What is a GAS RAM in an Air Rifle?
Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:38 pm
Hi Guys,
> To those of you who wonder what a Gas Ram in air-guns is all about - here's some gyan I wish to share...
What is a GAS RAM in Air Rifles?
A gas ram air-gun is a spring gun...without a spring!
A gas ram air-gun is a spring-piston gun in which the coiled steel mainspring is replaced with a sealed "gas spring" unit. Instead of the coiled spring pushing the piston, compressed gas does the job. "Gas ram" is just one name for this power plant. It's also called a gas strut and a gas spring, which I prefer because it is more descriptive of the unit.
You find gas springs in many mechanical things these days. Cars are probably the most familiar. Anyone who owns a minivan has seen a gas spring unit push the deck up when it's opened. Gas spring units have all but replaced coiled steel springs.
Gas spring advantages
There are several advantages to gas springs over steel such as:
1. They last longer. Gas springs last for decades, while steel springs wear out in the same timeframe. Gas springs seldom leak, so it doesn't matter whether they are under tension or not - they still retain all their power. Steel springs fatigue over time if they're under tension. You can leave a gas spring gun cocked for weeks, and it will not lose any power.
2. They are lighter. A gas spring unit, which includes the piston, will shave off close to a pound of the rifle's weight.
3. They are faster. Gas springs react faster than coiled steel, so they get the pellet out the muzzle quicker. They tend to be more powerful than equivalent guns with steel springs, but that can easily be adjusted with piston diameter and stroke length.
Gas spring disadvantages
Very few disadvantages, but you should know what they are before you buy a gas spring air-gun:
1. They are harder to cock. For muzzle energy equal to a conventional coiled steel spring, a gas spring can tack on another 50 percent to the cocking effort.
2. They have a harsher firing behavior. They don't vibrate like steel springs, but the jolt when they fire is quick & sharp.
In the final analysis – the choice to go in for a Gas Rammed Air Rifle is a matter of Personal Choice! It’s a novelty – if you already possess a good SPRINGER, a gas ram could be an addition to one’s armoury!
Brihacharan
> To those of you who wonder what a Gas Ram in air-guns is all about - here's some gyan I wish to share...
What is a GAS RAM in Air Rifles?
A gas ram air-gun is a spring gun...without a spring!
A gas ram air-gun is a spring-piston gun in which the coiled steel mainspring is replaced with a sealed "gas spring" unit. Instead of the coiled spring pushing the piston, compressed gas does the job. "Gas ram" is just one name for this power plant. It's also called a gas strut and a gas spring, which I prefer because it is more descriptive of the unit.
You find gas springs in many mechanical things these days. Cars are probably the most familiar. Anyone who owns a minivan has seen a gas spring unit push the deck up when it's opened. Gas spring units have all but replaced coiled steel springs.
Gas spring advantages
There are several advantages to gas springs over steel such as:
1. They last longer. Gas springs last for decades, while steel springs wear out in the same timeframe. Gas springs seldom leak, so it doesn't matter whether they are under tension or not - they still retain all their power. Steel springs fatigue over time if they're under tension. You can leave a gas spring gun cocked for weeks, and it will not lose any power.
2. They are lighter. A gas spring unit, which includes the piston, will shave off close to a pound of the rifle's weight.
3. They are faster. Gas springs react faster than coiled steel, so they get the pellet out the muzzle quicker. They tend to be more powerful than equivalent guns with steel springs, but that can easily be adjusted with piston diameter and stroke length.
Gas spring disadvantages
Very few disadvantages, but you should know what they are before you buy a gas spring air-gun:
1. They are harder to cock. For muzzle energy equal to a conventional coiled steel spring, a gas spring can tack on another 50 percent to the cocking effort.
2. They have a harsher firing behavior. They don't vibrate like steel springs, but the jolt when they fire is quick & sharp.
In the final analysis – the choice to go in for a Gas Rammed Air Rifle is a matter of Personal Choice! It’s a novelty – if you already possess a good SPRINGER, a gas ram could be an addition to one’s armoury!
Brihacharan
