Blackwolf Blackwolf and Sub-MOA Barrels Review

[Franklink]

Hammer Springs..

Hammer springs are very easy to get to.
Take action out of chassis with two bolts (laying on the bench in following photo). Then two bolts to take off the hammer spring tensioner (wheel) housing. Allen key is in one of those bolts in following photo.



And then you've got this, and access to the hammer springs.


I was sent the hammer spring set: white, blue, red. And it came with an OEM red hammer spring.

This photo includes a Ghost 0.047" wire hammer spring, just for my own curiosities sake. Similar enough OD and ID that a hammer spring from the Ghost kit could theoretically be used in the Blackwolf for someone searching for an "in-between " spring. (@kwaping, would love for this to work for you, but it appears that even my Ghost Carbine spring is above the blue in terms of spring rate, so this doesn't give you an in-between the white and blue option....cutting coils or sourcing your own is always an option).


White spring:
Wire diameter = 0.046"
Length = 1.905

Blue spring:
Wire diameter = 0.052"
Length = 1.975"

Ghost Carbine spring:
Wire diameter = 0.047"
Length = 2"

Ghost HP spring: (not in above photo)
Wire diameter = 0.052"
Length = 2"

Red spring:
Wire diameter = 0.052
Length = 2.06"


Not sure how much variation there usually is from one blue to the next blue, but the two BW reds that I have are nearly identical. And the two Ghost HP springs I have are also essentially identical. So there appears to be some consistency in Daystate's production of their hammer springs.

 

[Franklink]

While I had the action out, I optimized the trigger, to my preferences.

I loosened "G" to rotate the trigger pad towards the right side of the gun, my right-handed "angle of approach" and then gently retightened.

I adjusted "B" to reduce the effort for the first stage.

I adjusted "E" to reduce the final break. I did not adjust to the point of not catching/cocking, just stopped where it felt good.

I loosened "F" on the trigger stalk to slide it back in it's race towards the rear of the gun. I then of course gently retightened it. I noticed I was kind of "reaching" for the trigger with it forward, in the OEM position.

Here's a photo of allen key in "E" This seemed to have the biggest effect on lightening the trigger break.



And here's a five pull average after the above minor adjustments...


Five pull average trigger break effort was 4.9ounces out of the box. With the 1.6ounce reduction to 3.3ounces, we're down into Taipan Vet and USFT trigger pull weight now (two of my favorite triggers)!

 

[Franklink]

With the field target match coming up in 10 days, and the .177 probe from AOA not arrived yet...

Can the Blackwolf be tamed down to <20fpe in .22 with the three rather long and liberally ported .22 barrels that I have on hand?

White spring is the lightest Daystate spring that I've got, so starting there of course. White spring + reg pressure of 85BAR + MIN on the wheel = this...(5 shot average)

Which is almost 26fpe, and simply too much.

With these .22 JSB RS pellets (drug of choice when wanting to self-handicap by using a .22) the magic number is 818fps, to stay legally under 20fpe.

Reg will go down to 65 BAR, which is what I'll be trying next. If I'm still over 19fpe @ 65bar, I will be making a run at the ACE hardware bins for an even lighter spring. If that doesn't work out, other ideas for getting the power down include: heavier valve stem return spring and/or stuffing a section of PVC pipe in the plenum to reduce volume, the latter of which is less likely to minimize the power, but could certainly help with shot to shot consistency at this neutered power.

Hopefully it'll be as simple as a lower reg pressure to get me down about 110fps.

Then of course that one of these barrels and the .22/13.43 pellets like each other at that speed.

 

[Franklink]

That photo of my old Alpha Chrony above reminded me of my newish chronograph situation, which is Blackwolf adjacent.

It's an FX radar chronograph, but the archery version. The archery version is meant to thread into the hole on a bow where the stabilizer usually goes, which complicates using it with a gun like this. I got it on clearance for $50 a few weeks ago, figuring I'd jerry rig it up somehow. And this is what I came up with.



The best solutions are often the most simple ones. My wife was cleaning up a closet about 6 weeks ago and found an old tangled up cloth kite. I kept the fiberglass rods that were in the kite, and threw the rest away. Didn't have any intended use for them at the time, but glad I kept them now. They're the perfect diameter to interference fit into the screw holes that hold the clamshell casing of the radar chrono together. Then 4 black zip ties, two on each rod, through the mlok channels on the sides of the forearm, and voila, adjustable length, lightweight Chrono holder. It doesn't touch the barrel or moderator in any way, which I was worried about initially. It's been working really well, except for the 100 yard shots in the dark the other night when the fog was rolling in and it was really humid. I suspect the moisture in the air was messing with its ability to pick up the pellets further out. Wouldn't be very practical for a hunting rig, but has been working great for all this bench work and projectile testing, etc. Best part is that nothing is permanently modified, can all be removed and replaced as needed.

The software in the archery version appears to be the same as what's in the non-archery version. There are selections for whether you're shooting a sub500fps pistol, or a sub 1100fps airgun or a bow, etc. As well as prebuilt pellet profiles, etc.

