Shrink tube advise

[Walt]

I have questions for anyone that has used shrink tube to get a better fit on a spring guide. The guide is out of a older Gamo and it measures about .512"diameter. What size shrink tube should I use? Do I need to do anything else to the area on the guide where the tubing is going to be except a good clean with IPA? And I guess the most important question is will a snug fit with the tubing and some heavy tar eliminate spring twang or am I wasting my time?
W

[larspawn]

Walt,

Don't tell anyone but...I've done this a few times.  Yes my name is Bubba and I tune my rifles under the big oak tree out back.  Works very well where the rear guide is sloppy.  You can get a package of various sizes at Harbor Freight or try the electrical aisle of the big box stores.  You want a tight fit.  Actually if you can get one with the right thickness you want to "screw" on the spring.  

Prep by cleaning and scuffing up with very coarse sandpaper.  Clean again.  I've actually used 3M spray adhesive on the guide, slip on the shrink tube and then shrink it on.  Using this process I did my B25.  Really smoothed out the shot cycle.  I opened it up after a couple thousand rounds and it looked like the day I did it.

Some purists will scoff at this but unless you have  a lathe and can turn custom guides what else are you going to do?

Don't over tar the spring.  Excess does nothing but hurt velocity.  

My 2 cents...

Bubba

[arbantelope]

The oven, and more secrets straight from the Big Kahuna Tuna himself. 2007 vintage post! http://www.gatewaytoairguns.com/airguns/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=2414&posts=16&highlight=guide oven&highlightmode=1#M15120

[larspawn]

Wow!  Confessions of a shade tree tuner!  Don't shrink tube the tophat.  Try rear guide first and then see if you are happy with the results.  I'd like to see the tophat free float then it doesn't matter that you've locked the rear guide to spring.  Most of the torque is at the tophat anyway because it is moving and less pressure than the rear which is stationary.

Good luck!

Andy, I mean Bubba.

[Walt]

Great stuff . Thanks. The link is especially helpful.
W