A better 1000s Striker piston seal ?

[Mike71]

About to replace the piston seal on a spring 1000s striker, is the one from Hatsan as good as I need ?
Anyone in the U.S.A making a better one ?
Only ones I see are from Australia.

[mikeyb]

About to replace the piston seal on a spring 1000s striker, is the one from Hatsan as good as I need ?
Anyone in the U.S.A making a better one ?
Only ones I see are from Australia.

Some folks like the seals from Down Under. Some comments suggest those seals are too soft and may drop muzzle velocity a little.
I can't rate those seals because I only use the factory seals.

https://hatsanairgunsusa.com/product/small-plunger-seal/

How many pellets on the seal you are replacing?

What are the symptoms of your degraded/damaged piston seal?

[Mike71]

I got the gun used, I've shot it 1000 times myself, so I'd guess 2500 shots overall, I took it apart to do a deep clean and deburr and noticed the seal had a rough side to it, like if it had some grit contaminated lube.. I've cleaned, lubed and shot it enough to stop smoking again but I plan to break it back down for a new seal and cold blue to freshen it up..
Then comes the fun part of find it's favorite pellet.
.177 cal

[Mike71]

Ok I ordered a factory seal, I'll test before and after.
Added a stronger spring to get better lockup, that was the first issue it had and how I ended up with it, was shooting all over the place, still not the best shooter, hopefully I can find a pellet it likes and can get better groups. Never had good luck shooting springers well vs my .22lr

[mikeyb]

Shooting springers is a challenge even when they are working perfectly. Comparison to 22LR accuracy and range will always be disappointing.

I shoot springers ~90% of the time and PCPs ~10%. Am always impressed... then a little bored by the repeatable precision of the PCPs. Then I go back to shooting my springers. Some would call that punishment. I call it a challenge ;-)

Are you using a scope or the open sights?

What range?

Pellet choice can be critical since many springers shoot best with only certain pellets as you noted. Once you find pellets your rifle likes then the rest is up to you.

Just my opinion... entry level springers like the Striker/Edge rifles should be able to put 10 pellets under a penny at 30'. If you can do that with your Striker, then increase the range and practice some more.

If you cannot group that well at 30' then something else may be wrong with the rifle.

:-)

[Mike71]

3-9 scope at 25 yards, getting about 2" groups no matter how I hold it.
My Benjamin Trail NP likes a tight hold and about 1" at 25 yards with heavier .22 cal pellets (18.2gr)

I can't afford a pcp setup.. Can't use a hand pump as I'm in a wheelchair so I'd need an electric compressor ($499) Gamo Urban ($299) and a good scope and mount about another $300..
But the way the world is going, even out here in the country a .22lr is getting dangerous, 40gr bullet at 1050fps can hit a house if you don't have a perfect backstop.. a pellet gun on the other hand 15gr at 750-900fps hits about anything and it's all but done for.. so I may try and go pcp at some point.

[19Sheridan57]

     It sounds like a good quality pellet will be the next thing to try.

[mikeyb]

Any trigger mods?

A lighter trigger spring and a slightly longer adjust screw will improve Striker/Edge trigger a lot.

Just use CAUTION when adjusting the longer screw :-)

[Mike71]

Working on making the trigger better today actually..

While working on guns I keep the ol Red Rider by the door that's got the hotrod kit in it, stronger spring and mod'd tube, fiber optic front sight just to pop soup cans hanging on the clothes line.. helps decompress from tedious work, still just a kid at heart. Lol

[Mike71]

Recrowned the barrel, polished the trigger, still not happy with the lockup but it's alot better.
Shooting better it seems. Still not happy with it but getting more pellets to try.
25 yard 3 shot group..

[Robert 5mm]

Your group at 25 yards for a Striker 1000 is good.
They are not what I would consider a very accurate springer.

( I have a Striker gas ram model )

[Mike71]

Ok thank you, I don't have a chronograph, but I do have some old potatoes hahaha. You can hear the pop over the gun bonk.. tatter chunks all over, don't know what that equals in fps but it's got to be close to the 900-1000 fps with these Crosman pellets. Good enough for in the yard cat food, I mean limb rats..

[mikeyb]

I think that group is good for a Striker/Edge rifle. Minute-of-squirrelbrain at 25 yards?

I'm a big fan, but they are basically $100 bargain level springers. IMO not 50-100yard rifles, more like 50-100ft rifles. They can be "tuned" to shoot near $200 springers. Trying to compare them to $400 springers will most likely lead to disappointment.

[Mossonarock]

There are some pcps with on-board pumps like the Seneca Aspen.

[Mike71]

There are some pcps with on-board pumps like the Seneca Aspen.

A buddy had one of those, shot good, but takes like what 100 pumps to fill, 20 or so every mag or something  ?
He got rid of it shortly after lol
I'll stick with a break barrel for now, but thank you for the suggestion tho..

[Mike71]

Cut the break barrel end grip so I could get to the muzzle better, recrowned it, didn't change anything that I could tell.

About to break it back down to install the new seal.. waiting on the moly grease.

[Mike71]

New piston seal in.
Sanded the inside of the tube back of the seal, piston bearing area in back had scratches in the tube, lubed the spring, front steel guide rod and back side of piston with moly grease, dry moly in the seal area and seal lips.. longer trigger adjustment screw and she be shooting again, I like working on this one, no spring compressor needed, just a vise, now the Crosman Trail NP I had to make a jig to hold that SOB..