Flat sping repair

[Lebel]

Hello to any of you who can offer help. I've converted a 3 shot Mannlich Berhier 07/15 to take the five shot clip. I works pretty good but some of the flat spings in the five shot follower have lost some tension over the years and as such don't allways bring the next shell up. The follower setup is just like the Moison Nagant's hinge type. How can a put more tension back into the flat spings ?

 

[sunray]

Springs do not lose temper over time. However, you can try stretching the spring a bit. Or bending the spring a tick so it's longer.

 

[mooncoon]

I had a quick look at my 3 shot Berthier and have a hard time seeing how the spring fastens to the follower. Basically remove the spring and heat it red hot and bend a small amount of curve into it. With the spring red hot, quench in water with 1/4" or so of oil floating on top. That will leave the spring brittle. Make up a tin tray and support the spring on edge in it, sitting on top of two 2" finishing nails and almost cover the spring with old lube oil. Heat the oil and get it burning, and when the oil has burned away, the temper is drawn to spring temper. While drawing the temper in molten lead heated to 680 F will also work, if you have a high temp thermometer, the oil method is very dependable. If all else fails, you can make a new thicker spring out of 3/8 drill rod.

cheers mooncoon