8 replies to this topic

[Ice Nine]

Well, I recently decided to work on my Nite Finder, as it didn't have a barrel and needed a little internal work. So, this morning, I went out to work on it.

I opened it up, and took out the plunger. I glued the cap on the end so it wouldn't go flying when the trigger is pulled. I also teflon-lubed the plunger, so it moves more smoothly. I streched the spring a little (first-gen Nite Finder, this spring is awesome) and put it back on. I reassembled the gun and glued a coupler on the front, along with two inches 17/32nd. brass. I then made a five inch barrel of 9/16 brass (or 19/32, I can't remember) and stuck it on.

Now, the Nite Finder has no range. The dart literally falls three feet in front of me. I can feel a ton of air coming out of the front, and there doesn't appear to be anything wrong internally. The gun doesn't fire stock darts, streamline darts, or stefans, with or without the five-inch barrel.

Any ideas? I'm totally at a loss of what to do.

[l337n3rf3r]

The same exact thing is happening with my X-bow. I have a piece of 1/2" pvc coupled and it fires maybe 3-4 feet out of the barrel. I was told that it was barrel friction, what ever that means.

~l337

[SHADOW HUNTER ALPHA]

It sounds like either your darts have loose seals with the barrels, so they don't stay in the barrel long enough for pressure to build up behind them, or your new barrels didn't get sealed onto the gun properly. There could also be a rupture somewhere inside the gun that occured when you were taking it apart.

[Ice Nine]

It sounds like either your darts have loose seals with the barrels, so they don't stay in the barrel long enough for pressure to build up behind them, or your new barrels didn't get sealed onto the gun properly. There could also be a rupture somewhere inside the gun that occured when you were taking it apart.

Well, since my darts are very tight in the 17/32, I don't think the loose barrel is the problem. I think that the barrel isn't sealed properly; I put a very tight dart into the 17/32 and it didn't even move when I fired. I guessed that the air was escaping around the barrel. The only reason the gun actually fired with the other barrel on was because the PVC fit tight in the coupler, and didn't let as much air escape.

I'll go reglue the barrel on later.

[Pineapple]

Put your finger tightly over the barrel end and fire.

The plunger should move very slowly toward the finish position, or (ideally) barely move at all.

If it slams forward as though there were no resistance, you've got a leaker. Even if you feel air shoot out the front, putting resistance on the firing assembly will tell if you have no pressure potential.

Take apart the barrel assembly, seal the coupler end with your finger, try the fire test again.

Repeat until you've found the source of the leakage. Sometimes it might even be the o-ring on the plunger head.

One of my repaired NFs (kid dumped it with me) just needed two wraps of e-tape on the plunger head, over the old o-ring. It fires as good, if not better than, my other seven NFs. And this was a first-generation NF that got trashed (good spring).

Doesn't hurt to try. Good luck with the troubleshoot.



-Piney-

[alhava]

is that e-tape OVER the rubber gasket?
wouldn't create less of a seal?

[Pineapple]

is that e-tape OVER the rubber gasket?
wouldn't create less of a seal?

You ARE new here, aren't you.

E-tape OVER the o-ring, on the plunger head. It's a quick fix for bad/ missing o-rings.

Sounds nuts (I thought it did), but it works.


The key is to take your time and make sure the wraps are even with the o-ring. Done carefully, it will create a wonderful seal.

The only potential drawback (which I haven't encountered yet) is that tape adhesive residue may leech from the wraps (especially at the tape "end") into the plunger tube and cause stickiness. But it hasn't happened with mine yet.

I'll take it apart and snap a couple shots.


-Piney-

[Forsaken angel24]

I find it very helpful to take off the O-ring, Wrap where the O-ring would go with electrical tape that fits in the slot, then place the O-ring back on. This will prevent any E-tape stick residue from possibly slowing down your plunger, and it will also help to prevent the E-tape from unravelling as the O-ring now has a tight grip on it.

EDIt: I also added another O-ring to increase seal. Almost forgot about that one. Thanks CH

Edited by Forsaken_angel24, 19 December 2006 - 04:14 PM.

[Commonly Hunted]

I also did that, Angel. But instead of keeping the original O-ring, I put on two new ones (#17, I think) from Home Depot around the tape. And then I added a spring that I got there that is much stronger than the NF's spring.