Vortek PG-2 SHO Tune Kit for HBW30 / R7 Air Rifles

Nothing

A comparison between stock spring and vortek spring resulted in no change in FPS on the chronograph. Claims by Vortek are not true. Post your own results here.

Do a chronograph test. The spring kit claims by Vortek are not true. Post your results here.

Even in appearance, the Vortek spring seems superior to the original factory Beeman/Weihrauch spring. The outer spring guide also has an obvious advantage in that it helps keep the spring from contact with the action and creating vibration and noise.

I was very disappointed in the very short life (less than 3 months) of the original factory spring. It did not break, but even despite not being left cocked more than a few minutes at a time it dropped off in velocity by over 60 fps over the velocity it yielded when new. So, Weihrauch, I would equip my rifles with a superior spring that would reflect the quality of the rest of the product even if it meant giving up the price point. I would rather have paid up front for what I had to purchase later and I would not have lost a good deal of confidence in the Weihrauch brand or its supposedly superior quality to other products.

My R-7 very quickly dropped velocity in the first several months of use and was averaging only 475 fps with 11.7 gr pellets and only 410 fps with the 13.5 to 13.7 gr ammo. I determined to install a Vortek upgrade kit to get it back up to par. After a short break in of less than 50 shots my velocity with the 11.7 gr. pellet was averaging 572 fps and the 13.5 to 13.7 gr. pellets were up to 495 to 510 fps. I was very disappointed that the original factory spring weakened so quickly and was never left cocked more than a few minutes at a time. Nevertheless, I was pleased with the result of the upgrade as it produced an increase of about 36 fps over what the rifle averaged when new and nearly a 100 fps increase over the weakened factory spring. The upgrade kit has also made cocking the rifle noticeably smoother (I felt it was very good before); the reduction in vibration and noise in firing is an amazing improvement. Accuracy was always stellar before and I will comment on this later.

My Beeman R7 (HW30S) was giving me accuracy issues and the shot cycle was making a loud twanging/buzzing sound. I finally broke down and bought the Vortek kit and it ended up being a huge improvement. I went from being frustrated with the R7 to loving it. The shot cycle went from vibrating BOING to solid THUMP and the hold sensitivity was significantly reduced. It is now my favorite air rifle!

I rated Value for Money four stars not becuase of the price but becuase it works so well and it is so needed. The spring kits are terribly over-priced and it is Wiehrauchs fault! If they would put a decent spring in their air rifles we would not need to buy expensive aftermarket kits. I do not blame Vortek for the high price. Wiehrauch spring quality hands them business every day! Overall, I would change the quality of the stock spring so would not have to buy aftermarket springs. I understand that Weihrauch tries to keep their guns the same but evolution is not a bad thing! Look at Walther and thier new spring system, it is not a gas ram but a spring totally new technology. I would love to see Wiehrauch evolve like Walther is evolving. They can keep the legacy spirit of their rifles alive while improving the guts to the point that aftermarket parts are not necessary.

The spring itlself is super easy to install. I actually installed the spring only after reading many articles about Weihrauch owners that say the wished they had not installed the piston seal. The stock seal, in my case. was in great shape. If you stop at the spring, you can have it done in 10-minutes. Replacing the seal triples that install time. There are several great videos on YouTube that give great instruction and if you are new to this, as I was, you will need it becuase the included instructions are horrible. If you are going to keep your gun for a lifetime, the investment is worth it. It is sad that we need to purchase an aftermarket part that adds $70 to $80 to the retail price of an already expensive air rifle but in the end, it does make it a better shooting air gun. One way to think about it is that over 35-years that is only $2 a year.

They are the best spring on the market that I've tried

The springs are high priced so maybe alittle cheaper

They need to gather more info because older models of air guns that the spring is sold for may need some modifications.

Relative ease of installation. I installed it by hand, no spring compressor. It was a challenge but doable. My HW30S is a little easier to cock (not that it was difficult before) and maybe a little quieter (tho pretty quiet to begin with). Shot cycle does feel a little smoother.

The printed directions that came with it have plenty of room for improvement.

This spring is noticeably shorter and stiffer than the stock spring. My HW30S (.177, bought mid-2014) started dropping FPS for no obvious reason just before Xmas. Careful lube, (then later) disassembly, & cleaning didn't help. I decided I was going to try to replace the piston seal and since it would be a major tear down anyway, I figured I'd get the Vortek kit and see if I get better performance out of the rifle. Was it worth it? Short answer: YES.

Long answer: 5-shot chronograph averages before and after the Vortek install.
RWS Hobby 7.0 AVG FPS before / after: 556 / 663
RWS MeisterK 8.2 AVG FPS before / after: 495 / 615
RWS Superdome 8.3 AVG FPS before / after: 490 / 583

Not seeing Vortek's advertised 9+FPE though.

I never chrony'd these before the upgrade.
H&N Match Green 5.25 AVG FPS: 812
Crosman Prem Hvy 10.5 (4 shot) AVG: 442

The before numbers were recorded about 2 years ago, just after I got my chrony, and at a time when I considered my HW30S in peak condition.