Why Does My New Gun Need A Tune ?

[39M]

I know the tractor place is local but you might consider a Hatsan Edge Vortex, $99.99 from PA. Stock out of the box weighs 6.6 pounds, 43 inches long, in .22 with FTT's shoots 750ish. Stock can be stuffed with things you already have laying around your shop and is paintable, I've done a couple. The trigger with a little polishing and a .23 cent screw from the hardware store can be made better and unlike the Crosman, you don't need to replace the lousy barrel pivot washers with brass ones. I own 4, 3 with the Vortex gas rams and one with a spring..nice little rifles for not a lot of money.

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/hatsan-edge-air-rifle-vortex-piston-black?m=3724

Nah, I'll probably just get a 2260 or a Disco.

[jusanothajoe]

I don't have to have a gun tuned. I may want to? If the reticle rotated it might be broke. Twang in and of itself doesn't cause me to miss. I'd pull a bore snake thru the barrel now and then. A scope stop, thread lock, trigger adjustment? Shoot one of my tac drivers to make sure it's not me. Work on my hold. Relax, then relax some more. Kill some paint balls or wine bottle corks. Maybe some zen instead of heresy. This is fun stuff.

For the record, I didn't know a gun needed to be tuned till I started hanging around here 
It's not the reticle rotating, it's the whole scope 
I shot my D34 for years without being tuned, it was fine. Till I found out it could be better.
Guess that's what I'm trying to say, It's not my guns are bad.........it's that they can be better.
The twang doesn't cause any misses, it causes all the symptoms in my original post.
To me all the problem associated with springers are solved with tuning. But it's an option, not a necessity.
But you are 100% right........fun stuff.

[jusanothajoe]

Thank you for the reality check Joe.
 I have been swooning over a R11/HW98 for some time. I was under the impression that if I spent $500-$700 for a Springer, I would finally get the smooth, easy to control shot cycle I was after. For some misguided reason I thought OUT OF THE BOX it would be immune of all the issues on my sub $200 Springers.

  But the real thing is this, a $500 German air rifle ought to work well out of the box.   There is tuning which is one object, but having to replace the workings of such an air rifle when NIB is to me unacceptable.   JMO   

My first modern Air rifle purchase when I joined was the Hatsan 95 that eveyone suggested. I didn't have it in my hands for a week. When I posted it's issues I was told to take it apart and tune it . "WHAT?, IT"S BRAND NEW?!" and promptly sent it back.
 Now after owning an NP gun, and 2 more Spingers I realize maybe it wasn't so bad... Wait... Yes it was.... I got a lemon. My $100 Kodiak was better right out of the box than that Turk was. 
 If I spent $700+ to get an R11 from Pryamyd and it went "TWAAANNNG ! " then it shook it's cleaned & torqued stock screws loose in 5 shots I would be very, very upset... to say the least.
 
You sir, just saved me a lot of grief.

You can get an HW98 from Krale for $450 shipped. You can get it tuned and still be under the $700
that you were planning on spending for just the gun from US vendors.
If you were planning on spending that much anyway  

[jusanothajoe]

Buy an HW95 in whichever caliber you choose and arrange ahead of time to have it shipped to Motorhead being he's close to you to do a simple tune and lube, then send it on to you and save some on the back and forth shipping. Mine in .22 and untouched shoots about 14.6 fpe and has very little recoil so a tuned version by Scott to shoot anywhere from 12 to 14 fpe at least in my mind would likely do the trick towards helping you enjoy shooting a springer.

