HFT500 fitting regulator

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Mike Patt
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jan 23, 2020 11:01 am

HFT500 fitting regulator

Fri Jan 24, 2020 11:37 am

Just purchased a HFT500 and wondering if there is any benefit in installing a regulator. Cannot see the point of having a gun capable of >100 shots of which only 55% are of use.


Cracking accurate rifle that I'm hoping to use to replace my others.

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WozB
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2020 8:16 pm

Re: HFT500 fitting regulator

Fri Jan 24, 2020 8:20 pm

I might do the same if it makes a big difference to accuracy

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Archer50
Posts: 200
Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2016 5:06 pm
Location: Perth

Re: HFT500 fitting regulator

Sat Jan 25, 2020 4:42 pm

I fitted a Lane regulator to my HFT500, including opening the transfer port to 3.5 mm and fitting a heavier firing valve spring. It meant I was able to get 140+ shots using the shorter, 'Classic' cylinder, which made the gun much better balanced for me, as well lighter overall. I would probably have got around 180+ from the original cylinder, but I never tried.

No regulator can increase the accuracy (technically, 'precision') of an unregulated gun - this is a myth. Of course the regulator can more or less get rid of the power curve, meaning you will potentially get the same muzzle velocity from the beginning of the fill down to 100 bar, or whatever pressure your regulator is set. But the shot-to-shot variation in an unregulated HFT500 is only about .75 bar, or something like 0.25 fps, which is a lot better than any regulator can manage, and nothing you will ever be able to detect on the target. Similarly, if you stay within a 'sweet spot' of around 16 fps (±8 fps), which should give you around 90 shots a fill, the power curve will account for a variation of ± less than a pellet diameter at 50 yards with AADF's.

If the groups from an unregulated gun are poor, it is hardly ever due to air pressure from the cylinder, but to other issues - in the case of S400/500 guns usually a dirty hammer rail, worn firing valve or worn/damaged breech seal. Sometimes these issues get fixed by the work you do fitting the regulator and this, I believe, is what gives rise to the myth. But it is the work you do cleaning, fettling and fixing, not the regulator itself that improves the gun's ability to group well.

If you like tinkering or if you really need a higher shot count, fitting a regulator is easy enough - personally I would use an Altaros - but otherwise I wouldn't bother regulating an HFT500.

Alan

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