(And my antique Alpha Chrony is the better choice for speed testing into a pellet trap like above. The newer radar Chrono seems to need more distance than that).

 

[Soren Drost]

With the field target match coming up in 10 days, and the .177 probe from AOA not arrived yet...

Can the Blackwolf be tamed down to <20fpe in .22 with the three rather long and liberally ported .22 barrels that I have on hand?

Same elongated porting in the .177 FAC barrels

 

[cavedweller]

Many people have had issues with poor barrels in their Alpha, Delta, Ghosts, and as i feared, now the Black Wolf too. Just stumbled on a large AGN thread with some unhappy people with their B.W. barrels today. It really does put a damper on a new gun offering from Daystate if the elephant in the room hasn't been addressed, esp to reflect the new cost of these airguns.
Admittedly every .177 barrel I have read about has been stellar from Daystate/L.W. with correct ammo/speeds.
Also, @Franklink, please do test out plenty of various weight and dia slugs in these barrels like those 20.2gr!
Most bench or competitive shooters go straight to the big BC 34-40gr lead but as a bird pester inside 100Y mostly, I really dont need that kinda firepower lol! Hoping the 21-33 gr stuff will work out in that L.W. barrel.
As a Cdn there's no way on earth I will be getting my hands on a Submoa barrel anytime soon so my money/time is on the 17.7 28" .22cal barrel for slugs.
My AA has a 17.7 L.W. and shoots light slugs (17.5-23gr) just fine inside 50, but would benefit greatly from more speed.

i think a lot of the issues are from 28" barrels (esp people buying pellet barrels expecting them to shoot slugs) The barrel length choices have been very limited in the U.S. thus far. but the supply is getting better. My 23" BW .25 is a great shooter... a fellow shooters .177 BW in 17" is also very good.

 

[cavedweller]

Hammer Springs..

Hammer springs are very easy to get to.
Take action out of chassis with two bolts (laying on the bench in following photo). Then two bolts to take off the hammer spring tensioner (wheel) housing. Allen key is in one of those bolts in following photo.



And then you've got this, and access to the hammer springs.


I was sent the hammer spring set: white, blue, red. And it came with an OEM red hammer spring.

This photo includes a Ghost 0.047" wire hammer spring, just for my own curiosities sake. Similar enough OD and ID that a hammer spring from the Ghost kit could theoretically be used in the Blackwolf for someone searching for an "in-between " spring. (@kwaping, would love for this to work for you, but it appears that even my Ghost Carbine spring is above the blue in terms of spring rate, so this doesn't give you an in-between the white and blue option....cutting coils or sourcing your own is always an option).


White spring:
Wire diameter = 0.046"
Length = 1.905

Blue spring:
Wire diameter = 0.052"
Length = 1.975"

Ghost Carbine spring:
Wire diameter = 0.047"
Length = 2"

Ghost HP spring: (not in above photo)
Wire diameter = 0.052"
Length = 2"

Red spring:
Wire diameter = 0.052
Length = 2.06"


Not sure how much variation there usually is from one blue to the next blue, but the two BW reds that I have are nearly identical. And the two Ghost HP springs I have are also essentially identical. So there appears to be some consistency in Daystate's production of their hammer springs.

I'm suprised you didn't get a yellow?

no yellow?

 

[Franklink]

I'm suprised you didn't get a yellow?

no yellow? View attachment 16915

I haven't done any digging online, but from the sticker on the baggy of the springs, it appears theyre selling a different spring kit for the BW than for the Ghost? Open to being corrected here.

 

[Solo1]

Originally they were selling the ghost kit for the black wolf but that may have changed i don’t know. It seems to me that they were rushing production and left some details go

 

[cavedweller]

I'm suprised you didn't get a yellow?

no yellow? View attachment 16915

These two documents came with a .177 BW but not with my .25

 

[Soren Drost]

These two documents came with a .177 BW but not with my .25
View attachment 16917

I had my BlackWolf TAC .177 HP with the VoluMax push the 22 gr Zan slugs at 1003 FPS = 49.2 FPE

 

[Franklink]

@cavedweller,

I don't think we'll have any issues getting your .177 barrel down to 19fpe. Bobby put an appropriately sized transfer port in it.

 

[cavedweller]

@cavedweller,

I don't think we'll have any issues getting your .177 barrel down to 19fpe. Bobby put an appropriately sized transfer port in it.

View attachment 16919

that's a purty barrel!

 

[Franklink]

I should have stated this above ...

Top barrel is the OEM transfer port, and yeah, pretty FX like. To which I would argue that Taipan was the first bridged transfer port that I'm aware of. And Ernest Rowe seemingly copied it from Taipan, cuz Ernest was a Taipan aficionado prior to being an FX guy, prior to retiring.

Middle barrel is the SubMOA transfer port.

Bottom barrel is Rudy's (@cavedweller) special .177 Sterling/LW barrel.

And when I commented about it being an "appropriate" sized transfer port, I meant appropriate for the intende use. To rock and roll and get nearly 50fpe out of a .177 like @Soren Drost, then the generous oval shaped TP arrangement is appropriate. But Rudy's wanting a field target Blackwolf, with a 20fpe cap, so, smaller tp.

