Cutting airtube in half for weight savings?

[RedDirtDog]

One thing I noticed when disassembleing my Flash the airtube was pretty heavy and that was without air. This might sound crazy and potentially dangerous but Could I cut my airtube in half or so and re-thread it, ill get a much lower shot count ofcourse but the weight savings would be pretty significant wouldn't it?
 
I know the Flash is a light gun already but if i could find a way to lighten the front end even a little bit it'd make a huge difference for me freehand shooting. I actually noticed a weight drop when I put a Donnyfl sumo on the barrel compared to the OEM shroud, so even small changes are noticeable for me.

Or should I just get a FlashPup? or maybe do some pushups? lol..

[Nomadic Pirate]

Push ups !!!

[Hobbyman2007]

I was under the impression that it had the same cylinder as the AT44. If so there were some lightweight versions out made by JSAR as fast as I remember .

[Bicycleman]

A guy I used to ride bicycles with decided to make his bicycle lighter to go faster.  He replaced all the steel nuts and bolts with nuts and bolts made of Titanium.  He saved almost seven ounces of weight.  It cost him about $250 for the hardware.  He could have achieved a greater weight reduction on his bicycle by switching the two 20 ounce filled water bottles for two 16 ounce ones with water in them.
When hunting, I carry enough pellets for that hunt.  A full tin (500 pellets) will weigh about one POUND.  That in itself means I don't carry an extra, unnecessary 15 ounces.
Also, what Manny said!    

[Habanero69er]

Definitely push ups.   

[Ribbonstone]

A Flashpup wouldn't be any lighter...just balanced differently. That may be what you are going for with a shorter tube; would lighten the riflebut also move the ballance point backwards (but butt heavy than front heavy).

Even an LDC change can be noticed...barrel is a longish leaver so a bit of weight change at the end of that lever get noticed more than the same weight change right over the middle.

If just overall weight and not a balance thing:

Likely could change to a lighter/smaller scope (maybe lower powered). Take the scope off and try the rifle's balance/weight then decide how much weight you want to add to that....and make the scope choice based on that.

Not everyone...but if like most folks, losing a few pounds might be a good idea. (Are some folks complaing about rifleweight when for all intents,they've got the extra weight of a 7 year old wrapped around thier middle).

Lighter boots, lighter jacket (some really good light weight coldweather jackets), and less stuff in your pockets/pack.

[Rallyshark]

One thing I noticed when disassembleing my Flash the airtube was pretty heavy and that was without air. This might sound crazy and potentially dangerous but Could I cut my airtube in half or so and re-thread it, ill get a much lower shot count ofcourse but the weight savings would be pretty significant wouldn't it?
 
I know the Flash is a light gun already but if i could find a way to lighten the front end even a little bit it'd make a huge difference for me freehand shooting. I actually noticed a weight drop when I put a Donnyfl sumo on the barrel compared to the OEM shroud, so even small changes are noticeable for me.

Or should I just get a FlashPup? or maybe do some pushups? lol..

The Flashpup(wood) would feel lighter when shooting, due to the weight being more towards the rear of the gun.  I don't know how much you'd dig cocking that rear bolt though.  The fact is, the Flash is one of the lightest multishot PCPs out there, so you're going to have a hard time improving upon that 5.9lb gun.  As others have mentioned, a lighter scope would certainly help the cause.  There's a big difference in feel if you swap out a 28oz scope for one that is 15-20oz.  You could also shave an ounce or more, just by switching out the rings in many cases.  Yes, and do some pushups, haha. 

I was under the impression that it had the same cylinder as the AT44. If so there were some lightweight versions out made by JSAR as fast as I remember .

The Flash has a different cylinder, and it is aluminum, so it is rather light by air cylinder terms.  The AT cylinders are steel and much heavier.  The Flashpup Synthetic is the only one of the Flash series that has a steel cylinder(and shorter due to thinner walls), the rest are aluminum.  That is the main reason why the Synthetic Flashpup weighs almost a pound more than the other versions.  My suspicions are that the aluminum cylinder on the Flashpups is a shortened Galatian or BT cylinder.  The OD on them is dang close I think? 

[Ribbonstone]

Wasn't aware that the Synthetic Pup had a steel tube...wonder why the change.

