Just tried something I've never done before on a springer.... and it worked !

[Shed tuner]

brace yourselves folks, this is a bit radical....

.. I just fitted an Ox spring to a gun. Deliberately. I knew exactly what it was, but I still put it in there... and it's shooting quite nicely

Full context.. building up an HW35, and the 3.2mm wire gauge longish spring was giving a pretty unpleasant cycle; 10 FP, but it felt slow, and slammy at the same time. Just not nice. I was pretty sure this was due to the fairly heavy piston (270g) and the large 30mm bore, making for excessively slow initial acceleration, which combined with the famously long port, made for similarly slow initial pressure build up.

So I needed a stiffer spring. Just didn't have anything in the selection (around 30 ) any stiffer than 3.2mm, except one monster I'm saving for my FAC 48... but there were a couple of Oxs. This one was about 3/4" shorter, and obviously stiffer, so in it went.

Result pretty much as expected; much faster firing cycle, less slammy, and power went up a fair bit too. Cocking effort wasn't obviously different, but in reality would have been more at the end of the stroke - where you have most leverage, hence I didn't notice it. Not fine tuned anything yet - need to get a stock and try it out for accuracy first - but hey, it seems everything has it's uses

[mdunn]

Everyone will now be looking through the bits box, for they old ox springs or taking them off the gates. Atb mick

[Dornfelderliebe]

Has any one else had a satisfactory experience with an Ox ? They couldn't have been that bad unless they are only suited to some situations.

[T 20]

Has any one else had a satisfactory experience with an Ox ? They couldn't have been that bad unless they are only suited to some situations.

Yep, I've got a HW35 that I was given in 1986 that came fitted with an OX, it's presently running an O ring piston seal and 71mm stroke and is still powered by the same Ox --- the gun can be seen in the October edition of Real Airgun Sport.
The Ox in this gun gets no preload on it until the trigger block is screwed in by a few threads --- I can't remember if TonyL hit the Quigley bucket with this gun or not ?

I really enjoy folks talking about garden gates and sharp corners of the spring cutting Pistons, it makes me laugh.

Don't forget that Weihrauch fitted square section springs in the early HW97 with no detriment to the gun.



All the best Mick

[TonyL]

Yep, I've got a HW35 that I was given in 1986 that came fitted with an OX, it's presently running an O ring piston seal and 71mm stroke and is still powered by the same Ox --- the gun can be seen in the October edition of Real Airgun Sport.
The Ox in this gun gets no preload on it until the trigger block is screwed in by a few threads --- I can't remember if TonyL hit the Quigley bucket with this gun or not ?

I really enjoy folks talking about garden gates and sharp corners of the spring cutting Pistons, it makes me laugh.

Don't forget that Weihrauch fitted square section springs in the early HW97 with no detriment to the gun.

All the best Mick

I remember that one, Mick. Lovely.

[evert]

Don't forget that Weihrauch fitted square section springs in the early HW97 with no detriment to the gun.

Another reason why I'd like to hear how peoples OX springs measure is to positively ID the springs in my spring boxes.
The square section springs I have are salvage springs from guns that came in a sorry state, so no certain ID.

Are all OX springs made from the same dimension wire?

[Shed tuner]

just done a final strip, lube and rebuild, and measured up the spring.. it's actually a very soft wind, and now I'm thinking maybe it's an old HW97 square section instead ?

3.1mm square (surface area 9.6mm2, equiv to a round section 3.5mm, but the square may be stiffer - I don't know the equations)
230mm long (about 1.6" of preload)
30 coils (it's near coilbound when cocked)
20.3mm OD

With a little too much grease on the spring and guides, it's doing 10.5 FP and shoots pretty nice.. that's with just the bare action, so it should be good in a stock

[capt hindsight]

Has any one else had a satisfactory experience with an Ox ? They couldn't have been that bad unless they are only suited to some situations.

Yes, I put one of the regular ones straight out the packet into my .22 Gamo 3000. Changed the seals at same time.

It does 11.5 ft/lbs with only around 6fps variation.

It twangs a bit and I've been tempted to sleeve the spring, but the chrony results are so good I just decided to leave it alone.

[maz001471]

Has any one else had a satisfactory experience with an Ox ? They couldn't have been that bad unless they are only suited to some situations.

Yes, I got an ox in my hw98 0.22 and it works very nicely, super smooth and also has a sleeve and guide fitted.

[T 20]

Yes, I got an ox in my hw98 0.22 and it works very nicely, super smooth and also has a sleeve and guide fitted.

Just out of interest, Maz, did I give you that Spring ?

I only ask as I gave away a few square section springs at a Boinger Bash that had been donated to the cause by Punchsteve, if it came from me it would be an Airforce Spring.




All the best Mick

[maz001471]

Just out of interest, Maz, did I give you that Spring ?

I only ask as I gave away a few square section springs at a Boinger Bash that had been donated to the cause by Punchsteve, if it came from me it would be an Airforce Spring.




All the best Mick

Hello Mick,
No you did not give me that spring.
I had it fitted by A&M gunsmiths when he did the tuning work to the HW98 [ every one that shot it said it was a very sedate rifle to shoot].
Cheers Maz.

[junglie]

My '77 .22 HW 35e shot lovely at 11+ft/lbs on the original spring that had barely any preload but was as stiff & thick wire as an ox, still had original leather washer too, all i did was relube it after reblueing & add a lube sleeve, I've cut down a good few ox's for mates in the 80's usually in hw 80's & got them to shoot a lot better too.

[look no hands]

How's your gate going to cope without the gate spring and a gate post.

[Mach 1.5]

Yep JB they do shoot well. I noticed with the one I fitted a few years back that a top hat wasn't required either and still shot nice. Mach 1.5

[mrto]

Doesn't the square section spring sometimes damage the cylinder bore?