Jump to content

!Adding a new Mainspring


anon60521
 Share

Recommended Posts

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. :good:

 

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?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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. :good:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 :lol:

 

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 :good:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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. :good:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

 

:good:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

:good: 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 :good: ). 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 :good:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...