best way to lighten the tensile strength of a spring?

[mookiie]

What is the best way to lighten the tensile strength of a spring - Would it be to expand the gaps between the coils, while possibly also cutting some off due to increase in length?

Thanks!

 

[Jim Watson]

There used to be a good deal of spring tuning by clipping coils.
That actually increases the spring rate but reduces the load.
Wolff advertising has convinced us not to do what used to work fairly well.

Just what gun are you tinkering with?
Something Wolff doesn't support?

 

[mookiie]

A Mauser spring. I have a replacement on the way as I do not want to alter the original.

 

[YankeeFlyr]

Replace the spring with a new one that was made the way you want it...the rest of the mods are just bubba stuff.

 

[1911Tuner]

Many years ago, before we had different spring load ratings available, the trick was to find a dowel rod...or turn cold-rolled steel round stock to fit the spring's ID and roll it on a belt sander. You have to be careful not to let the spring overheat or you lose the temper.

It has to roll freely. If it stops...even for an instant...you kill the spring.

 

[RogersPrecision]

 

[1911Tuner]

Hey! If it's all ya got, it's all ya got. It used to be a common trick amongst the old hands. Things are better today. Now we've got springs for oddball applications in 1-pound increments...but there was a time that it wasn't so.

 

[RogersPrecision]

oh.....sorry, i misunderstood.
you were speaking of reducing the outside diameter of
a coil spring.
yes, rather routine in the olde daze.

 

[1911Tuner]

First time I saw it done was on a rebound spring in the Smith & Wesson Victory Model that I was given for my very first handgun at age 10. Managing the trigger in DA mode was givin' me a fit, and the old man opened it up and tweaked the spring for me. As a bonus, I also learned the inner workings of Smith double-action revolvers. Major stuff for a kid, dontcha know.

Then, as my appetite for bang grew...and .38 Special ammunition was so expensive at about $2.00 a box...he made a single cavity mould in the tool and die shop at Western Electric...and got me started on the path to turnin' wheelweights into bullets. Them was truly the...daze.

 

[rcmodel]

Just so you know.

Lightening the striker spring on a Mauser will slow the lock time resulting in possibly worse accuracy.
And it may even result in mis-fires.

Most of those old mauser striker springs are starting to get weak already.

Wolff sells Blitz extra-power springs that are stiffer then standard to address those things.

rc

 

[Jim K]

It is also a good trick on the mainspring (hammer spring) of J frame revolvers. Make sure not to reduce the tension too much because it needs to be high to ensure ignition with that light hammer.

Jim

 

[mookiie]

Thanks RC I am not talking about the Striker spring, I am looking to lighten the sear engagement spring in the trigger. I have a Spanish M1916 and the spring tension has to be 15 - 20 lbs it is just way over powered. I am doing some work on the trigger, so I need to either shorten the spring slightly or just reduce the tension some to get a crisper pull.

 

[rcmodel]

A hardware store spring assortment should have something that will work for that.

rc

 

[mookiie]

Tried that, no luck. It fits and works but the spring is to light and does not pass the bang on the ground test. I ordered some NO. 71 compression springs from brownells, hopefully one of those will work.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=26216/Product/NO-71-COMPRESSION-GUN-SPRINGS