MAMBA 101...for dummies

[settingsteel]

OK...I got a confession to make...I wanna mamba...but for the life of me (and after about 200 read posts...& counting) I still can't figure it out:duh

Can some one shed some light...As in a step by step process, of course pictures would speak 1000 words (please not links to other sites that have the pictures) so any pix you can post here would be great.

I'm determined to get this mamba thing finally understood:head

 

[Mullins]

This would help me too, I'm getting a mamba kit to try on a Cressi 100.

 

[Magpie]

I'll try and explain the basic concept.

In a normal airgun the spear gets pushed into the gun forcing the piston back down the barrel, compressing the air in the gun. Ok. But, when you push the spear in a load of water gets into the space vacated by the piston because the spear shaft does not fill it totally.

So, when fired, the piston has to push both the spear and all this water out.

Now, a mamba has a small sliding collar on the spear and a new muzzle. When you put the spear in the gun, before loading, you push this collar into the muzzle which creates a water tight seal around the spear. Now when you push the spear in to compress the piston no water can get in and a vacuum is formed within the gun. So when fired the piston only has to push the spear resulting in greater velocity.

Make some sort of sense? I can do some pictures later on if would help.

 

[settingsteel]

aha...so here is a part that has lit up, so the collar (which doubles as the line ring (or line holder) has to be pushed in to the muzzle which has to be adapted, ay?
So its a 3 part loadind method as opposed to 2
1- place shaft in muzzle
2- slide line ring snug into the muzzle (the new extra step)
3-load as you normally would.
I think I get it but pix would probably most helpful...thx Magpie:friday

 

[Magpie]

Close mate, only difference to what you say is the collar and line attachment are in two bits. So you put the spear in, push the collar (it has o-rings on the outside to seal against the muzzle and one on the shaft seals to the inside) into the muzzle, the line slider slides down on its own, then you load as normal.

Pics to follow when I get home.

 

[Mongrel454]

Good thread tone and thx magpie for enlightening us noobs

 

[foxfish]

I have heard mentioned, a few times now, the term "dry barrel system" As there are several kits available to convert you airgun from a wet barrel to a dry barrel, I think this is a good term to use.
I think the new omer air gun has a different approach by somehow restricting the water inlet & allowing easier escape of the trapped water, but I dont know how?

 

[Magpie]

It is a good term, but not 100% accurate of course because when loaded in the water there will be a small amount of water inside eh.

Here's some pictures.

First the parts, then showing the collar about to be pushed into the muzzle, then pushed in to seal the muzzle around the spear, then a top view showing no way for water to get in.

Hope they help.

 

[okamotoa]

so is that electrical tape around the end there or that part of the kit?

 

[foxfish]

Yes that is tape but not relevant to the system! Mamba 90s are notorious for being muzzle heavy, I guess Tom has some form of buoyancy attached to the barrel with the tape.

 

[Magpie]

rofl Yes, Mamba don't rely on tape!

I've put a neoprene sleeve over the muzzle to get it better balanced, the tape just holds it in place. Its a total bodge job compared to Foxfish's creations, but it works.

These pics show the uncovered muzzle and the neoprene I've put on it.

 

[foxfish]

Yes I have had a few attempts at solving that little problem!!

 

[foxfish]

A few more pics of my attempts....

 

[settingsteel]

Nice gun porn fox, thx for sharing, your quite a craftsman indeed!

So from your incredibly helpful pix I can understand the Mamba system much better Magpie! I notice in one of the pix (second pic)a rubber seal above the line holder...whats it for? I did not see it in the following pix during the load? I saw the one b/t the line holder and the mamba seal and there are 2 in the actual mamba seal, which enters into the muzzle up to the seals, correct?

The muzzle is part of the mamba components, that is for a farter lets say my cyranos I would have to remove that factory muzzle ( which has some holes on the sides) and install the one that is made to fit the mamba seal, yes, no, maybe:waterwork

 

[foxfish]

Tone, that ring is to hold down the twin barb spear, yes you replace the end but there is a new piston as well.

 

[ulysses]

OK...I got a confession to make...I wanna mamba...but for the life of me (and after about 200 read posts...& counting) I still can't figure it out:duh

Can some one shed some light...As in a step by step process, of course pictures would speak 1000 words (please not links to other sites that have the pictures) so any pix you can post here would be great.

I'm determined to get this mamba thing finally understood:head

Settingsteel,

this is one of the best how to mamba pictorials (I see no point in doing it all over again):

MAMBIZAR UN NEUMATICO

Cheers,
ulysses

 

[ulysses]

This would help me too, I'm getting a mamba kit to try on a Cressi 100.

Mullins, as a future SL100 Mamba owner you may want to have a look at this test report:

http://www.bluworld.com/test/SL70mamba.pdf

BTW: I hope you ordered some spare sealing cylinders (and extra shafts) with the Mamba kit. The plastic sealing cylinder that comes with the kit is prone to wear and so is a consumable part of the system.

You can prolong the life of the plastic cylinder by inserting another o-ring (preferably a flat one) between the sealing cylinder and the ss ring at the end of the shaft. Alternatively, there is the kara-yo ss cylinder which is compatible with the original Mamba muzzle and will probably outlast the life of all other parts

-> Price of the original Maori plastic cylinder ('kit tenuta asta'), if ordered as a spare part (one of them is included in the Mamba kit): EUR 20
-> Price of the ss cylinder made by master kara-yo: EUR 25

Cheers,
ulysses

 

[Mullins]

Thanks Ulysses. One thing that bothers me a bit is the diameter of that slider that goes on the spear. It's pretty wide, you must effectively be pushing a 10mm spear through the water...?

 

[Mongrel454]

Thx Ulysses, that link is a great step by step tutorial

But what it doesnt show is what modifications u need to do to your spear...

 

[ulysses]

Thanks Ulysses. One thing that bothers me a bit is the diameter of that slider that goes on the spear. It's pretty wide, you must effectively be pushing a 10mm spear through the water...?

Obviously, the sealing cylinder/slider on the spear of an original Mamba creates some drag (IMO: no worries about speed & penetration on a Mamba kitted airgun ). In order to avoid that drag kara-yo created the Tovarich system which is best from a pure hydrodynamic point of view. However, it also has its downsides.

Shaft comparison pic Tovarich / Mamba / standard:

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2649/culinesdevarillas4zp.jpg

Cheers,
ulysses