To Clean or Not to Clean

It is sometimes asked or not even really thought about as to weather or not we should clean an air rifle. I also had a concern of the little black build up within the hammer that I could see on the breach where I load in a pellet. I could see a little black ring that I could wipe with my finger on my polished barrel breach when I would push the hammer forward.
I also was concerned about changing my O rings.
This is what I did. I know some of you guys that have done this with your eyes closed may smile at it but for those who may have never cleaned their Talon ever might want to look. 🙂

I also wanted to switch barrels since I can. This is one of the very cool features of our Airforce system. Anthony .266 made me a cool custom 21″ Stainless .22 Cal Polygon barrel a while ago but I rememberd how much fun the Talon was right out of the box with that little 11″ .17 cal barrel. At 30 yards away I was hitting empty brass out at the range and I was also hitting empty plastic shotgun shells sitting up on wood at 30 to 35 yards away and the .17 cal pellet would send the hard plastic shell up twirling 20 yards in the air. And there was a hole through both sides of the plastic shell too. This was fun. There also were these large flowers at the range and big black bumble bees were buzzing so I was having a blast mini sniping them. 😈

So today I pulled it all out and cleaned the inside of my aluminum housing and I ran a patch on my rod through the plastic hammer housing and I discovered just how much led was built up inside of it. So I cleaned it all out and put that .17 cal barrel back inside .
Here are some photos. Simple and fun actually. A bit of a labor of love for a well made airgun.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd318/DragonFlySlayer/Cleanouttube-1.jpg

I also took a tooth brush to that little screw that holds the PW in place because it had some thread lock in it’s threads. It was easy to put it back in place and not strip it by being easy. The thing is it will just keep turning and then you will say oh shit I stripped it 😈
So just look under light carefully and screw it in until it is seated to depth then STOP. It is a metal screw and it seats into a plastic threaded fitting.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd318/DragonFlySlayer/Cleanpartswithsofttoothbrush.jpg

I just made a bore mop from some shotgun patches and ran them through the large aluminum housing to clean the led build up out. I sprayed it a bit too with Birchwood Casey.
I was unable to access the O rings and Anthony advised me that they should be fine still if I clean it with a Pellet gun lube as to stay safe from breaking down the O rings and then place a thin layer of Diver Silicone Lube on the polished end of the barrel so it will access the O rings.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd318/DragonFlySlayer/Dirtypatch.jpg

Dirty patch from the hammer housing N O rings 😯

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd318/DragonFlySlayer/AirgunCleaner-1.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd318/DragonFlySlayer/Sprayinandwipeout.jpg

Now it is looking clean and mean again. It was more dirty than I thought.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd318/DragonFlySlayer/Cleanerpatch.jpg

So I got it back together with no problems at all. I shot it in the house with no pellet in it with the 12″ Silencer removed that Mr. 266 made and man it went BANG! I placed it back on and did it again and it went Click with just a whisper of air 😀
I still have to sight it in because of the changed caliber and barrel length but I was able to hit a 3/4″ block of Pine and the .17 Cal JSP Predator poly tip almost pushed it’s way through the 3/4″ board. I just need to dial it in on the scope now.
Nice N quiet. SHhhhhhhWhack! 😉

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd318/DragonFlySlayer/Morethan400fps.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd318/DragonFlySlayer/Almostthroughtheboard.jpg

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd318/DragonFlySlayer/JSPPolyTip17calremovedfromboard.jpg

I am looking forward to experimenting with Mr. Squirrel. Only 1 out of 4 hits with the .22 killed em on the spot. I want to see with a smaller pellet at higher speed if it will be more effective. 💡
Like my .22 cal Rimfire I put in the closet for the HMR .17 cal rimfire. The .17 cal just ripps apart squirrels so I am going to experiment with the same distance and see how it does. I have a friend who nails squirrels dead with his Gamo Whisper in .17 cal and swears by it.
Personally I beleive that my Talon SS/12″shroud is the true whisper.
Look at the 3/4″ board 😈 When I hit that squirrel right in the chest between his arms I have a feeling he will not go far.