 

[Solo1]

That sub moa barrel looks like it would almost let that mrd setting there fall right through

 

[Franklink]

That sub moa barrel looks like it would almost let that mrd setting there fall right through

Nothing I've fed through it has hung up, everything feeding smooth and easy, and that's slugs from 20.2 to 38.5grains, and pellets from 13.4 to 28.5grains.

If you look closely, it's a convex shape. The "bottom" (bore end) of the hole is smaller diameter than the end of the hole on the OD of the barrel. That's keeping projectiles from dropping into it.

 

[Danman]

I have to say I'm not loving that transfer port end on the B.W. barrel! Why do you think they would go that route vs just one solid barrel piece with the port machined in it? ...I also was thinking it looks FX-ish.

Also....I cant let this slide,.... im gonna defend the ghost here, i get 50+ shots per fill with my Mrd tune (same 250B fill, 480cc tank,150B reg, stock internals sending em @ 975fps) , I'd be pretty sad if I only got 35 shots as yours @Franklink!

 

[Franklink]

I have to say I'm not loving that transfer port end on the B.W. barrel! Why do you think they would go that route vs just one solid barrel piece with the port machined in it? ...I also was thinking it looks FX-ish.

Also....I cant let this slide,.... im gonna defend the ghost here, i get 50+ shots per fill with my Mrd tune (same 250B fill, 480cc tank,150B reg, stock internals sending em @ 975fps) , I'd be pretty sad if I only got 35 shots as yours @Franklink!

Shot count from the BW was pretty rough estimate at this point. Once I get a tune nailed down I'll get a complete shot string and better data, and of course share it. I mentioned that back in post #39 where I commented that it got 45 good consistent shots even with the reg pressure far too high.

My Ghost data on shot count is pretty solid though and I'm surprised at your 50+ shots with the MRDs @ 975 from the Ghost. The 35 shot refill regimen I use with the Ghost and MRDs at 960ish is 100 yard EBR benchrest level shots. And with that routine it averages 100 yard EBR scores of 228-235. Which puts it in the realm of the score that won EBR a few weeks ago. My Ghost will likely get more shots per fill than that, but not as tight if an ES. Judging by the shot cycle of each platform and impressions of less wasted air with the BW, I expect the BW to have a better shot count than the Ghost, with same pellet and similar speeds, once I settle on a final tune.

Edit: just realized something! I use the 28.55 Grands @ 960ish with the Ghost for benchrest, not the MRDs. THAT'S the difference. I just wasn't remembering correctly. Too many guns and too many options and too much shooting. .22 - JSB .22/28.55 Grands And I just read through that and see a reg pressure of 160 bar initially, but then I dropped it down to 150 bar in a more recent post in that link. So, I was all kinds of wrong. That should teach me not to cite stuff from memory. Too dang many guns and testing to keep it all straight, which is a good problem to have if a guy enjoys it as much as I do.

 

[Franklink]

There used to be a really cool online calculator to work out efficiency and fpe per cubic inch of air, etc. That calculator is long gone but here's a more basic stab at it....

• Ghost from 250-160bar with Grands @ 960 (58.44fpe) x 35 shots = 2045.4fpe / 90 bar = 22.73fpe/bar
• Ghost from 250-150bar with Grands @ 950 (57.23fpe) x 35 shots = 2003.05fpe / 100 bar = 20.05fpe/bar
• BW (with very rough/over-sprung and too high reg pressure tune) from 250 - 150 bar with MRDs @ 967 (52.75fpe) x 45 shots = 2373.3fpe / 100 bar of air = 23.733fpe/bar

 

[Franklink]

I'm not trying to make this a Ghost versus Blackwolf discussion. They're both awesome guns, and both excel in different uses. Even in my numbers above showing relative efficiency, they're pretty dang close.

The Ghost for me is a better general use and pesting platform. It's also amazing to shoot offhand. Due to length, I don't expect the Blackwolf to be nearly as good for pesting, and it dang sure won't be as good for close-quarters work. I've already found the Blackwolf to be easier to shoot from a bench than the Ghost. And I expect that trend to continue for field target as well.

I'm not replacing my Ghosts. They are the best I've come across for prairie dog shooting, something I do A LOT of.. Some of that is my personal affinity for shorter guns over longer guns, and some of that is the nature of how I shoot the pdogs. When Bobby came up to shoot pdogs and bring me the BW, he chose a Delta Wolf for the day, for all the same reasons that I chose the Ghost.

So far the Blackwolf is settling nicely into a better target shooting platform than the Ghost. The improved trigger and the length/weight/ergonomics and the shot cycle are very conducive to very precise work. And those improvements are married to a much longer OAL than the bullpup Ghost.

As is always the case, pros and cons with each platform. I greatly enjoy both the Ghost and the Blackwolf, and each offers something that the other doesn't, for those of us that really enjoy airguns.

So, I'll probably continue to make comparison statements, just b/c it's a frame of reference for many of us that own Ghosts. Please understand that when those comparisons favor the BW, I'm not trying to belittle or denigrate the Ghost, but again, they're just to give a frame of reference.