HW97K tuning

[yasmin]

Howdy,

Has anybody done the HW97k (177 cal) tuning with Vortek PG2 kit? How is the result?

I've shot mine over 1000 pellets with factory spring/seal, getting 850 f/s, 14 fpe. I am thinking about smoothing it up.

Thanks,

[mtsheron70]

I tuned my .22 caliber and it is solid to say the least.  Beeman FTS Copper Plated 14.72 are 709 fps at over 16 fpe!  Well worth the money.

[yasmin]

Yessss, it's absolutely worth the $. I vorteked mine on Friday, and it's a whole new era.

[breakfastchef]

How many ft. lbs. is your rifle now producing? What was it shooting at before installing the kit?

I like my HW97K shooting in the 12-14 ft. lb. range and really don't need to 'hop it up'. I ordered a PG2 in 12 ft. lbs. on the recommendation by Vortek.

Yessss, it's absolutely worth the $. I vorteked mine on Friday, and it's a whole new era.

[HW97]

Do it! Vortek PG2 is superb on an .20 & .22 cal. These "big bores" ,at least, like more oomph than the 12 ft kit but it may be great for that lighter .177. Dunno ... If you feel the urge later on you can go nutz and get the full power spring for it.

[breakfastchef]

Will a DIY spring compressor be needed to upgrade the spring in the HW97?

[Nikoman]

A spring compressor is always highly recommended, especially for your safety.

[yasmin]

Hello, breakfastchef

I installed the Vortek PG2 Drop-in tuning kit 15ft/lb+(17cal). After the installation, the action is much more smoother, twang is completely gone, recoil is still there due to the nature of springer. Need more shooting to compare the accuracy, but so far the darn cross wind has hit north Texas for days, I plan to take it to my friend's warehouse for indoor shooting later.

My chrono is broken and the new one has not come yet, it will be in later this week, can't wait!!. But by comparing the way of impact while smashing the acones at 22 yards, I am sure the power is UP!

My advice is, if you only shoot once in a while, you don't need this tuning kit, the HW97k is good enough. I shoot everyday for the fun, so I chose to tune it.

hope this helps.

[HW97]

You don´t NEED a tuning kit nor do you NEED a HW97 if you´re just shooting occasionally but it sure is nice to have at hand when that time comes around. If you´re going to do it then do it with style ! 

[HW97]

This may be something to be had with the Vortek. I´m on the verge on ordering ... They claim big improvement over the stock piston assembly due special coatings,precision machining and so on. It´s a drop-in with either OEM parts or Vortek PG2.

[nced]

Will a DIY spring compressor be needed to upgrade the spring in the HW97?

I find a spring compressor to be a bit awkward to use when messing with my HW77 because the end plug is a solid steel milled affair that's threaded into the receiver tube. For ME the issue is that the "ram" of the compressor needs to be retracted as the end plug is unscrewed, again, a bit awkward for me. What I do to remove the spring is to first remove the trigger block (careful, the safety button will fly when released)  and the stock mounting stud (this stud also retains the anti-beartrap mechanism), then insert a close fitting open end wrench (a snug fitting steel bar will also work) into the "trigger group slot", then tap the opposite end of the wrench with a hammer while holding the receiver. The shock of the hit on the wrench will release the rather tight fitting cap to allow unscrewing. Now I wrap an old towel around the end plug and unscrew the end cap releasing the spring. The purpose of the towel is to catch the end plug without damage as the preloaded spring "ejects" the end plug as the last thread is released. LOL.....unscrewing the end plug without a towel to catch it CAN throw the plug across the room if you're not ready for the release (guess how I know). My old Beeman R10 has a similar breech plug arrangement to the HW77/97 (77/97 is larger) and here is a pic.........


To reinstall the spring and end plug I simply put the end plug on the flange of the spring guide while the muzzle if firmly on the floor on top of some non scratching padding (several layers of cotton tee-shirt will work), then I lean on the threaded end plug with my upper body till the threads meet, then CAREFULLY turn the end plug (and sometimes the gun also) till a couple threads are engaged, thus retaining the end plug. After this I simply screw the end plug till tight and the scope mounting dovetail surfaces on the end plug and receiver are aligned PERFECTLY. When tightening the end plug to perfect alignment I find it handy to use the open end wrench again to LIGHTLY tap the plug into final alignment. There is another warning I must give.......the end plug threads are very fine threads so be careful not to cross thread the plug into the receiver tube.

Now for the threaded end plug of the R1 with it's VERY heavily preloaded heavy wire spring I DO use a spring compressor to start the end plug threads because I don't have the strength to engage the threads on that gun...........still, after a few threads are engaged I do the rest of the end plug installation by hand.

[Mark 611]

alright I'll tell you an easier way to reinstall these type of threaded end caps, if you have a delrin or steel spring guide! put you spring/guide assembly in the tube then take a piece of 7/8'' dowel rod about 3'' long and use your spring compressor and compress the spring into the tube to where the guide comes to the hole in the receiver, push the guide in deep enough to where you can get a 3/32'' punch behind the guide lip and push it down deep enough to hold the spring pressure and back the spring compressor off! the punch will hold the spring/guide assembly in place then screw your end cap on effortlessly! but leave a small amount of room to pull out the punch and finish screwing on the end cap!

[nced]

Pretty slick Mark! I'll have to try it the next time I pull the HW77 apart. Thanks for the idea! By the way, I've also used a bar clamp for a compressor and I made a "wooden cradle" to keep the gun parts from touching metal. Here's a pic..............


The main issue I have with this clamp (I've used it for years) is the rather short "ram screw" that forces me to compress the spring in steps if there is a lot of spring preload such as a HW factory spring. I compress the spring in "steps" using "your compress and pin method".

Recently I bought a bar clamp like this from a Woodcraft store..........

The one I bought was 4 foot long and the ram screw is more than long enough to compress a spring with a LOT of preload if needed. A good thing about using a bar clamp with a homemade "cradle" is that it's "dual function" and can be used for airgun work or my wood work by removing the "cradle".

Again, thanks for the idea, wish I had thought of it years ago!!

[Mark 611]

I usually use padding between the parts!