Here's a silly question

[RedFeather]

When someone buys a new springer, often times they do the cross-hatching, maybe a new seal and spring, and so forth, in order to make it shoot smoother and with a bit more power.  But, what if you want to go the other way and detune it?  I've got several vintage guns with leather piston seals and they seem to shoot ok for target work, etc.  Could you not fabricate a leather seal, polish the compression tube and use the old technology to effectively detune?  Or would the spring drive the piston too hard, owing to reduced back pressure from the leather seal?  Just wondering because so many of these 'obsolete" guns like the Diana 27 are such sweet shooters and they don't make them anymore.

[Gene_SC]

Red, it has been my experience when tuning the older air rifles aside from Chinese air rifles that a good healthy chamber that is polished well and using a well treated new leather seal and the spring lubed with tar that this alone will probably slow the air rifle down about 20 fps from a non lubed air gun. Of course after the break in period the fps will creep back up some. But in my opinion the older Diana's shoot at sub 700 fps. Some will achieve a higher FPS.

It has been also my experience that these older Diana's are exceptionally accurate at 10 to 30 meters.

I do not think that de tuning an older springer would be counter productive in my opinion. At least not to change it from it's original state by moding, etc.

[arnie3981]

So, in essence, the gun would lose a few fps but become more smooth and accurate? Is there a way to tune it and still gain power? My 34 tuned with Maccari kit shoots sub 800 fps but is very smooth.

[tjk]

Arnie, if you're shooting a .177 cal 34,...if it's smooth and ACCURATE,...I wouldn't be too concernned with the FPS's. You've got enough power for a 30 yard "Grackle" kill,...or squirrel for that matter in the upper 700's mark. If it's a .22 34,...you should feel VERY fortunate as well!!!! LOL's Pellet weight plays a major role with velocity. Red Feather,...it's your rifle,...and I'd do as I pleased if it were mine! De-tune it?!,..I say go for it!! Aside from the velocity BS,...if it shoots better, smoother and more accurate,...you'd be  fooishl not to ( no disrespect meant on that comment). Pesonalize your weapons and enjoy them!! I think that was a very intelligent question,...and it got me thinking as well. Thomas
PS. I'd keep the original stuff just to say it was 'on-hand',...for antique porposes.tjk

[shadow]

I properly tuned ol springer will perform great with leather seals, even fabbing your own leather seals works great.Ed

[RedFeather]

Guys,  I'm talking about taking something like a 34 and retro-ing it into a 35.  Not for more power, but maybe less and the smoothness that might come with that.

[kiwi]

I have found the easy way is to reduce the weight of the traveling mass...
less power and a very smooth fireing cycle....
With leather seal guns I always put syn seals in...by tapping the end
of the piston {Usaly 10mm} and screwing in a counter sunk cap to
hold the syn seal....
For any seal mod to reduce power it would have to be leaking or have A lot of friction...

Pete

[RedFeather]

I guess reducing piston weight would reduce power but I'm asking about converting a synthetic sealed gun into a leather sealed one.  From what I gather, the leater sealed guns benefited more from a polished smooth compression tube.  I understand that a lot of guys take guns like the Diana 27 and update them to modern seals.  Just wondering how hard it would be to go the other way?