New Crosman Williams Sight, New Barrel Band and Question About Barrel Cleaning?

[markasaurus]

Here's my well-modded 1322.  I got new sights from amazon, and an aluminum barrel band from Michael Chavka.  His shipping really is fast - 4 days.

Mods so far:
FT Brass piston (airgunsmith)
FT valve (Mellonair) 
13mm to weaver adapter scope mount for the Bushnell Trophy Red Dot Sight
Crosman steel breech
RB Grips super pumper pump arm in Walnut.
and now new iron sights and the barrel band. 



The sights are the leaf sights not the peep sights - the peep sights are cheaper but I thought I'd have a hard time using a peep sight, on a pistol held at arms length.  The sight cost $71.48 all. 



The bright picture shows this huge sight.  It's rather big, almost TOO big, but it's a good sight - the click adjustments are precise and a very nice feature.  I really wanted the LPA Mims but on the Crosman sight it says "Not for sale!!!"  I wish there were more choices for rear sights for the steel breech but unless you want to drill your breech to accept cheaper sights, there seems to be only 3 - LPA Mims, the $20 Mendoza one, and this one.  I decided drilling was out and that I needed the expensive sights -  since on mods like this, I have found, to me, doing it the cheap way invariably turns out  unacceptable results.

The iron sights  are a backup for the Bushnell red dot.  When shooting inside, the red dot works great.  Outside, not so much.  Sometimes when outdoors conditions are so bright  the dot is near invisible so I think I needed the iron sights. I'm thinking of putting some type of knobs to replace the scope mount hex screws to make them removable by hand.  Anybody know anything like this?   



another view of the 1322



And that shiny new Chavka band.  I held off for weeks because of the price - $53.  But seeing it installed on the gun, worth every penny...if you own one you know it's a great quality piece of hardware.  It comes with the solid pin and spare sight inserts in green and red, also a note that says "drill your pump tube to 3/16 to fit the pin".  I did not have to do this it slipped right in.

Anxious to get the band installed, but first i wanted to take this opportunity to see if the FT piston was mashing into the valve face.  So I used a q-tip to slip in some grease through the piston gap, to put on the face of the piston; and closed the pump handle.  (I figured if the piston was too close, the grease would be squashed flat when I pulled out the piston).  Then i pounded out my roll pin, pulled out the piston and examined the face of the piston - grease not squashed flat.  So now I am pretty sure my piston isn't hitting the valve. 

Then I cleaned inside the pump tube with WD-40 and paper towels on a cleaning rod (that was dumb, next time i will use cloth patches!)  I wiped off my piston, then removed the piston pin, wiped it clean and lubed the pin and piston where it touches the pump arm, with moly paste and reassembled.  Checked for burrs inside the pump pin holes and the slot with my finger, then finding none, put a drop of airgunsmith oil in the pump tube. 

Then more moly paste on the pump arm, in and around the pivot hole, inside the barrel band, and on the pump arm pin.  Then i slid the piston into the pump tube, gently, followed by the barrel band.  Line up all 5 holes and shove in the pin, and center it.   And finished by tightening the tiny hex screw that locks the pump pin in place.  The gun feels more solid now somehow especially when pumping. 

Still waiting on mellon hammer power adjuster for the back of the pump tube,  and the long probe bolt.  The final touch will probably be, RB walnut grips to match the super pumper forearm...as soon as I get more cash!  I think I have about $200 in this gun already, so I have to slow down for a month or so - but man it sure is a sweet gun now. Sometimes I just take it out to look at it, does that make me some kinda weirdo?  LOL

By the way, a question - how often and how do you, clean the barrel?  What kind of solvent to use if any?  Is leading a serious problem in these guns? 

[cmj21973]

Whenever I get a new barrel or gun I was check to see if the barrel is clean.
If the (new) barrels need cleaning it's just a clean dry patch followed by a lightly oiled new patch.
Airgun barrels usuallly don't need to be clean afterwards, unless it's accuracy takes a nosedive.

Here is a good airgun cleaning guide.
http://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2005/11/is-your-airgun-barrel-really-clean.html

[1377x]

Sometimes I just take it out to look at it, does that make me some kinda weirdo?  LOL

i guess it depends on what you are taking out and looking at
that make you a crosmaniac  

i never clean my barrels.unless there is ,lint or something in my barrel.oh! when i first get a new barrel i clean it
i use eezox.it makes the barrel so lead wont build up.not that it does anyway the barrels dont get hot from shooting.
if you must clean clean i gues i would clean it if the accuracy started to suffer

[breakfastchef]

I'm thinking of putting some type of knobs to replace the scope mount hex screws to make them removable by hand.  Anybody know anything like this?

You may be able to find a large-headed bolt for this purpose. I prefer to tighten down sights and mount with an allen key to prevent bolts from loosening. Another option is to find quick release mounts. I know Leapers uses them on someof their sight bases.

Then i pounded out my roll pin, pulled out the piston and examined the face of the piston - grease not squashed flat.  So now I am pretty sure my piston isn't hitting the valve.

Actually, you do want the piston to make contact with the valve face. Any gap between piston and valve is wasted compressed air. The pump arm snaps into place at the finish of a stroke because of the extra pressure created by the piston contact with the valve. Search through the Airgunsmith website for installation instructions for a flat top piston.

By the way, a question - how often and how do you, clean the barrel?  What kind of solvent to use if any?  Is leading a serious problem in these guns?

I only clean a barrel if I have a decrease in accuracy. I follow a simple procedure for all my airguns from my Air Arms rifle manual using Goo Gone as the cleaner and gun oil as the lubricant. http://www.air-arms.co.uk/PDF/S510-SL%20MANUAL%20ISS1.pdf

[Crosshairs]

I can make you a nice custom brass bult to what ever length you want, at a very fair price for members only.Here is a few of my parts.

                                             Mike 

[markasaurus]

Thanks Crosshairs, but I have a Mellonair long bolt on the way....to Breakfastchef, that download says "clean the barrel with white spirit."  I had to look up that quaint British phrase and white spirit is mineral spirits here in the US.  Do they think that paint thinner removes lead from airgun bores...or maybe they think leading isn't a problem? All i can imagine that does is cleaning out dirty old oil etc.

[breakfastchef]

I substitue Goo Gone for the white spirit and use GAMO airgun oil for the lube. Just pick a similar product that works for you.

Thanks Crosshairs, but I have a Mellon air long bolt on the way....to Breakfastchef, that download says "clean the bartel with white spirit."  I had to look up that quant British phrase and white spirit is mineral spirits here in the US.  Do they think that paint thinner removes lead from airgun bores...or maybe they think leading isn't a problem? All i can imagine that does is cleaning out dirty old oil etc.

[BDS]

Thanks Crosshairs, but I have a Mellon air long bolt on the way....to Breakfastchef, that download says "clean the bartel with white spirit."  I had to look up that quant British phrase and white spirit is mineral spirits here in the US.  Do they think that paint thinner removes lead from airgun bores...or maybe they think leading isn't a problem? All i can imagine that does is cleaning out dirty old oil etc.

What Chef said... that "quaint" stuff (mineral spirits) is crap-ola on o-rings and seals, that's why they still boil beef over there in o'l blighty, ya-baby-Ya