On a Quest with the Quest

[70GTvert]

PA had refurbs w/out scopes listed @ $79, so with the 10% discount covering shipping, I said why not. I understood it was a Gamo 220/440 clone and I have a few extra new Apex and Tesla seals along with JM springs I had for the Cat. First, it got her withing 2 days. Of course, I can drive there in 1/2 hour, but, hey, you have to make an appointment now (they soooo need a front sales room for off the street customers). Also, it came with a 4x32 scope and mount. It was not used, getting a quite a collection of these. Speaking of used, other then the "refurbished" sticker on the stock, this thing looked brand spanking new. I suspect it was a return that was hardly, if ever used, and thus could not be sold as "new" again.

Tore it right down, never even shot it. Chinese silly tacky seal pulled, apex added. De-burred and degreased the power plant and 220 honed it (minor debur needed, not even as bad as my  Big Cat) and rounded and polished the JM spring. Trigger on order, but surprisingly, after all was said and done, it is not as bad as a stock Gamo when it comes to feel. Even removed the Crossman Quest 1000 logo and re-blued to a perfect match with Tetra Blue ($5 a bottle from Midway USA. so far did touch up on the Quest, 2 RS2's and a complete re-blue on a B3-1) as well as refinish the stock in Black walnut and tung oil (gives the stock a "vintage" look)

Now with the Big Cat, the spring, debur and seal resulted in (@ 20 degrees outside temp) a FPS with 7.9 CPHP's of 885, with 7.1 Beeman HPCP (chinese) 925. I anticipate about a 50FPS increase at 75 to 80 degree outside temp. The Quest after the same mods? It is even more like a Gamo now, with identical pellets run, each was an average of 5fps lower for each type, CPHP @ 880, Beeman HPCP @ 920. No odd man out here in either pellet. Now I am just waiting for the trigger so I can try some accuracy tests. So far, there does not seem to be any lockup issue, in fact, it seems to have a more positive lock up than the Cat. There is no "twang" or any other firing issue, just a nice "Thwak" when the trigger is pulled. All in all, an excellent value, particularly if you have some spare replacement JM Gamo parts sitting around.

The Quest spring? It went straight into that recently re-blued B3. Fit right in, made nada difference in FPS. Another point to my belief they are one and the same with what you get in the QF2 kit.

[Walt]

I am with you on the Quest. For the money not bad. I recently did about the same, good clean, deburr, lube tune, tried to put in a spring from a 440 I had up graded but it wouldn't fit. It did get a Gold trigger and it is a very nice shooter. The Blue and the wood were very nice. I sold it to a friend of mine (Error) and thought I would try another one. Off to WalMart again. What a difference this one was. Total mess on the inside, stock had flaws. I would almost say it came from another manufacture. Like night and day. Took it back. The Chi'- comm' QC is still quite random. If you get a good one it's good, but the odd one is truly odd. Hope you have fun with yours.
W

[DeadEye]

I was doing pretty well with mine until the spring broke.   It is the Quest 800 c8m22x.

My stock had just a couple of dings. I rubbed it down a few times with True Oil gun stock finish .It darkened the wood to a deep and lovley brown and it feels so good on my cheek.

Would you share with me the best place to get a new spring and seal for it. I have my Clear Tar Heavy Tar and molly paste on the way.

 I want it to shoot squirrels and other small critters. So I want a spring that will stand up to a heavy pellet. Like the crow magnum.

[gosciu555]

DeadEye - 2/5/2009  5:14 PM

I was doing pretty well with mine until the spring broke.   It is the Quest 800 c8m22x.

My stock had just a couple of dings. I rubbed it down a few times with True Oil gun stock finish .It darkened the wood to a deep and lovley brown and it feels so good on my cheek.

Would you share with me the best place to get a new spring and seal for it. I have my Clear Tar Heavy Tar and molly paste on the way.

 I want it to shoot squirrels and other small critters. So I want a spring that will stand up to a heavy pellet. Like the crow magnum.

I have a Phantom and I'm wondering what kind of Seal and Spring you put into it. Also, did you modify the guides at all? Thanks.

[70GTvert]

JM sells a pair of seals for Gamo's that include  different sizes for "problem sealing issues". I don't have the #, but it is the only seals sold as a pair he has. I used the red one out of that set for this application. The spring was the E3650. Standard Gamo replacement. Don't know if the Tarantula would fit.

As far as spring guides go, no, you don't HAVE to modify it, but it does fit looser than the Quest spring. Now, when I first started putting Quest springs in the Big Cat, I had to slightly turn down the guide to allow it to work. When I went with the above noted JM spring instead, I ended up with an undersized guide. I did not have shrink wrap, and the Derlin I ordered had been backordered for whatever reason, so I tried an alternative that has, to date (nearly 3000 rounds through it) worked. I cleaned the guide of all oil and used electrical tape, wound up the guide in a spiral counter to what the spring has. I put on 2 layers until the spring fit just snug. Did the same for the tophat. Then I lubed and assembled. The JM lubes I use do not attack plastic. I have pulled the spring after each 1000 shots just to see if anything is failing, but it is not. There is no tearing or lifting of the tape off the guide or tophat. I used the same on the Quest. Less than 500 rounds, so I have not taken it apart, but I suspect it will not be any different. I am, however, going to replace all with new guides made of Derlin when it gets here.

[DeadEye]

Thanks John

70GTvert - 2/9/2009  6:06 AM

The spring was the E3650. Standard Gamo replacement.

Good that is the spring I ordered with the lube.

 I can get shrink-wrap at the hardware store.

 My seal fits tight still. It is kind of hard but I have no reference as to how hard it should be. This is my first Springer.

