R9 tuning guidance

[vrago]

Don't know where to start on this, the more I read about tuning the more confused I get.

I have an R9 I bought my father about a decade ago right here in Santa Rosa from a shop off of Industrial Drive - It is labeled Beeman Precision Airguns Huntington Beach - I mention that only because I understand that the Beeman's are local and I have a sweet R7 that is a Santa Rosa gun.  OK, on to my questions...

How do I pick what level to tune the gun to?  How do I determine the target ft lb of muzzle energy I should be looking for?   Is there a tuner recommendation specific for a Beeman R9 that I should know about?

A bit more about the gun...
I swapped out the original .177 barrel for a .22 HW95 Barrel that I purchased last year.  When it came in it was shorter than the original at 300mm and was threaded for a brake.  I believe this is a Karbin model barrel.   I picked up a ported aluminum brake since it was the only one I could find with correct threading.  I think I'd prefer a full length barrel, knowing that velocity is usually a function of barrel length up to the point where the pulse volume is consumed.

I have found that in current condition, the gun seems to like JSB Exact Diablo Heavy @ 18.1 gr over the RS @ 13.4 or the Straton @ 15.9 and any of the Crosman/Benjamin Premier round or hollow point pellets.   This would be a heavy pellet from what I understand.  But the grouping was the nicest with the heavier pellet. 

My intended purpose is fairly general, from plinking to target, field target silhouette, pests and hunting -  I have legally and humanely  dispatched Raccoons and Turkey with head shots and many pest birds, but I find the gun to be a bit tough to shoot off hand even with an artillery hold.   I'm looking for some smoothness and would not mind maintaining the power I think I have. Not sure if thee are mutually exclusive goals in tuning.   

I don't have a chronometer.

Thanks in advance for guidance. If there are some threads I should be looking at, please refer.

Not to confuse the issue further, but I'd also consider leaving the gun as it is and buying a HW97...

[Mark 611]

well MMM! springer's only need 10'' of barrel to reach max velocity, IMO the 18.1's are way to heavy for that power plant  you'll be lucky to see 720 to 740fps from that rifle with a 14.3gn pellet with a super tuned gun! theirs just not enough volume in the tube for any more power I would suggest if you want to run the heavier pellets you try to find the biggest spring wire dia you can stick in the piston and that's not for speed either its just to help push the heavier pellets without straining the spring! you need at least a 128dia wire to run the 18.1's and even at that don't expect a long spring life JMO that power plant is not really designed to shoot the heavies! but you can do what your heart desires! so my thoughts are if you spend the money for a pro tune and shoot it like you want be prepared to  keep shelling the bucks! I would recommend you learn to tune the rifle yourself to do what you are wanting to do JMO its not that hard to learn to do if you have a mechanical aptitude? theirs lots of experienced folks here who can help you with knowledge

[wahoowad]

You are asking what power level to tune it to...but I haven't heard you complain about anything wrong with the gun. If it is shooting Ok for you then leave it alone. I suspect it is twangy but you didn't mention it.

[snakebite4767]

well MMM! springer's only need 10'' of barrel to reach max velocity, IMO the 18.1's are way to heavy for that power plant  you'll be lucky to see 720 to 740fps from that rifle with a 14.3gn pellet with a super tuned gun! theirs just not enough volume in the tube for any more power I would suggest if you want to run the heavier pellets you try to find the biggest spring wire dia you can stick in the piston and that's not for speed either its just to help push the heavier pellets without straining the spring! you need at least a 128dia wire to run the 18.1's and even at that don't expect a long spring life JMO that power plant is not really designed to shoot the heavies! but you can do what you heart desires! so my thoughts are if you spend the money for a pro tune and shoot it like you want be prepared to  keep shelling the bucks! I would recommend you learn to tune the rifle yourself to do what you are wanting to do JMO its not that hard to learn to do if you have a mechanical aptitude? theirs lots of experienced folks here who can help you with knowledge

I think that is a very good response.... I have a HW 95/R9 also. It shoots great, but I had given just a tad of consideration to "Hopping it up". Your excellent comment has cinched it... I'm going to leave it as it is... Thanks


