Spring guide tightness?

[Phil Russell]

It actually shoots quite nice and I know it sounds daft but cocking the gun really spoils the shooting experience.

Pete

I sympathise as I have seen a couple of rifles with this symptom. As noted, it can be due to the cocking link or shoe riding over the coils but if there is a sleeve in place then this is not so. But I have also seen a case where the spring itself was slightly too big (too large diameter) such that there was little clearance between spring and sleeve, or sometimes caused by sleeve being too thick (I have seen this with PTFE or other plastic sleeves but it can happen with much thinner steel sleeves) such that on cocking, the spring catches on the sleeve as it compresses; the sensation transmitting through the cocking action. I note the action had been 'tuned'. Maybe an aftermarket spring with a greater od than original .. fraction of a mm could do it. Or too thick a sleeve. Might be worth a check. If the spring is a quite firm sliding fit in the sleeve then maybe sleeve is too thick or another spring is needed.
Cheers, Phil

[evert]

I've seen two different sleeve thicknesses on the Supersport/lightning, so you may have the option of fitting a thinner sleeve if that turns out to be the problem.

One thing with the cocking lever is that it is not properly profiled from the factory, which means it digs a track in the sleeve.
Easily remedied with some dremel work to the lever, just make sure you done take off too much, just enough to clear the sleeve.

[TonyL]

Very good points, evert, and I'd be wondering the same re the profile of the cocking lever "ears".

Also, but maybe a very long shot, on rifles like these that rely on the plastic pad to keep the cocking lever located into the slot, maybe that pad might be too proud, forcing the lever further into the slot than is ideal? Maybe slackening the stock screws slightly and trying to cock might establish if this might be a possible contributor?

[evert]

.....
Also, but maybe a very long shot, on rifles like these that rely on the plastic pad to keep the cocking lever located into the slot, maybe that pad might be too proud, forcing the lever further into the slot than is ideal? ...

The pad forces the lever against the slip plate on the cylinder, which the lever lies parallell against.
This means that the part of the lever that contacts the piston will not be pushed deeper into the tube by excessive pressure on the lever.

[TonyL]

Ah, gotcha; thank you, evert.

[look no hands]

a little update, I managed to prise the paint brush from my hand and decided to investigate inside the Lightning, well it turns out the guy who tuned the rifle before Chris owning it decided it would be a good thing to use a broken spring, after a rummage through the box of springs, I've come up with a very nice fitting Titan that fits the original metal guide lovely, there's a very slight resonance on firing but no twang and the addition of a top hat stolen from a spare kit finishes off the repair nicely, not sure what the power is as not chrono'd it yet, a job for the morning.

Pete

[Herx77]

the spring should loosen on the guide as you cock it.. are you sure that;s what you are feeling ? Or the cocking shoe running over spring coils ?

I go with a guide that is a firm push fit, maybe even needing a bit of a twist to get it in. Then then under preload, it'll be a good bit looser and when cocked completely free.

Sounds right; I prefer clasping guide just before full spring extension,
HERX77 .

[TonyL]

a little update, I managed to prise the paint brush from my hand and decided to investigate inside the Lightning, well it turns out the guy who tuned the rifle before Chris owning it decided it would be a good thing to use a broken spring, after a rummage through the box of springs, I've come up with a very nice fitting Titan that fits the original metal guide lovely, there's a very slight resonance on firing but no twang and the addition of a top hat stolen from a spare kit finishes off the repair nicely, not sure what the power is as not chrono'd it yet, a job for the morning.

Pete

Sounding promising then, Pete. Guessing the spring will have broken whilst in use as opposed to being fitted in that state, though?

[look no hands]

Sounding promising then, Pete. Guessing the spring will have broken whilst in use as opposed to being fitted in that state, though?

Of course Tone, just my sarcasm creeping in, just chronoed it and it's doing just over 9ftp, I've not put any slip washers on it and to be honest, like we've talked about at the bashes, do we really need full power from all of the rifles we bring, it won't be used for hunting, I think after my plinking session with the Fenman and my arm aching after about 20 shots, really puts me off enjoying using hard to cock rifles, so I think softer sprung rifles are the way to go when bash shooting.

Pete

[baldinio]

a little update, I managed to prise the paint brush from my hand and decided to investigate inside the Lightning, well it turns out the guy who tuned the rifle before Chris owning it decided it would be a good thing to use a broken spring, after a rummage through the box of springs, I've come up with a very nice fitting Titan that fits the original metal guide lovely, there's a very slight resonance on firing but no twang and the addition of a top hat stolen from a spare kit finishes off the repair nicely, not sure what the power is as not chrono'd it yet, a job for the morning.

Pete

Sorry to hear the spring was broken mate, glad it was an easy fix though. Will buy you a pint at the next bash by way of compensation

[look no hands]

Sorry to hear the spring was broken mate, glad it was an easy fix though. Will buy you a pint at the next bash by way of compensation

Don't be daft, you weren't to know, and anyway where's the pub at the bash or do you mean your alcohol forcing area, ahem sorry, your tent

Pete

[evert]

a little update, I managed to prise the paint brush from my hand and decided to investigate inside the Lightning, well it turns out the guy who tuned the rifle before Chris owning it decided it would be a good thing to use a broken spring, after a rummage through the box of springs, I've come up with a very nice fitting Titan that fits the original metal guide lovely, there's a very slight resonance on firing but no twang and the addition of a top hat stolen from a spare kit finishes off the repair nicely, not sure what the power is as not chrono'd it yet, a job for the morning.

Pete

I get very good firing behaviour and accuracy with Titan #1 in the supersport/lightnings I've tried it in.
Just put a delrin tophat to guide it properly, plus a tight guide and som slip washers at each end of the spring, and you'll get a very nice 11-12fpe gun.

[look no hands]

I get very good firing behaviour and accuracy with Titan #1 in the supersport/lightnings I've tried it in.
Just put a delrin tophat to guide it properly, plus a tight guide and som slip washers at each end of the spring, and you'll get a very nice 11-12fpe gun.

Do you trim the spring down, if so, how many coils do you have on the spring?

Pete

[baldinio]

Don't be daft, you weren't to know, and anyway where's the pub at the bash or do you mean your alcohol forcing area, ahem sorry, your tent

Pete

When I said buy you a pint what I really meant was ply you with homebrew

[look no hands]

When I said buy you a pint what I really meant was ply you with homebrew

I somehow thought that might be the case

Pete