That being said here's my own heresy, my apologies in advance to any feathers ruffled, toes stepped on or the air gun "snobs" who think I'm foolish for refusing to tune the HW95 .22 I own.
I have felt absolutely no need to tune the rifle. Did it twang right out of the box? Yes and over the course of close to 1200 shots that twang has faded away. I also freely admit that when I had some spare cash, I bought a Vortek PG2 kit but I bought it for that point in the future where the factory spring finally gives up the ghost and actually needs to be replaced. To add to my heresy, I did not buy the kit that will turn my rifle into a meek and mild 12 fpe or less rifle. I bought the high power kit which will turn it into an 18 fpe shooter and yep, I can already hear the gasps and mutterings of those saying heathen!!..blasphemer!!..ban the heretic!!!.
I've had to replace a front trigger guard screw. When it worked itself loose and ran away I have no idea but it's been the only thing I HAD to do to the rifle. I didn't need to but from reading and recommendations on the forum, I did add a set of Mac1 screw cups. Those front stock screws weren't loose, never had been and again, I did not need to but did anyway. To add even more blasphemy, I have also never touched the trigger
My 95 is also the first rifle I've mounted a scope on with 50 or less shots on it and I've never had any issues with that scope. For that matter, I've never had issues with any of the 19 scopes I have on springers or gas rams and most of those rifles recoil way harder than my HW does. Not a single one of those 19 scopes has ever slid backwards in the dovetails, slid backward in the rings and not a single one, even the cheap Centerpoints I have on 2 rifles has ever turned or even started to turn in the rings.
I suppose I'll sit here now and wait for my stoning, flogging and eventual banishment for my heretical and blaspheming ways

I want more than 12fpe in most of my guns. I want the most I can get, with the smoothest shot cycle I can get.
My R9 is like your 95. It has been the best out of the box gun I have bought, including two TX200's.
No screws coming loose, scope stays put, very accurate. Not worried about tuning it right now.
But somethings got to give on the old twangamatic HW98. 

[SpiralGroove]

Yeah, I think Weihrauch "Springers" have been made roughly the same way since the late 1970's or 1980's.  Back then, they cost $150 to $400 - now its $300 to $700 (US vendors).  Back then not many people tuned them because the twang doesn't hurt accuracy.  If you let them break in, all was forgiven - maybe the twang never went away? - don't know?

But now, since so many more people have gotten into airguns, with the money to make them shoot better than ever - many people get a tune, forgoing the break in period.  I think tuning the trigger does wonders for accuracy!

With today's drive to lower costs, no way are manufacturers going to spend (3+) more hours paying skilled laborers to fine polish the trigger, piston, add a top-hat and polish spring-ends.  Their Not going to get their money back - as not many will buy the higher priced guns!

So now, we have the Pro-Tuners (The Motorheads) of the world, to provide what manufactures can't justify doing, because they'd never sell many of these high priced guns .  The majority of buyers still don't get a tune and let it break in, GTA members are The Anal Few who will pay for this luxury .

[Oldgringo]

Until I bought a latter day air rifle and joined this forum, I never dreamed an air rifle needed a "tuning", whatever a "tuning" might be.  Just sayin'.....

[Hoosier Daddy]

I often wonder how many Springer Owners who do NOT join GTA either live with it thinking it's just an airgun or give up on it all together because they think it can't hit squat.

[SpiralGroove]

I often wonder how many Springer Owners who do NOT join GTA either live with it thinking it's just an airgun or give up on it all together because they think it can't hit squat.

Because, in the case of Weihrauch Springers "you can shoot very successfully" w/o a tune.
They just shoot better and more trouble fee with a good tune .

[Skinard88]

One of my neighbors wanted an AG for pesting.  I recommended a D34 22cal. for his price range.  After he got it broke in, it shot very nice with very little twang.  No! it didn't have the power my 22cal 34 had, and wasn't as smooth to cock and shoot,  But it was a very good shooting rifle.  I told him I would tune it for him, so it would shoot like mine.  He said no thanks, I like it just like it is. 
Sometimes its just a shooters preference.  I like to tune, and others like to tame the beast out of the box.
They do settle down a lot after 1000 rounds. 

[anti-squirrel]

I think that's the whole point: I have no problem shooting springers.  My old boss back in the day had an R-7 that put lead exactly where you wanted with zero effort once you learned the hold, and that was my first springer experience... killed many pigeons with it.

