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General Discussion To Gateway To Airguns => The Shop => : kmac September 17, 2009, 06:42:16 AM

: Airhawk Piston Sleeve Question
: kmac September 17, 2009, 06:42:16 AM

I just opened up my new Ruger Airhawk and have found dents on the sleeve similar to pictures posted in an earlier thread. In that thread the cause was stated as cocking shoe over travel. Is there an easy fix for this or is it just easier to throw out the sleeve and re-assemble?

Are there any performance ramifications to not having the sleeve? Since my piston sleeve is now out of round I would need to fix that and the dents if I decide to put it back in. Since it only has about 50 pellets through it so far, the dents aren't too bad yet. The spring is a fairly tight fit on the piston shaft.

I am leaving for a trip tomorrow morning so I have to put it back together tonight so I can take it with me! Any advice is greatly appreciated.

: RE: Airhawk Piston Sleeve Question
: JimL911 September 17, 2009, 07:43:45 AM

Throw it out. I removed mine 2 years ago when I installed JM parts. It will work fine without it. Diana 34's don't have a liner and they function well without it. Just make sure you have some lube on the shoe.

: RE: Airhawk Piston Sleeve Question
: kmac September 17, 2009, 08:31:25 AM

Great, thats the answer I was hoping for!
Thanks for the info.

: Re: Airhawk Piston Sleeve Question
: howie1a September 17, 2009, 09:18:46 AM

I did the same thing and Mike M told me it isn't needed. howie

: Re: Airhawk Piston Sleeve Question
: Gene_SC September 17, 2009, 12:51:00 PM

The only issue with removing the sleeve is when the spring starts to cant then the cocking shoe will rub on the spring when you cock your gun. Reason being is that the Ruger Air Hawk uses articulating linkage to cock it. The RWS 34 uses a straight linkage which does not allow the shot to drop. Just to let you all know that as long as your springs do not cant then you are good to go..:)

: Re: Airhawk Piston Sleeve Question
: kmac September 17, 2009, 01:01:42 PM

Great info, thanks. For now I guess I will shoot it without the sleeve and see how it does while I break it in.
I will work on restoring the sleeve to its original shape just in case I decide to use it later.

: Re: Airhawk Piston Sleeve Question
: Gene_SC September 17, 2009, 04:42:39 PM

I see them dented all the time and I have made a tool from steel to fix them. Machined to fit the I/D of the tube. Simply tap the tool into the back of sleeve and it will look like new when done..:) Works every time for me..:)

: Re: Airhawk Piston Sleeve Question
: kmac September 17, 2009, 05:33:40 PM

Sounds like a good idea. Is there a way to fix the problem that creates the dents in the first place?