air gun tune ?

[Papa Smurf]

As a new guy to air guns and do all my shooting at less than 30 yards, mainly small cans and paper targets, is there any reason to consider having any of my rifles "tuned" ? I have all Crosman rirles, a 22 Nitro Venom, a 177 Phantom , and a 177 RM677 . What is the reason for tuning . Does it add accuracy or longer life to the rifle ? -----------   Good Shooting to all--------Papa Smurf

[Motorhead]

Smoothness in shot cycle ... cocking effort ... better trigger feel and accuracy.

Some guns when tuned get stellar improvements ... others not so much.
In all honesty really boils down to what the gun is and quality present that shines threw once massaged 

[Blue]

I just got curious after a while and decided to take my "cheap Chinese springer" (a Ruger Airhawk which is a Xisco XS-25) and just see what I (and it) could do.  Kind of a "be all you can be" thing, and I figured since I paid less than $100 for it if I screwed up I could chalk it up to a learning experience.

The rifle had around 3000-4000 pellets through it so it was well broken in and was shooting as well as I figured it would.  It was stock except for a different scope, a breech shim, a new breech seal, and a re-crown to the barrel.

I ordered a new piston seal and lubes from Air Rifle Headquarters, downloaded (and read, and read, and read) Charlie Da Tuna's tuning guide for springers (it's in the library), and in between reading the guide I built a spring compressor.  I assembled my various implements of destruction and dove in.  I took my time and tried to do everything as by the book as possible.

I really couldn't believe the difference it made.  Things were fairly smooth and relatively accurate before, but afterward the shot cycle had improved so much that it's not very hold sensitive anymore and the accuracy has gone through the roof.  I used to be happy when a few of the shots in a five shot group touched, now I'm NOT happy unless all five are in one hole.

I probably would have been happy just shooting it as it was but like I said, I was curious and even if everything had gone wrong I would have been happy with the education.  As it is now, I know my rifle inside and out, and I have the tools, supplies, knowledge, and the resources of the GTA behind me as I progress in our shared addiction.

A little long (sorry), but a big thanks to everyone here who has helped me learn something I think is pretty cool!

Blue

[Roadworthy]

I guess what you have to do is weigh the cost/benefit ratio of tuning.  I didn't think my Nitro Venom was worth shipping off and paying for a tune.  I started with a new one from Crosman.  The cocking was really rough.  It wouldn't group but I later learned that was the pellets.  I disassembled it and cleaned out the Chinese lubes.  I honed the compression tube a bit and smoothed rough edges here and there.  I put in quality lubricant as appropriate to location.  I replaced the trigger with a GRT - III (appropriate to that gun).  I cleaned, smoothed, lubed, and reassembled the alive jam.  I turned down some bronze bearings to replace the nylon pivot bushings.  I even smoothed and waxed the area of the stock where the cocking roller rolls.  Now the cocking is much smoother.

I found the pellet it likes and it groups within 3/4" at twenty yards.  I've only run about 300 pellets trough it so it should improve.

I wouldn't say I did a real tune.  I kept all the original seals, they looked fine to me.  Everything is stable an smooth at this point.  I think my choice of pellets had a greater effect on the accuracy than anything else.  If you want to practice or learn tuning the Nitro Venom is an easy platform to start with.  Could a real tuner improve it?  I'm pretty sure he could.  To me this gun is not worth the expense, though.  I have learned a lot along the way.  I can shoot as well with this gun as I can with my .22 rimfire.  That probably means I need more work before I'll notice a problem with the gun.