Longer, softer, spring source

[TonyL]

Splendid idea, Jim.

How about it, peeps?

I suppose a "one size fits all" due to the particular characteristics different people / guns would require or need would be tricky. But maybe one that would suit a good variety of many of our favourite springers.....TX, LGV, LGU, 77, 95. 97 and 98 might be okay. Produced at a length to suit the longest requirement with just a little shortening to suit other applications?

[Phil Russell]

If someone else was kind enough to sort the logistics out i.e. where from, spring spec (wire diameter, od, coil spacing and potential use) and cost then I would be interested.
The Tx200 Mk3 spring is often quoted as a good spring with many uses so maybe that is the spec to go for?
Cheers, Phil

[CapitalBee]

Splendid idea, Jim.

How about it, peeps?

I suppose a "one size fits all" due to the particular characteristics different people / guns would require or need would be tricky. But maybe one that would suit a good variety of many of our favourite springers.....TX, LGV, LGU, 77, 95. 97 and 98 might be okay. Produced at a length to suit the longest requirement with just a little shortening to suit other applications?

TBH Tony, that was my thought train. For the 95/98 platform you'd need 13.6mm i/d and for the hw77/97 and possibly cross over to HW80/35 with 14.3mm.

[BTDT]

One spring cut to varied length won't be near optimal for a range of springers, I'm afraid, chaps. Every mm of reduction in length will make the spring stiffer, for a start.

I was thinking more along the lines of several owners of one particular rifle (and calibre) perhaps looking at the factory spring specification and deciding how you wanted to alter the shot cycle, then altering the spring specification to achieve that. If it just happened to suit another rifle that would be a bonus.

You'd have to do some sums to make sure it would work before placing the order, though.

[TonyL]

You are, of course, quite correct, sir, and I was going to add the shortening caveat in there. Best coming straight from The Master, though.

[CapitalBee]

I think therein lies the rub; if you only work on your own air rifles, specifying and sourcing your own springs is not really realistic. Ideally I'd look for a recognised source with a known level of performance (tx mk3 for example in LGV and LGU's) or some of the commercial tuners springs (SFS springs have been quoted and Wonkey Donkey spec' springs also get mentioned).

[BTDT]

I think therein lies the rub; if you only work on your own air rifles, specifying and sourcing your own springs is not really realistic. Ideally I'd look for a recognised source with a known level of performance (tx mk3 for example in LGV and LGU's) or some of the commercial tuners springs (SFS springs have been quoted and Wonkey Donkey spec' springs also get mentioned).

There is another way. If you know what outside diameter, wire thickness, pitch and free length you want, look for an aftermarket spring that matches the first three criteria (outside diameter, wire thickness and pitch) but is longer, get one and cut it down to length, and test.

If it does what you want, publish the data, and others with the same rifle can either do the same, or club together and have a batch made.

[Phil Russell]

My own thought process was that if there was a group buy on e.g TX200 Mk3 springs that were the same spec as manufacturer's spec then I would be interested if the price was right. I believe the manufacturer's springs are c. £20 each from the recognised sources (plus p/p/) so if the cost of the bespoke springs was significantly less (Jim mentioned about £6 each) then I would happily take 3 or 4 or maybe more depending on price and how many were needed to be ordered to make the project viable. I would also happily take springs 'unfinished' so long as finishing i.e. compressing/flattening the end coils produced a spring of the same length as original. I would not complain to having springs a little over length as they could easily be cut down.
Cheers, phil

[BTDT]

...I would also happily take springs 'unfinished' so long as finishing i.e. compressing/flattening the end coils produced a spring of the same length as original.

I'm not sure whether a manufacturer could properly scrag (set to length) a spring with open end coils, Phil. If not, you'd have to start with a free length in the region of 25% longer than the scragged free length, finish the end coils, then scrag it yourself.

[Hsing-ee]

You are, of course, quite correct, sir, and I was going to add the shortening caveat in there. Best coming straight from The Master, though.

It was quite clear from what Jim said what was needed,

If you're absolutely sure about the specification you need

which obviously means a particular wire thickness, number of coils, length etc ... but then everyone starts firing off contradictory stuff. I'm surprised he bothers posting since NO ONE LISTENS TO HIM.

Is this part of the corrosive thing whereby opinions are the same as facts and we disregard experts because my opinion is as valid as anyone else's therefore we are all experts swimming in a sea of alternative facts?

If you want a nice smooth action, just cut some bath sponge and stuff it in behind the piston and the back block in leiu of a spring. Beautiful smooth almost recoilless action. Pellet stays where it is, but you know, saves money on ammo.

[TonyL]

Guessing this saves on lube too, Alistair?

[TonyL]

Well, as it was my day off yesterday, I got the opportunity to do some digging on the technicalities of different grades of bath sponge. I went round all of the local supermarkets and managed to speak to the various "experts" on the matter, but there didn't seem to be any general consensus on which types give the most favoured characteristics.


I did manage to have a bit of a read of AGW, though, and Jim's excellent article.