Do know that light weight scopes (lets say 14oz all up vs 28oz.) make a very easy to feel difference in the wood-pup, but if you're starting out a pound heavier...best you could hope for is to come up even.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

Forget push-ups, for the price of cutting and re-threading the tube you can buy a pair of dumbbells for even better results

[UCChris]

I've pimped out a .177 Hatsan Flash for one of my fiance's Christmas gifts. She's a tiny little thing and the Flash is pretty light, but a little nose heavy with the synthetic stock. Since I have the gun set to a regulated, low power tune, I would pay what's probably, a dumb amount of money to have the airtube cut and rethreaded to end at the stock.

[Ribbonstone]

In the Flash pup(s) case,take a hard look at the front scope rail mount (it's the rail mount/barrel band/safety lever mount/trigger blade mount). It's plastic on the wood-pup (don't have a syenth-pup) and quite thin in places.

(The "Flash" has a more reasonably heavy-duty type mount base.)

Bolting on a really big heavy scope and a bank-vault type of mount isn't going to help in an "oops".

Compromise bench/hunting scopes can save you more than a tube-chop could.

[UCChris]

In the Flash pup(s) case,take a hard look at the front scope rail mount (it's the rail mount/barrel band/safety lever mount/trigger blade mount). It's plastic on the wood-pup (don't have a syenth-pup) and quite thin in places.

(The "Flash" has a more reasonably heavy-duty type mount base.)

Bolting on a really big heavy scope and a bank-vault type of mount isn't going to help in an "oops".

Compromise bench/hunting scopes can save you more than a tube-chop could.

It's plastic on the SynPup too.

I agree with you that using lightweight mounts and scope will save far more than a tube chop. However, there is something to be said about the weight at the end of the tube being much further away from the center of gravity than the scope and mounts are. It might be just as noticeable to save 4 oz of tube weight way out in front of the gun as it is to save 8 oz of scope/mount weight right above the balance point.

[RedDirtDog]

In the Flash pup(s) case,take a hard look at the front scope rail mount (it's the rail mount/barrel band/safety lever mount/trigger blade mount). It's plastic on the wood-pup (don't have a syenth-pup) and quite thin in places.

(The "Flash" has a more reasonably heavy-duty type mount base.)

Bolting on a really big heavy scope and a bank-vault type of mount isn't going to help in an "oops".

Compromise bench/hunting scopes can save you more than a tube-chop could.

It's plastic on the SynPup too.

I agree with you that using lightweight mounts and scope will save far more than a tube chop. However, there is something to be said about the weight at the end of the tube being much further away from the center of gravity than the scope and mounts are. It might be just as noticeable to save 4 oz of tube weight way out in front of the gun as it is to save 8 oz of scope/mount weight right above the balance point.

I do have pretty light scopes for that reason.
HAWKE Vantage 2-7x32AO 14.7oz
HAWKE Vantage 3-9x40AO 17oz
 also the WoodFlash has a shorter and wider airtube then the synflash which they changed to help balance the weight more towards the back, so that might help but the woodflash is also .6lbs heavier then the synflash. I'll prolly get a flashpup eventually.

[UCChris]

In the Flash pup(s) case,take a hard look at the front scope rail mount (it's the rail mount/barrel band/safety lever mount/trigger blade mount). It's plastic on the wood-pup (don't have a syenth-pup) and quite thin in places.

(The "Flash" has a more reasonably heavy-duty type mount base.)

Bolting on a really big heavy scope and a bank-vault type of mount isn't going to help in an "oops".

Compromise bench/hunting scopes can save you more than a tube-chop could.

It's plastic on the SynPup too.

I agree with you that using lightweight mounts and scope will save far more than a tube chop. However, there is something to be said about the weight at the end of the tube being much further away from the center of gravity than the scope and mounts are. It might be just as noticeable to save 4 oz of tube weight way out in front of the gun as it is to save 8 oz of scope/mount weight right above the balance point.

I do have pretty light scopes for that reason.
HAWKE Vantage 2-7x32AO 14.7oz
HAWKE Vantage 3-9x40AO 17oz
 also the WoodFlash has a shorter and wider airtube then the synflash which they changed to help balance the weight more towards the back, so that might help but the woodflash is also .6lbs heavier then the synflash. I'll prolly get a flashpup eventually.

That 2-7 Vantage is exactly what I have put on the SynFlash for my fiance.

[melvin]

Push ups !!!

Agreed.

[moorepower]

Funny, I have lead in my handguard and buttstock on my AR service rifle so it is MORE stable to shoot offhand. I think it weights over 12 lbs if memory serves.