Snakebite

[Mark 611]

while were on the subject and this is my opinion and everybody has 1 LOL!!!   the mid size power plant rifles like this perform very well as long as you don't try to make them what their not! trying to put a super power spring set up in a rifle like this takes away the sweetness of what these rifle were designed for! when you start adding big springs or other tuning to push these tubes to their limits it changes the whole shooting characteristic's of the gun! you've take a sweet shooter and turned into a harsh hold sensitive unpleasant rifle JMO yes you can tune them up but they need to be kept in their operating range of performance JMO

[Roadworthy]

When you increase the power of a springer (heavier spring, etc.) do you not also run the risk of putting unexpected wear and strain on the other components, thereby shortening the overall life of the gun, damaging linkages, etc?

[Mark 611]

agreed!

[Petey]

Yoda has spoken .......and remember.....


                                       

[Mark 611]

LOL!!!

[vrago]

Thanks for all the feedback, and I am looking for opinions!  It's a forum, not a scientific journal with peer review, after all. 

From the advice,  I'm gonna leave the R9 as it is for now- keeping it well lubed and maintained.  I'm gonna a buy a bunch more lighter pellets and see if there is a lighter pellet that matches the accuracy I saw with the heavier pellets.  I would like to match the use to to the rifle, so I will take that feedback seriously. 

Amping up the power was not necessarily my objective,  I was hoping that a tune could get me a bit smoother shooter.  There is some twang and an end of stroke energy transfer to the rifle, but it is not too bad.  Less significant than some other springers I have shot.  A good dynamic hold does deal with it.  But I have not figured out how to combine a dynamic hold with a very still hold, say for off hand shooting.  Maybe just more practice.

I am mechanically able and have done a bunch of handgun, rifle and shotgun smithing and loading.  Have customized many powder burners and of course the obligatory crosman 22's.  Was concerned about spring compressors and other special tools and if I'm missing out on the expertise/consultation from a master tuner.   I've repaired the Rekord trigger after me father overtightened the trigger adjustment.  Had to replace the spring, when its over-compressed you get a jump safety as I have seen documented here on GTA.   

Thanks again.

 

[kelly1]

You might try some h &n ftt pellets if you haven't already..kelly

[Mark 611]

yep the H&N FTT's the 5.53 head size usually shoot very well from the HW barrels, vrago not knowing what you my know about AG's is why I posted the response to your questions were all here to help each other and have a bit of funn clowning around at the same time I see your new to the forum and welcome I should have started off that way sorry   I was merely trying to educate you on these rifles to help make it work for you as good as it can and yes a good tune will make the gun much smoother and quieter and more enjoyable to shoot these rifle are fairly simple to work on and Air Rifle Headquarters sells all the parts and lube to make your rifle be all it can be as far as a spring compressor I use a 4' bar clamp and it has work on every gun I have taken apart, if you need detailed instructions on how to disassemble and to the work theirs plenty of info here and on the net, youtube and other forums to see how folks are doing it JMO

[nced]

"yep the H&N FTT's the 5.53 head size usually shoot very well from the HW barrels"

Thanks....just the type of info I'm looking for!  At the recent NC State FT match the class winners also got a tin of H&N FTT as a prize and I've actually tested mine for the past week against my favorite for years .......the 7.9 grain CPL from the 1250 count die lot marked box. In 2006 I shot this target comparing the Beeman FTS (rebadged H&N FTT) against the CPL and as this target shows.........the CPL was clearly better in THAT R9......


Because of my early FTT experience I kinda crossed them off my list till I tried the new tin I won. Much to my surprise out to 50 yards the FTTs are the equal of the CPLs I've been shooting, plus they don't need to be lubed to minimize leading as my CPLs do. I've found retailers that carry the 4.50 and 4.52 head sizes, however not in the 4.53 head size.

Now my question.........
Do you have any experience with the FTT 4.52 head size and where can I buy the FTT in 4.53 head size?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Mark 611]

I have not tried the bigger pellets {5.53} in .177cal's HW barrels I've only shot then in the .22cal but I'm with you on the CP's in .177cal shoot like magic from all the .177cal HW's I ever owned