Oil the airgun (3 to 5 drops) after every 2,000 shots. Also, lightly oil the cocking arm linkage and bolt pivot points with machine oil every six months. Do not use firearm cleaners or low-flashpoint oils in the air compression chamber or near the transfer port and breech seal to avoid damaging your airgun. To lubricate the mainspring, remove the stock. Turn over the action and apply 6 to 10 drops of a light oil onto the spring. Reattach the stock. Oil your gun every 2,000 to 3,000 shots or every six (6) months. Don’t use too much oil. Using too little is better than too much.
--- End quote ---
Airjason:
I think the IZH61 piston seal should be still good after 12 years since purchase. On my IZH 61, the piston seal lasted over 25 years before I noticed it was deteriorated and wasn't shooting well. With this war going on now, I don't know if you can possibly get a new piston seal from the sources in Russia. I hope a US maker can produce them.
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