Author Topic: Maintaining spring piston rifle?  (Read 679 times)

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Offline Encore Joe

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Maintaining spring piston rifle?
« on: January 13, 2004, 07:40:32 AM »
Thanks to all of you for the informative topics.  I've enjoyed in particular many of Lawdog's postings and JJ Hack's article on using air rifles for cheap and easy practice in the African Hunting forum.

I've just purchased my first adult air rifle, a Beeman R-9.  

I am a little unclear on how to maintain it.

Is bore cleaning occasionally (every tin of pellets?) and spring lubrication at some interval all that's required by the owner, with chamber lube done by Beeman?

I haven't seen a readily accessible place to lubricate the spring, and owner's manual doesn't address this clearly.

Any advice you experienced owners can offer will be appreciated!

Offline dave

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Maintaining spring piston rifle?
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2004, 09:46:57 AM »
Modern day air rifles need very little in the way of maintainance. The chamber doesn't need to be lubed, and Beeman has stopped selling chamber lube. The modern synthetic seals don't need lube to stay healthy. A drop or two of spring oil is all thats really needed. Over use of any type of lube will lead to excessive dieseling, which may damage the piston seal.
 You really don't need to clean the bore often if at all. During the initial break-in period if the gun is dieseling there may be some fouling, and a bit of cleaning may be neccessary, but generally there should be no reason to clean it. If you absolutely have to clean it, run a couple patches through it. Don't use firearms cleaning solvent, it'll ruin the gun. Use something like Simplegreen cleaner. Use a proper airgun cleaning tool, not the wad-tied-onto-a-piece-of-fishingline thing. Cleaning kits are readily available at most Sporting goods stores for a few dollars. The one I use is a 3-piece rod with an assortment of brass tips. Cleaning too much can damage the rifling, especially if its done wrong. Constant cleaning will affect the guns accuracy too, since anytime you clean the gun it may slightly affect the point of impact.



Offline big6x6

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Maintaining spring piston rifle?
« Reply #2 on: January 14, 2004, 01:07:06 AM »
"A drop or two of spring oil is all thats really needed."

If that.

"Use a proper airgun cleaning tool, not the wad-tied-onto-a-piece-of-fishingline thing."

I use an Otis kit or a "Patch Worm."  I feel these are best since there's no chance of ruining the rifling.  Especially useful if cleaning an underlever where the cleaning rod would have to go in at the muzzle which could ruin the crown.  A dry patch is usually sufficient but I have used Hoppes #9 in excess of twenty years on airguns.  It's good at removing lead.  I rarely clean the barrel and only then if accuracy goes south OR long-term storage.
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Offline Dand

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I've been using Beeman MP 5 in my bore
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2004, 09:45:49 AM »
I've been using a few patches soaked in Beeman MP5 in my bores every so often.  My BSA Super sport came VERY dirty and took quite a few patches to clean out.  I think it helped accuracy.   I've come to understand that brand of pellet and the individual gun may determine frequency of cleaning needed.  Some pellets are dirty - I see references to cleaning Crosman Premiers and most discount pellets.  And some folks believe their guns need cleaning now and then to maintain peak accuracy.

anyway my .02
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Offline big6x6

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Maintaining spring piston rifle?
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2004, 02:04:16 AM »
"I've been using a few patches soaked in Beeman MP5 in my bores every so often."

Nothing wrong with that.  I've used MP-5 for years.

"Some pellets are dirty - I see references to cleaning Crosman Premiers and most discount pellets."

I agree.  Crosman Premiers ARE dirty.

"My BSA Super sport came VERY dirty and took quite a few patches to clean out."

Hard not to like a BSA Supersport!
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Offline ajj

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Maintaining spring piston rifle?
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2004, 10:20:48 AM »
I was looking at the Schussportschul transcripts recently, where the Olympic champions gave seminars to the juniors in the early '80's, (I think.) The great Margaret Murdock was talking about airgun competition and training. Somebody asked her about the best way to clean one. She said:"I don't know. I've never cleaned an airgun."