Air Gun Newbie

Their stuff is usually pretty good....and really nothing rough in the barrel.

A pull through cleaning system is good way to clean the barrel. Some folks make their own cable by using weed wacker line and buring one end to make a ball to hold the patch. I use an otis cable.

Air gun barrels are made of soft steel, so avoid using cleaning rods.

Avoid using solvents or oils in a springer barrel. Springers will detonate if the wrong lubricant is used. Make sure you use a silicon oil when lubricating a springer. Goo Gone applied to a patch will remove the gunk from a bore nicely.

After your initial cleaning, it's a good idea to break in a springer (assuming you don't do a tune). Fire about 500 to 1000 shots without concern for groups or sighting in. You will notice some shots will be loud and smoke will come out of the muzzle. That's a detonation where the pressure ignites the oils in your gun. Once your gun settles down, clean the barrel again, and then sight in your scope and see what kind of groups it prints.

readyeddy said:

After your initial cleaning, it's a good idea to break in a springer (assuming you don't do a tune). Fire about 500 to 1000 shots without concern for groups or sighting in.

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No Kidding. I bought a Gamo years back, took it out once, shot maybe 50 shots through it and got disgusted. 12" group at 25 Yards. I put it in the closet and there it say for years. Enter the tree rats that decided to become attic dwellers. So I researched ways to get it running better since so many folks were having good results. So I decided to try and break it in....250 pellets and 2 REALLY tired arms later it was down to about 2" at the same range. I have every intention on continuing to shoot it and see how well it can shoot when fully broken in. I forgot how fun they can be.

Spats McGee said:

OK, so: (1) Goo Gone on a patch down the bore; (2) silicon oil; and (3) shoot the snot out of it (my favorite part!).

Can someone explain why I need a silicon oil? Is there some reason that regular gun oil and grease won't work? I haven't attempted to lube with anything yet, so I'd love to know about this before I try (or risk) anything.

ETA: I see this from the post above:

I'm curious as to why that would happen.

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Not sure about the detonation, but petroleum-based solvents (see: gun oil) will cause the rubber seals to deteriorate. Silicone does not have that effect.

maxxhavoc said:

No Kidding. I bought a Gamo years back, took it out once, shot maybe 50 shots through it and got disgusted. 12" group at 25 Yards. I put it in the closet and there it say for years. Enter the tree rats that decided to become attic dwellers. So I researched ways to get it running better since so many folks were having good results. So I decided to try and break it in....250 pellets and 2 REALLY tired arms later it was down to about 2" at the same range. I have every intention on continuing to shoot it and see how well it can shoot when fully broken in. I forgot how fun they can be.

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A lot of times that's just a result of the pellets used.
I have a Stoeger X-10 springer that with some pellets won't keep them on a standard paper target at 30 yards, but with other pellets will shoot "Minute of Squirrel Head"

I'd suggest getting some sample packs and trying as many varieties as possible. There is an amazing assortment available:
http://www.airgunsofarizona.com/JSB Pellets Page.html

http://www.airgundepot.com/stoeger-pellets-review.html

http://www.photosbykev.com/wordpress/userfiles/pelletdata.htm

I don't do tune jobs or take apart springer airguns so my knowledge on this is limited.

But my understanding is that there are parts of the springer that requires lube. If you use a petroleom lube, there's a chance the oil will get into the chamber where the piston compresses the air to propel the pellet. This compression generates heat to the point where the oil can ignite (detonate). Silicon oil, so I'm told, will not detonate.

I'm not sure if there's a need to use silicon oil in the bore. I don't oil my bore. I just clean with goo gone every few thousand shots.

No oil in the bore.
Some folks will put a drop or two of oil in tin pellets, usually crosman premiers.
Ive tried heating bore butter and coating some but no noticeable difference, cept they smelled better.

During assembly they usually grease the seals on a springer, but not the compression chamber. Much like a pcp you should never get oil in a compressed, or to be rapidly compressed, air chamber. Silicone oil, I believe can cause the same issues, when i played paolintball we were always cautioned to NEVER put ANY oil on the fill nipples of our HPA tanks.

Take a look at the Gamo GP's. I have been using their "Silent Cat" (.177) I got on sale last year. I put an inexpensive red-dot on it and WOW! this thing really delivers with some dialling in. I use the RWS 8.2 gr pellets. Very pleased with this thing.

I've had luck straightening trimmer line by hanging a weight from the end then licking the line w/a butane torch. Just enough to slightly soften the plastic, not so much as to cause the line to stretch/thin.

If you use brass or aluminum rods and are careful to keep them clean, you can use them from the muzzle end. Don't let the rod drag on the crown. Put a piece of soft cloth or even paper in the pellet trough area to catch anything that may be pushed out. I've yet to see anything be pushed out when cleaning this way, but it wouldn't hurt to err on the side of caution.

I would skip cleaning for now. Just break in the gun with at least 200 shots, then install the scope and try shooting groups. If an inexpensive Chinese springer can shoot 2" groups at 25 yards, then call it good.