 If I don't think it is right I have some thick leather to try and make a new one.

I have some brown rubber too that was supposed to be a replacement squeegee for a mop machine. It is kind of soft but tough enough to go 100 miles on a concrete floor. We sucked up every thing with that thing. Motor oil hydraulic fluid even vegetable oil. It should stand up to any lube.  

[tjk]

Terrance, Be careful with your pellet selection!!! Even Maccarri springs will break useing a heavy .22 pellet like the Cro's in the 800 Quest. Try the JSB Exact Jumbo's!!! They are around 15.8 grains and really pack a punch. The JSB Preds are really good hunting pellets but I only use them for field use, a tad too heavy for continuous use though. RWS Super-Domes are good too, but kinda skirt heavy in my opinion,....and the skirts mean everything in my book!!!! You'll never go wrong with the Exacts my friend!!!!! I've taken plenty of squirrel with them!!!!!! Happy Hunting, tjk

[srqairhead]

tjk,

are you saying that shooting 16.5-17 g pellets often are going to cause damage to a spring? I am currently shooting Gamo Magnums (16.9) for nutter killing and find them very accurate and VERY destructive from about 20 yards out. Last thing I want to do though is damage the spring.

Tim

[mikeiniowa]

you are right at the limit for pellet weight in that rifle...could be abit over. Just sent out repair parts for a customer that was shooting over weight pellets in a rifle and busted the spring....

[DeadEye]

I did try the RWS Superdome they were prety good. Do you think they would take a rabbit at 20 yards?

I was shooting these when the spring broke.Benjamin Discovery .22 Cal, 14.3 Grains, Hollowpoint. They were the tightest fitting pellets I used.

[srqairhead]

always on time and informative Mike! Its interesting about these Gamo Magnums...Gamo says that are 15.9, both on their website and the tin...Compassaco sells them and says they are 16.9 and an independent study says they are 15.6...say who the heck knows what they really are?! Have not used anything heavier nor do i plan on it.

What would you say the limit would be for that beauty I now have?

[mikeiniowa]

I like to stay around 14 or 15 grain for most springers, to light or to heavy isn't good...for under 700 fps rifles the RWS hobby's work good, almost all my pest control work is under 20 yards, once in a great while it may be a slightly longer shot but the sneaking up on the target is what I really enjoy, try taking a rabbit at 5 yards...it can take a half hour to get that close but....

[tjk]

Keep in mind,...manufacturures claims are just that,..."claims". Ever notice how some retailers/manufacturers will manipulate the velocities of their guns?!? Well pellets are no different,....especially your 'lower end' brands. I've found it best to stick with the better brand pellets, and have found them to be the most consistant, accuracy wise and production wise,....size, shape, weight, over all look of the pellets and how they conform to each other. Remember, you get what you pay for. I'd rather pay the extra few dollars on a tin of pellets that perform the best,...than buy cheap pellets and get mediocre results. And heavy pellets will eventually ruin the best built springs. A spring is only as strong as its weakest coil, just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The Quest 800 springs weren't designed to shoot heavy pellets.  As for taking a rabbit,...you take a rabbit at 40 yards with these rifles employing a well placed shot. Rabbits are alot easier to kill than a squirrel. And they're a bigger target too!!! Best of Luck, tjk
PS heavy pellets are best left to pumpers, PCP's, and Super-Magnum class springer rifles like the Benji Super-Streak, Gamo Hunter Extreme, etc. (+1200 fps .22 rifles)

A little common sense is in order here as well . Pellets only 2 or3 grains over the limit, if they do shoot the best in your  particular gun ,may be  worth the trade off. I say use your gun , listen to it, and learn it.  Springs break due to other reasons , and  these cheaper guns amplify the problem.  Springs and seals are considered expendable, and proper lubing and tuning , as well as better quality parts,can lessen issues with those items.  Learn how to replace such items yourself.  The theory that you need  greater than.128 dia wire  in a spring to enable you to use the heavy pellets , has some scoffers , myself included. For one thing there are few  magnum springers with springs that have wire dia. in that required range. The springers with heavy wire such as the  magnum Hatsan Walthers and big Gamo's have a reputation of poor quality and break springs with some frequency. I just can't buy into the notion that a spring could be damaged because of reverse recoil from starting a heavy pellet at the breech. Especially when that recoil is towards the direction that the spring is designed to compress?

[tjk]

Very good point Robert. But one thing that gets me thinking is that the spring compression during the cocking cycle is controlled and compressed in an even manner. But when firing a heavy pellet, the spring hesitates somewhat near the end of it's expansion state and perhaps 're-compresses' for a kind of double 'expansion cycle',...if that makes any sense?!?!? But this recompression of the spring may in fact result in an un-even and violent cycle, exposing any weakenned coil on the spring resulting in a possible break. I'm sure some kind of spring harmonics may play a part in this theory,..but I'm no mech engineer by any stretch of the imagination. I'm not trying to be argumentative Bro', just something to think about and ponder for a while. I've often thought about this, and this is how I came up with my theory. I save all my beer/soda alum cans. I made a crusher out of a 6X6X3/8" c- channel welded to a 6'X1" steel round stock. It'll pure flatten them out too!!!!,...but anyways, one time I had a few cans on the drive way crushing away as usual when I laid one of the cans upside down in a little puddle of water. When I slammed the crusher on the can,....instead of smaching it into a 1/4" pan-cake, the crusher bounced back after the can squeezed to about 1" depth wise. This double bounce was kinda cool for a while,....but after about 12 cans, my left elbow didn't think it was too cool!?!?!?!? Well that's my theory,...goofy as it sounds!!!! tjk