Ruger Blackhawk Elite Tuning - My First

[UCChris]

Hi all! I ordered a refurb Ruger BHE from AGD last night for a screaming deal. I figured this will be the springer for me to try tuning with. I should have it in a couple days and I will outline my escapades here in this thread. But I have some questions first.

1) Is it true that the Ruger BHE is a copy of the RWS 34?

2) If number one is true, then can I use a Vortek PG2 kit in my new Ruger BHE?

3) If one and two are true, then is it better to use a Vortek PG2, or something else?

4) Can I send the trigger group to Mike Melick and have him do this second screw mod I've been hearing about?

My end goal is to get as close to 950 fps with 7.9 grain pellets as possible. I want this to be a really flat bird popper. I will post further questions and what not here.

Thanks GTA family!

[longhunter]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. That's entirely up to you. I'm still running the stock spring in mine, with a reversed piston sleeve and a tophat from mike.
4. Yes. It's the best money you'll ever spend on your gun. PERIOD.

I think you'll find that the gun will shoot pretty close to what you want, or, a little hotter.
As long as you're getting your trigger done, get a tophat and a new seal from mike, also. The factory piston seals are usually chewed up.

[TooJung2Die]

I was looking at those. Screaming deal.
Yes it is the Diana T05 clone. Same air rifle as the XS-25 and Air Hawk/Black Hawk in a different stock.
Yes, the PG2 kit will fit.

I have a Ruger Air Hawk and a PG2 kit waiting to go. Trouble is, I also have a Diana T06 34. I can't decide which air rifle is more worthy of the PG2 kit. The D34 is already an awesome air rifle. Do I make the D34 even more awesome with the PG2 kit or bring the Air Hawk up closer to the level of the D34? Decisions, decisions...

Mike can do the second screw mod. It's the same trigger as the XS-25. (Or do it yourself if you can drill and tap a straight hole)

Interested to see what you decide and how you find the results.
Jon

[Blue]

Hey Chris, you're gonna love it.

#1- yes it's a clone of the 34

#4- yes (though I have not personally done it so you may want to talk to him first)

Later, if you want to change things up Mike's got a few parts available.  I changed mine to .22 by changing out the barrel assembly.  I also changed the stock to wood because the fore grip bit into my hand after a while.

Eventually I chopped the barrel down (5" I think) and shortened the stock.  It's an incredible Carbine now, one of my favorite rifles to shoot!

Blue

[UCChris]

I think you'll find that the gun will shoot pretty close to what you want, or, a little hotter.
As long as you're getting your trigger done, get a tophat and a new seal from mike, also. The factory piston seals are usually chewed up.

Ok, thanks for the info. I will be sure to get a tophat from Mike.

I have a Ruger Air Hawk and a PG2 kit waiting to go. Trouble is, I also have a Diana T06 34. I can't decide which air rifle is more worthy of the PG2 kit. The D34 is already an awesome air rifle. Do I make the D34 even more awesome with the PG2 kit or bring the Air Hawk up closer to the level of the D34? Decisions, decisions...

Simple fix, buy another PG2 kit...

Hey Chris, you're gonna love it.

#1- yes it's a clone of the 34

#4- yes (though I have not personally done it so you may want to talk to him first)

Later, if you want to change things up Mike's got a few parts available.  I changed mine to .22 by changing out the barrel assembly.  I also changed the stock to wood because the fore grip bit into my hand after a while.

Eventually I chopped the barrel down (5" I think) and shortened the stock.  It's an incredible Carbine now, one of my favorite rifles to shoot!

Blue

Thanks for the info. A carbine sounds sick, but I just got done making my XS12 a carbine, so this will be a "tactical" build.

So a few more questions then.

1) Does the Vortek PG2 kit come with all the seals I need? Meaning, when I send my trigger group to Mike, I only need to order a tophat from him and not any seals, right? For that matter, what exactly does the Vortek PG2 kit come with?

2) Does anyone know where I can find a schematic for the 34/B25/'Hawk platform?

[TooJung2Die]

This help? I have PDF's of the XS-25 and Blackhawk, too large to post. Email?

[UCChris]

When I open the picture in a new tab it is big enough. Thanks!

Can the trigger group be removed without a spring compressor?

[Tommy]

Chris I have a Blackhawk that I did myself. Yes you definitely need a spring compressor. Next thing is talk to Mike He walked me thru the tune and mine turned out great.

If I can be of anymore help let me know

[UCChris]

K. We had a family death, so I'm trying to find someone who can build me a compressor since I'm not going to have the time or the willpower at this point.

[Blue]

Chris,

I think I used the B-18/19 tuning guide Bob/CDT put out as a guide, the steps are basically the same for a basic tune and maintenance.

There's a guide in the library, I also remember googling CDT B-18/19 tuning to find his guide outside of the GTA library.

The trigger is different so it doesn't have info on doing the 2 screw mod but it sets you up to do everything else to make it a beautiful shooter.

I get my seals and springs from Jim Maccari/Air Rifle Headquarters (anything that says it fits RWS 34) along with lubes.  For barrels, stocks, breech seals (although a search will yield the correct o-ring info), breech seal shims, and other miscellaneous parts I'd call Mike and see what he has.

My Airhawk was my first of the platform.  I've replaced the stock spring (after it got soft after many thousands of rounds) and piston seal, other than that (I think) she's stock and she's beautiful.  A little long and nose heavy but shoots great rested.  If I needed to shoot it off hand more, I'd think about shortening the barrel (you actually pick up a little speed) but since I don't have to she's staying as is.  Her name is "Baby", and she is very good to me.

