B 26 Question

[fxud]

Hi all,

I read post after post extoling the MM tuned B 26. Makes me want one ! My question is -- what level of tune are you talking about ? Just a basic lube tune with stock parts or a more advanced tune with cusom springs, seals, etc. ?

Thanks for your input.

[mikeiniowa]

the rifles respond quite well to a basic deburr, polish, lube tune but are better with some parts added such as a top hat. I have done some with JM springs and other after market parts.

[Dust]

How much better, and how much more, are the aftermarket parts?

[leftcoast1]

Spring and seal are the only thing I am aware of that are available for the B-26. You could get into as much as an addtional 150.00 on top of the price of the gun but that would be with custom spring custom fitted top hat, rear spring guide, new piston seal and polishing and deburing the compression tube and piston as well as other parts. I'm going to break down some day and have a B-26 fully tubed just to see what level of difference it makes. I have guns that are fully tuned and WOW but would like to see how the 26 would turn out. I love my MM B-26 so I'm in no rush to do anything.

[fxud]

Thanks Mike, but still does not answer my quetion. Let me rephrase it. What level tune are MOST people getting ?

[mikeiniowa]

most of the rifles are just getting the original parts tune,

[mikeiniowa]

spring can run around $20, new piston seal $15, new guide and top hat $25, new barrel (LW) around $175 machined to fit, new custom stock $200 to $500, with any of the rifles it's a matter of how much do you want to spend...

[don_centex]

I am curious about the top hat.  When I tried putting a brass one on my ill fated Tf97 or a B3 it seemed to increase the jumpiness or harshness quite a bit.  Must have been due to the extra weight on that end was not a good thing.  So I am suspcious about a top hat for the  B26.  Assuming that in the case of the B26 extra harshness is not added  What does the top hat do?  Just increase consistency due to taking the spring twist out of the action?  Would it be necessary to go with a different spring as well.  The Mcari spring on the Tf97 was better but the top hat had the same negative effect on it too.

regards
don

[mikeiniowa]

I install them in all the 26's, noones complained yet about the rifle shooting harsh so they don't bother anything...they smooth out the spring twang and act as a guide to keep the spring square.....the factory spring is just fine, really should ask if anyone has had a 26 spring break in one of my rifles......

[steveiep]

don_centex - 6/1/2009  4:40 PM

I am curious about the top hat.  When I tried putting a brass one on my ill fated Tf97 or a B3 it seemed to increase the jumpiness or harshness quite a bit.  Must have been due to the extra weight on that end was not a good thing.  So I am suspcious about a top hat for the  B26.  Assuming that in the case of the B26 extra harshness is not added  What does the top hat do?  Just increase consistency due to taking the spring twist out of the action?  Would it be necessary to go with a different spring as well.  The Mcari spring on the Tf97 was better but the top hat had the same negative effect on it too.

regards
don

Maybe a delrin or nylon top hat is the answer. It's only there to provide a low friction surface to reduce spring torque rather than to act as a piston weight. If it's brass, then it's more of a weight than a top hat & it sounds like you know what the results of that are, first hand.

[mikeiniowa]

Thats the answer for the 26, I figure if JM can do it I should be able to also and it's worked so far...

[don_centex]

Mike, if you don't mind sharing.  What is the material that you have used for top hats?

I have some very hard cutting board like material.  It comes from these slides that I used on my boat trailer so that the boat slides on and off very easily.  It is very hard material but fairly light.  Me an my dremel tool may be able to make something useful from some left overs.

What I used before that added too  much weight was a brass bushing that I found at an old fashioned hardware store.  With a little work it fit just right in the Shanghai arms  rifles  but I'm afraid that it added too much weight.

don

[Gopher]

I have been collecting my thoughts from everyone's tune-up sugestions, and
I am going to try a 1/8" thick disk, made from derilin, the diameter of the top hat between the tophat
 and piston to see if it makes it any smoother maybe save all that $$ on a derilin tophat. I hope the wife
doesn't notice the corner of the cutting board missing...

[mikeiniowa]

I've been using Delrin, I can make them up to fit if anybody wants one...

[don_centex]

since my B-26 is shooting so well and still in the break in phase I'm reluctant to tear into it.  So I'm going to hold off.  (I can't believe I'm able to restrain myself)

but what I will do is try to hack up this boat guide material and try it in my B3 just to see what it does there.  It may well be delrin.  Its pretty hard.  After all, the boat does slide on and it everytime and if anything it polishes the boat and not vice versa.  See how it machines etc.   For those interested, here is a link to this boat guide thingy,

 http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0001904014427a&navCount=0&podId=0001904&parentId=cat21382&masterpathid=&navAction=jump&catalogCode=IK&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat21382&cmCat=netcon&cm_ven=netcon&cm_cat=Google&cm_pla=boat%20trailer%20guide&cm_ite=netcon&hasJS=true

  Then I'll have some idea of the benefit.  Besides, the B3 does need  help.

don