And when I recently got back into shooting springers, I opted for the B-3.  It was harsh, laughable even.  But it smoothed out and it became a toss-up as to which was better on squirrels, the B-3 or the Benji 392.  For ease of use, the B-3.  And I know the high-end springs are capable of so much more.  But if I'm going to spend that kind of money, I'm buying a PCP because an airgun, first and foremost, is a tool for me.  Believe me, I love my Hatsan 95QE.  It's a powerhouse and has gorgeous wood.  But it is first and foremost a pesting and small-game hunting tool.  If I'd spent 3 times that amount on a springer (up in the TX200 or similar territory), I'd have a very enjoyable springer with some boing, less power, and I'd be less inclined to take it into the woods.

The funny thing, I know I'll be buying another B-3 soon.  I love them, and they respond very well to a little TLC.  I just can't get myself excited about doing it with a higher-dollar springer at this point.  Maybe once I'm retired 

[Skinard88]

Funny thing anti-squirrel,  I had a TX200 22cal.  I sold it and kept the D34p 22cal.  The 34 was just as accurate, = in power, maybe a bit more, and I didn't have to worry about the wood.

[lefteyeshot]

Maybe the AG factories figure anyone who really cares is going to have it tuned so why bother with the fine finishing.

[Augydogy]

I have a total of 17 springers. Except for one, a Webley branded Hatsan made Valuemax, I like to buy used because they are usually broken in or have been tuned. Yes I know a lot of you don't like use rifles but I have not had a problem with any of them. None of them have eaten a scope.  Believe it or not besides cost there are other advantages to buying used. The Webley/Hatsan?  I'll just wait until it smooths out. Patience. Patience. Patience.

[lefteyeshot]

A lot of tine if can get a refurb or used gun I'll buy it instead of new.

[Skinard88]

Most of my Airguns I bought used.  One of my best springers was a referb. 

[Xraycer]

I often wonder how many Springer Owners who do NOT join GTA either live with it thinking it's just an airgun or give up on it all together because they think it can't hit squat.

My guess, 99.99999%

[SpiralGroove]

Received an HW98 from Krale on Wednesday. Beautiful gun !
First cock was smooth, then first shot. TWAAANNNG !
HECK with this ! I don't want to go 2000-3000 shots to try to get this smoothed out. (even then it will not be as smooth as a tuned gun) Mac1 screw cups ordered. After installing these I have never had forearm screws come loose.
I ordered this gun going in knowing it would have a tune in it's future.
Why do I need a tune on my new gun ?
Because it makes it Smooooth ! Stock screws stop loosening, Scopes stop moving in the mounts.
Makes it all around more enjoyable to shoot.

Yeah Joe,
My HW98 was a real Twangasaurus too
The gun was very accurate, but its shot cycle belonged to a Chinese clone.
Tore that baby down the next day - the trouble - no lube on the spring at all.
Now she just perfect .  If you plan to be in the airgun hobby long -> best lean how to tune/fix 'em . 

[Airwoods]

+1 on buying used broken in tuned springers that already know what pellet it likes.

[Motorhead]

Tools .. Technique .. Tricks & Technical know how is precisely why some choose others to do there tuning over self doing it.
Granted the Internets been a boon to self tuners with all the data out there ... sadly there are MANY with the best of intentions because some one said it or read it what to do that turns into hatchet jobs !! 
As a semi-professional tuner lost count years ago on the number of guns across the bench previously worked on that were HACK JOBS.
Not saying all that do there own tuning do this kind of work  ... just that some are best left to use screwdrivers to open paint cans and wrenches to beat the rats at there feet 

[SpiralGroove]

Tools .. Technique .. Tricks & Technical know how is precisely why some choose others to do there tuning over self doing it.
... Just that some are best left to use screwdrivers to open paint cans and wrenches to beat the rats at there feet

............... > That's pretty funny Scott .  I've never seen a beatable rat .