[FrozenVapors]

yess!!! Excited to see updates on this thread!

[gashinshotan]

K. We had a family death, so I'm trying to find someone who can build me a compressor since I'm not going to have the time or the willpower at this point.

Sorry for the loss. My compressor cost $12 in parts to build.... The hardest part was cutting the c clamp so get one that's relatively thin. Someone could build it for you but you're gonna spend at least $30-40. Mine took about 6 hours to make and was my first wood project so you should really consider doing it yourself after everything settles down.

[UCChris]

K. We had a family death, so I'm trying to find someone who can build me a compressor since I'm not going to have the time or the willpower at this point.

Sorry for the loss. My compressor cost $12 in parts to build.... The hardest part was cutting the c clamp so get one that's relatively thin. Someone could build it for you but you're gonna spend at least $30-40. Mine took about 6 hours to make and was my first wood project so you should really consider doing it yourself after everything settles down.

Thanks for the thought. It was unexpected for sure.

$12 and some woodworking actually sounds therapeutic the more and more I think about it. Would you mind doing a quick write up of how you did yours? Also, I don't even understand how a spring compressor works. I understand that it compresses the spring (duh) but how does the piston sit in the compressor. Anybody got a picture? Thanks again.

[gashinshotan]

K. We had a family death, so I'm trying to find someone who can build me a compressor since I'm not going to have the time or the willpower at this point.

Sorry for the loss. My compressor cost $12 in parts to build.... The hardest part was cutting the c clamp so get one that's relatively thin. Someone could build it for you but you're gonna spend at least $30-40. Mine took about 6 hours to make and was my first wood project so you should really consider doing it yourself after everything settles down.

Thanks for the thought. It was unexpected for sure.

$12 and some woodworking actually sounds therapeutic the more and more I think about it. Would you mind doing a quick write up of how you did yours? Also, I don't even understand how a spring compressor works. I understand that it compresses the spring (duh) but how does the piston sit in the compressor. Anybody got a picture? Thanks again.

It was actually fun and I actually felt proud after building something useful haha. I pretty much followed the directions from Kermit airgun but I made it simpler and left out the U bolt. You'll need a drill and screws to secure the wood and a saw to cut the clamp/wood. I used power tools so it went fast. http://www.kermitairgunclub.com/airguntips/compressor/ - mine is a lot simpler and once you start building you'll find ways to make it easier than the directions. The clamp basically puts pressure on the rear spring guide and let's you take it out and in slowly.

[UCChris]

That doesn't look too bad. I'll pick up the parts when the gun comes and throw it together.

A quick question for you Jon. Here is the kit I'm looking at.

http://vortekproducts.com/ourstore/RWS-Diana34

You said that you have one of these kits already. What is the Proseal-28? Do I need one in the kit? And does the kit come with a replacement breech and piston seal? Thanks.

longhunter, what does reversing the piston sleeve do?

[D14Jeff]

heres my saved links on the second screw mod

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,39090.msg364177.html#msg364177

http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=63100.0;topicseen

[longhunter]

That doesn't look too bad. I'll pick up the parts when the gun comes and throw it together.

A quick question for you Jon. Here is the kit I'm looking at.

http://vortekproducts.com/ourstore/RWS-Diana34

You said that you have one of these kits already. What is the Proseal-28? Do I need one in the kit? And does the kit come with a replacement breech and piston seal? Thanks.

longhunter, what does reversing the piston sleeve do?

Reversing the sleeve helps.to keep the piston aligned in the cylinder, smoothing out the shot cycle. By reducing vibration from the piston traveling down the cylinder.

[TooJung2Die]

A quick question for you Jon. Here is the kit I'm looking at.
http://vortekproducts.com/ourstore/RWS-Diana34

That's the kit I have and the one you want.

You said that you have one of these kits already. What is the Proseal-28? Do I need one in the kit? And does the kit come with a replacement breech and piston seal? Thanks.

It comes with a spring, Vortek spring guide, breech seal, piston seal and a small jar of spring lube. Proseal-28 is the piston seal (for 28mm diameter compression tubes). Except for the spring compressor it is everything you need.

I think I'll put the Vortek kit in the Diana 34 and go with Mike's top hat and reversed spring guide in the Air Hawk. That is until I have enough spare change to buy another PG2 kit for the Air Hawk.

Jon

[checkbit]

Chris - Please accept my heartfelt condolences for your loss.

Chris and everyone else - As a AG newbie who is just a couple of hundred rounds away from breaking in his Umarex Surge (RBE in a different dress)... You guys are killing me. I'm drooling. Am I right in understanding that besides increasing performance the PG2 helps reduce the spring noise? Worse yet, tune the Surge or get a .22 XS25 next? Time to walk away and go shoot. 

[UCChris]

Scott, is that sleeve part number 35 in the diagram that Jon posted? Thanks.

Thanks for the detailed info Jon. Will I need moly lube, tar, etc?

Thanks for the condolences checkbit. From what I have read (keep in mind I haven't done this yet) the PG2 kit will quiet the gun down AND lead to an increase in velocity, as well as consistency.

I would vote tune the Surge and drop in a PG2. You can convert the Surge to .22 later with parts from Mike Melick, so I would tune the Surge up nice first. Of course, I hate having more than one project going at a time. I whipped out collared dove decoys in two days so I wouldn't have to deal with it once the RBE arrives. (the thread on those decoys is coming to the hunting section near you shortly)