Lets talk springs...

[flying pig]

I reproduce military stocks for a hobby, particularly Ross rifles. I've been at it a couple years now, and one area has been a constant thorn in my side: the handguard springs. I have the installation procedure pretty well dialled in now, but the springs themselves are still giving me greif. The spring material I have is brittle, and loses its shape easily. It's pretty well flat out dangerous, plus they end up inconsistant. The material used in the originals holds the barrel much better (not sure about how it would be to shape or drill). Any of you guys know anything about spring steel or how I can improve this?

 

[Sydney1942]

Hi--look on the Americanlongrifle site--they were talking about spring making yesterday
Several methods
Also Dixie gun works has some great spring stock
It s easy to work with-I never had any problems with it
Sydney

 

[trevj]

Not being familiar with the Ross, could you post a picture.

What material are you using, and what heat treat process do you use to make it into a spring, from raw stock?

There are essentially two ways to ruin a spring, one is by using crap methodology to heat treat it, the other is to bend it past it's yield point.

Cheers
Trev

 

[flying pig]

Trev, it's bending it too far that I'm having troubles with for the most part. They have to be bent pretty far. I can't give pictures right now as I'm up at school, but they use a fairly heavy contour 303B barrel. The springs are attached with two steel rivets in the center. I built a fixture to bend them in, it's like a bar with two forks on it. The spring stock is treated prior to my bending it or drilling it. It's 3/4" wide, not sure how thick. I can check when I'm home again.

Ill check out the link too, thanks

 

[BCRider]

I've messed around with springs from both flat stock and wire. But I'd need to see pictures of what the stock Ross spring looks like before I'd want to suggest anything.

 

[Brutus]

Leaf springs! The bane of my existence lately. Try an antique 10 gauge SxS......geeze!

 

[H Wally]

Heh - I've got a solution for you PM inbound.