| PCRI Tech
Automag Tips from Rob Hoover
The dredded 'Mag
problems
This month I'll be covering several small things that seem to have no
solution--but or course they do.
#1 - All new Automags come with a built in filter. This filter is
 screwed
into the hose so that the filter element is facing the air source. On standard
back bottle set up it will be in the hose end that is screwed into the bottle
adapter. The thing you really have to watch with this filter is that it MUST
face the air source. If it is installed backwards it will cause major shootdown
problems. Also you need to make sure you do not over tighten the hose &
elbows as you can crush the filter. This will cause all kinds of problems
from the debris from the filter. This will cause pitting in the reg. seat
and can in some cases hold open the regulator valve pin causing back venting
through the regulator piston. As a bonus if you have a lot of debris, it
can cause the permanent failure of the regulator piston to seal correctly.
The passage in the filters are rather small. I would keep a few extras
around--they are easily replaced and they don't cost a lot of money.
#2 - Next is the two-finger triggers. I will sum this up by saying that I
see more people squeegeeing their guns with two-finger triggers than most
single trigger people. There are several reason for this and I will try to
explain them as best I can here.
Many of the two-finger triggers just are not made correctly. If you have
to adjust the trigger rod out to get the gun to work, that should
be a good indication that the trigger isn't any good. Adjusting the trigger
rod out will screw up the timing of the gun just as messing around with the
Autococker's 3-way will screw that gun up.
Wrong trigger: Many people have tried to use the Automag
trigger in the 45 grip frames on their mags. This is wrong and will cause
the failure of the clevis rod. You need to use the Automag trigger in the
AGD grip frames (aluminum and carbon fiber ) and the trigger shoe for the
45 grip frames.
You can only shoot the gun so fast. The added leverage of the double
finger trigger allows some people to shoot the gun so fast that the feed
system can't keep up. If this happens you'll end up chopping balls. On the
other side of that, you have people that are not making full trigger pulls
and are short-stroking the trigger. Over all I would be careful with double
finger triggers.
#3 - On/Off tops and Assemblies
This is going to be hard to explain to some extent but I will try.
The on/off top does not move up or down (minor machining tolerances can allow
a very little movement but thats picking nits ). It will however spin. If
you cut all the grooves in the back side of the top, all you are doing is
allowing the o-rings to get small cuts and nicks from the machined grooves.
The air does not pass the outside of the top--it goes through the middle
hole and then out the slots into the air chamber.
The two tops I do like are the new Airgun Designs, and Vemon tops. I think
the Vemon Wizard Valve may a little excessive though.
If you have not seen the new AGD on/off top, then you are missing something.
Have you ever been cleaning your gun and reassembled everything and then
have a shoot down problem? Have you spent hours working on the gun and without
finding the problem? Then it hits you that the top might be in up side down
? You flip it over and BANG it's running like gang busters. Well the new
ADG top is universal--you can't flip it. They also opened up the center a
little and beveled the middle. I have been running one since Orlando and
it has worked great.
I have a collection of tops and I have made a few myself. I have never really
seen any improvement in recharge rates. I have had to remove most types of
tops at some time from guns because they were causing problems like shootdown
or odd trigger/velocity problem. I have never had a problem with the Wizard
Valve or the stock on/off top. I have however had problems with just about
EVERY other top out there.
It's the little things that make your gun tick. Be careful not to use inferior
parts. That my time for this month.
(Rob Hoover is a certified Airgun Designs technician and frequently
works the Airgun tech table at major events.)
Contact Rob Hoover at rhoover@capaccess.org
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