HW95 + Titan No.8 = pain in the arris

[TonyL]

And the best way of pulling off that trick is to run the maths, or ask someone that can. Saves a hell of a lot of time, effort and money.

If you have a garden gate then that might be a good use for the titan.

Fully agree re running the maths rather than relying on good old trial and error. Most can't / won't / are hesitant to try (myself included), but it really would be the way forward. But at least these days there is a decent knowledge pool to dip into.

So, horticultural uses of mainsprings isn't a market cornered solely by the Ox?

[TonyL]

One thing that any 95 owner should do, that will also help with bounce is open up the port a bit - 3.0mm is too small. I'd suggest 3.2 as an absolute minimum, but you may well end up around 3.4 optimally (but don't try and optimise with your current spring setup).

Fully agree that this will help, JB. And you and others have proven this on many different guns time and again. One day I might overcome my hesitancy and lack of bottle to give it a go......

[TonyL]

. Do you still have the original HW spring? Fitted guides in that should be an improvement. Regards Max

Absolutely.

[robs5230]

A good starting point for tuning any springer, is knowing what you want to achieve.

If the goal is a snappy, harsh, and hold sensitive rifle, the Titan is the right choice of spring.

[TonyL]

A good starting point for tuning any springer, is knowing what you want to achieve.

If the goal is a snappy, harsh, and hold sensitive rifle, the Titan is the right choice of spring.

Fully agree on the first point, Rob.

However, re the Titan springs, many have enjoyed excellent results using Titan springs, more often than not when choosing a thinner wired option intended for a different model. I have very little first hand experience of them myself, but people like Welsh Willy certainly makes them work in his kits and NickG often successfully uses Titans in his tunes, even some of the narrow bore conversions.

[robs5230]

Fully agree on the first point, Rob.

However, re the Titan springs, many have enjoyed excellent results using Titan springs, more often than not when choosing a thinner wired option intended for a different model. I have very little first hand experience of them myself, but people like Welsh Willy certainly makes them work in his kits and NickG often successfully uses Titans in his tunes, even some of the narrow bore conversions.

I meant that particular spring that the OP has used. He's gone far enough down the rabbit hole to realise its not suitable.

But I'm no fan of the brand in general.
OK for running a full fat, 80 or 52, but not my preference for sub12.
The horse will run without being whipped.

[u.k.neil]

In my opinion Titans are too harsh for the majority of springers.

I'd start with one of the HW 3.1 wire springs and go from there.

I have found exactly the same with these springs, never had a good result from using them, and agree with the suggestion.


Neil

[eyebull]

Is there a reliable online source for springs which are softer/thinner gauge than HW factory spec?

Perhaps we need more springs branded as 'Sylvanian family' rather than THE TYRANNOSAUR PISTON SMASHER 9000?

[TonyL]

I meant that particular spring that the OP has used. He's gone far enough down the rabbit hole to realise its not suitable.

But I'm no fan of the brand in general.

Gotcha.

[TonyL]

Is there a reliable online source for springs which are softer/thinner gauge than HW factory spec?

Perhaps we need more springs branded as 'Sylvanian family' rather than THE TYRANNOSAUR PISTON SMASHER 9000?

Have a look in on the Mainspring Data Thread for specs. Exactly why it was conceived.

[eyebull]

Have a look in on the Mainspring Data Thread for specs. Exactly why it was conceived.

Thank you Tony, I'd forgotten about that resource, very handy for cross referencing.
It would however still be nice to find a supplier of generic springs (not necessarily 'airgun' springs) listed by spec, in case there isn't an off-the-shelf spring for another rifle that corresponds to the one desired.

[deejayuu]

Our scribbles say your spring should be 235 x 20 x 3 x 29 coil x 34 lb/inch rate
Titan 8 297 x 40 lb/inch. Cutting coils, as said is going the wrong way.
The new 10+ could be a match.

[TonyL]

Excellent info, sir.

[TonyL]

Thank you Tony, I'd forgotten about that resource, very handy for cross referencing.
It would however still be nice to find a supplier of generic springs (not necessarily 'airgun' springs) listed by spec, in case there isn't an off-the-shelf spring for another rifle that corresponds to the one desired.

Once or twice in the past I have done Google searches for spring suppliers and there are plenty to go at. Some suitable for our uses may be available off the shelf, although I guess we'd be very lucky if that were to be the case.

Jim Tyler mentioned on a recent-ish thread that Dr Mike Wright and he once had a batch made up to their specification. I seem to remember that the minimum order number may have been 20 springs or so to make it a cost effective exercise.

[DCL_dave]

It was explained to be like this. Unwind the spring so it’s straight and imagine it like a lever. A shorter one is stiffer, can lift more but requires more effort to be put in. A longer one is softer, will bend and have a limit of what it can lift but requires less effort.

Interesting way of thinking about it:-)
Way I visualise it is that it would be a lot easier to compress a 10 foot long spring 6 inches than it would be to compress a 1 foot piece of the same spring 6 inches.

Thanks for the replies guys, perhaps I have misunderstood these analogies?...but cocking effort is not a consideration for me at this stage.

I'm afraid if you want it to shoot nicely you're going to have to let go of the Titan no. 8. Do you still have the original HW spring? Fitted guides in that should be an improvement although many of us struggle to get the 95 shooting as sweetly as it should do on paper. Regards Max

Thanks Max, the original spring is S shaped, crunchy on cocking and produces 6.5fpe.

If you were to carry on reducing the number of coils and preloading to suit, you would just increase the spring stiffness and exaggerate the rapid piston acceleration and bounce, and I think you would risk fairly quickly reaching the point at which the spring went solid and the rifle would not cock.

Thanks again BTDT, please don't think I'm bloody minded (although I am ) but I am going to carry on with this experiment to find out for myself as I have nothing to loose and the experience to gain in doing so ...but I will be ordering a more suitable spring too.