GTA
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => Air Gun Gate => Topic started by: roj on April 19, 2024, 06:19:32 PM
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Sometimes you just don’t know whether to laugh or…laugh harder. As I indicated in a post a few weeks ago, the gas piston in my Hatsun 87QE Vortex went pffft. I had a couple of kind offers from GTA members to replace the seals for a small fee, but balked at the idea of two way shipping.
But lo and behold, I found a gun shop that also works on airguns just a half mile away. It’s called Boomstick. Cool name, huh? I couldn’t believe my luck.
I took the Hatsun by the shop where the owner confirmed that they do indeed have an airgun mechanic but he was out of town for the weekend. So I explained the problem, left the gun and waited to hear. A week later I got a call from the guy who wanted me to fill in the details of the issue. It started getting weird almost immediately.
He started asking unusual questions like, “did I know how to take the gun apart?” and “did I know how to fix the gun?” along with several others that did not inspire confidence. He said he’d go to work on it.
A week later I got a call from him saying that he was having difficulty getting the gun apart and did I know that the trigger was broken? Of course the trigger couldn’t have been broken (when I brought it in, that is) because how else would I have known that the piston seals were shot unless I’d been able to fire the gun.
Another week went by. Now he’s REALLY having problems, like not being able to “find” the piston or the seals, and I’ve finally come to the conclusion that he has no idea whatsoever. (Nor does he know how to fix the darn thing.) But he did clean the gun! I encouraged him to join GTA and post his questions here, knowing that at least one of our multitude of experienced gun techs could help him figure things out. Plus, I thought I might be doing him a favor and that all the GTA expertise might actually improve his overall skills as well as beef up his business.
ANOTHER week went by and I called again, but getting no answer I decided that enough was enough and went to pick up the gun. He said that the gun was not completely back together, but I didn’t care. So he handed me back the case and said that all the parts should be in there.
And here they are, I think. But I couldn’t swear to it.
Oh, wait. I DID find that pesky piston. I guess he eventually did too.
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If the gas ram is not in the compression tube with the piston seal then IDK ???
Yes your "airgun mechanic" is clueless ::)
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I am VERY familiar with Hatsan breakbarrels in general and that rifle specifically. Sorry to be blunt but that guy is either a crook or an ID 10T!
I hope the "piston" and the "Vortex air spring" are still inside the compression tube or you don't have all the parts. Edit1.. now i see your 2nd photo. All parts are there!
I can break down, clean, deburr, relube, install a new piston seal, and reassemble that rifle in under 45 minutes ... at a relaxed pace! Rebuilding the Vortex air spring by itself takes me about an hour if i have the o-rings.
I am sad looking at your photo. I can only hope that repair guy can LEARN to do better :-(
Edit2... I'm still a Hatsan fan but I'm really VERY disappointed in the reliability of their Vortex air spring. I'm no longer resealing my leaky Vortex air springs. I've ordered parts to change the rifles back to the more reliable coil springs.
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Mikeyb, I'm sure he is not a crook, so....
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Both the piston and Vortex air spring are in the second photo.
Do you have them?
FWIW, round trip shipping on another member's Vortex was about $18.00 TOTAL
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I do have the piston and spring. That was just me, clowning around.
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If it were me I'd chalk it up to experience and put the parts in the parts bin and order a new gun. A springer Crosman Optima. That would probably be cheaper than getting the Hatsan repaired. Way back I had a Ruger Air Hawk break. It was a lot less trouble to buy a $54 Black Hawk Eltie and put it in the Air Hawk stock.
I have some old Hatsan, a 135, 155 Torpedo, Dominator 200s carbine, a Hatsan made Webly Tomahawk. Pretty good guns. The Dominator is the best shooter. I wouldn't buy another except a wood stock for the Dominator. Nice looking gun but heavy, hard to cock and the 135 and 155 are hard on scopes and now they cost to much.
Had a Striker 1000s in a wood stock .177 gas ram. I've had a Edge and the Webly version. I have B2's and B3's that I'd rather shoot.
I have a a .177 Proxima repeater. Nice gun, shoots good, repeater part works perfect. But it's heavy and a bear to cock. But it's broke now. When you move the cocking lever back forward just before it get back to the barrel it goes of. Must be the anti-bear trap and sear.
But lately 've been into old Crosman break barrels. Refinishing them, finding wood stocks for the ones come in plastic and modding the triggers. They're all light, easy to cock, shoot real good
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"...chalk it up to experience and put the parts in the parts bin and order a new gun."
Good advice.