!Adding a new Mainspring

[anon60521]

I recently purchased an "Ox Mainspring" for "BSA lightning" and have some questions. I took it to my gunsmiths but said if he installed it he would have to restrict it to 12ft/lbs.

 

So here are my questions:

 

 

 

1) How can I put the spring in myself? Do I need any tools?

 

 

 

2) Could my BSA Lightning take the power of the spring (It is the correct specification for my model) if it goes in as it is and increases its power AND MAINTAIN IT'S ACCURACY?

[pin]

Your gunsmith is a sensible man, I am assuming you don't have an FAC? If so you need to be sure that it's not over 12fpe. To do that job properly you'd need a chronograph so you could be sure you were not making yourself a firearm.

 

Contrary to what most people think an extra foot pound isn't going to make the slightest bit of difference in practice so it's simply not worth doing. Get caught with a rifle that's over and you can kiss goodbye to ever being involved with shooting again.

 

Fitting a spring is relatively simple but I am not going to say how until I know your reasons for wanting to do it, what's wrong with how it is now?

[SNAKEBITE]

I know it's too late now but an "OX" mainspring is perhaps the worst "upgrade" you can get. It is perhaps the harshest spring you can get.

I would advise against fitting it because...........

 

1. it will make it illegal, just not worth doing.

2. it might make the rifle unshootable. Too much "boing" in the action and the pellet will go anywhere.

 

Sorry to put a downer on it.

[anon60521]

OMG so thats why my gunsmith wouldn't do it! so its ilegal! THANK YOU SO MUCH - u saved my ***!

 

I only needed to fit it as my current spring has broken into 2 peices. What do u advise? and how can I check if it's illegal when it is fitted?

[Dougy]

Hi anon60521

 

just had a quick peep at your profile, , as it would have given me an idea of your age. Because - it would give a iclue of any income that you may have or if its pocket money your spending on repairing your air rifle.

 

But no age is shown

 

The cost of a replacement spring would not i'm sure amount to not much maybe £20 not sure but the job would be a goodun. Way that up against the cost of maybe a fine or at very least the confiscation of you air rifle.if found using it illegaly

 

your best bet is the gun smith that was wise enough to tell you in the first place what would happen if you whent ahead and did the job yourself.

 

 

Start off on the rite track and you will not go far wrong

[Gully]

I have a Lightning XL spring you can have for nothing if you want it. I put a gas ram in mine. Don't even think about taking your gun apart unless you know exactly what you're doing. Best case is you manage it and end up with a gun too strong or too weak, worst case is you find out what happens when a compressed mainspring inserts itself into the arteries in your wrist.

 

Find out from your gunsmith or BSA if a XL spring will work and if it does I'll send it to you. Have it fitted professionally and get the gun tuned to 11 ft lbs (which is the high end of legal power).

[pin]

OMG so thats why my gunsmith wouldn't do it! so its ilegal! THANK YOU SO MUCH - u saved my ***!

 

I only needed to fit it as my current spring has broken into 2 peices. What do u advise? and how can I check if it's illegal when it is fitted?

 

Legal limit is 12 foot pounds, a "foot pound" is a measurement of energy. You use a chronometer, a device that measures the speed of the pellet just as it leaves the barrel, and do some sums based on the reading that gives and how heavy the pellet is.

 

Your gunsmith will have one of these, most air gunners won't have their own "chrono" but you can pick them up for about £35, most will do the sums for you and just give an LCD reading of the energy in foot pounds.

 

Snakebite knows his apples, take the OX mainspring back if you can and put the money towards having the smith replace the spring for you.

[BSA Shaun]

At least you have seen the light fella. At first I thought you wer angry because he would not let you get away with making an illegal firearm.

 

Replacing a spring is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I would not even consider it myself. As has been suggested get yourself a spring and take it to the gunsmith who will fit and chrono it.

 

You will then have a gun with newly well fitted spring and one which you know is legal.

[Gully]

According to this bsa spares list, http://www.chambersgunmakers.co.uk/BSA%20p...port%20list.htm the Lightning and Lightning XL springs are the same. If you want mine let me know. They're only £8 though. See if you can take the ox back.

[BSA Shaun]

Take this man up on his offer, have heard he is decent to deal with.

 

Hey presto nearly new springer

[anon60521]

Oh, I just didn't know that having it more powerfull than 12ft/lbs was illegal I was reccomended to get an ox mainspring as they are "High quality and designed to replace the mainspring in most air rifels". It says on the packet that it fits BSA Lightning (my good ol' gun) and also "Ox mainsprings are built to fantastic quality and precision and are designed to replace the lower quality cheeper manufactures mainspring" so I presumed it would be fine. Which if that would make my gun "unshootable" is just unacceptable.

 

So can I just check if I put it in my BSA Lightning it would:

 

1) Make my gun "unshootable" and it would loose its accuracy

2) Be Illegal

 

I took it to my gunsmiths and he said he "could" fit it and didn't mention whether it would decrease accuracy etc but he said he would have to "restrict it if he did fit it". This seems the best option so far, but my last few questions are:

 

When he restricts it:

 

how will he restrict it?

will it damage my rifle?

will it affect accuracy?

 

I really appreciate all the helpfull replies from everyone, thankyou so much.

 

Yours,

Jack

[BSA Shaun]

I refer you to SNAKEBITE's post mate:

 

"I know it's too late now but an "OX" mainspring is perhaps the worst "upgrade" you can get. It is perhaps the harshest spring you can get.

I would advise against fitting it because...........

 

1. it will make it illegal, just not worth doing.

2. it might make the rifle unshootable. Too much "boing" in the action and the pellet will go anywhere."

 

Yes the gunsmith will be able to restrict it, but there is no pint when you can get the real deal.

 

You are better off returning it and getting a proper lightning or lighning XL spring.

 

My 2p

 

[SNAKEBITE]

IMHO fitting an "OX" spring is the airgun equivalent of "boying up" a Vauxhall Nova.

 

It can turn a good car into something (if not done properly) that is dangerous to drive, invalidates your insurance and will get you nicked.

 

If you gunsmith said from the off, "I'll have to restrict it" it indicates that in his opinion it WILL be chucking out more than 12ft/lb if fitted.

If he restricts it it will be done so that it will not damage the rifle, a series of washers are added in strategicplaces to cutdown on the power.

If fitted it MIGHT affect accuracy, it certainly will not be as smooth to shoot as having an original spring fitted.

 

It really is up to you, if you have decided to fit it then good luck and hope it works out for you. If not then yes, you have wasted a few quid but you will end up with a better rifle for not fitting it.

[killer rabbit (r1000)]

i've fitted an ox mainspring to a b2 (was mine at the time, my brother now owns it & god only knows how he's treating it - he's split the stock ). i had to cut a couple of turns off the spring as i was fitting it & being a bit of a nutter when it comes to these things, i fitted it on my own (not reccommended, even a gunsmith will make any spring replacement a 2-man job) & yes, it was left legal (just) & kicked like a mule.

 

my advice - take the ox back & get either a more suitable spring, or have a gas-ram fitted

[loopy bunny blaster]

theoben do a gas ram for the lighting

 

the best possible power plant upgrade

[Devilishdave]

Changing a spring on an air rifle tends to be straight forwards. I did this my self when I was 14 years old on my BSA Air sporter and on several air rifles in later years. I used no special tools just what I found in my old mans shed. What I would say is if you dont feal competent enough to do it then go to the gun shop and cough up your hard earned cash.

 

Dave