Another broken spring

[outdoorman]

 

The Vortek spring in my Diana 34 just broke. Still works, just getting around 500fps instead of 700fps. This is the second Vortek spring I've had fail on me. The last one broke in two places, this one just one place. Seem to last about a year for me, probably around 8,000 pellets. I had just been thinking I should order a spare soon as the last one lasted about one year.

 

[bubblerboy64]

8.000 pellets and you're complaining ??? . How's your arm and elbow holding up ? 

 

[oldmanblue]

 

You might want to try an ARH kit. Done many 34's and they responded well. Springers rock!

 

[Guest]

I have a VORTEK spring in my D52 and a VORTEK kit in my HW35.

If the springs break I am going back to the factory springs.

Keep them lubed up...

 

[outdoorman]

Well, I wasn't really complaining, just saying. I shoot just about every single day so I'm ok with it after a year of shooting. I'll just replace the spring as it's only $19 for the spring from Vortek.

 

[1BadDart]

.177 or .22? I have the same spring in my .177 34 so now I know what the life expectancy is.

 

[bubblerboy64]

Here's a fellow we should ask about scopes on springers . If he's shootin 8,000 per he likely could give advice on scopes and mounts.

 

[outdoorman]

 

My Diana 34 is .22 caliber. I use the UTG 3-9x40 Hunter scope, Burris XTR rings (6 screws per mount, scope has never budged) on a UTG picatinny compensation mount.

 

[seven08]

That is the exact two UTG 3-9's that I had the CH break in and sent back. Only other problem I had with the first one was the battery moving in the housing had mashed an outer brass contact....no more illumination. Easily bent back into position to work again. I used it and the other without the battery for remainder of time owned. Even the battery gets knocked around by vibrations.

I had to remove 1/16" metal from each ring face on a RWS one pc. ring mount due to the short tube length.

 

[John "spysir" Blount]

Normally the vortek just go soft, was it at full power before letting go? 



John

 

[outdoorman]

Yes, I had just recently chronied it and was getting an average of 680fps

 

[gamyrick]

Does the tube that the spring sits in, allow the spring to twist when the shot is taken?

 

[outdoorman]

Yes, the spring fits loosely inside the outer tube and tightly against the inner tube when the spring is relaxed. In order to get the spring out, you have to grab the outer tube, then twist the spring in a direction that would unwind it while pulling. Same twist is required when pushing it back in. There is considerable lubricant on the inner tube and spring. I will provide some photo's when I get the new spring. 

 

[badammo]

I had one of the older bug buster scopes that had the battery and switch assembly screwed on to the scope body with four tiny bolts. It lasted about 50 shots on my rws 48. Flew right past my head when it went. Other than that the scope was fine. The new ones are cast into the scope now. I guess that was an issue for more than just me.

 

[gamyrick]

I've read several post about these springs failing and I've seen some photos of the broken springs. The breaks appear to be caused by the torsional stress exerted on the spring when it is released. If the spring can not rotate freely, it must absorb the full force of the torsional stress. 

 

[outdoorman]

Got the new spring today and I'm back in action at just under 700fps. I actually ordered just the spring and a new kit as well and I've put the new spring in the old guide so now I have a spare. Turns out the spring was broken in three places. Two of the breaks were inside the guide and with repeated cocking, one section of spring wound itself around another section so the total length of the spring was very short. There was no preload on it at all but I was still getting 500fps out of it and could still shoot accurately and consistently. First photo shows the broken spring on the left, the new spring in the middle and the original OEM spring. Second photo is the broken unit disassembled. There's a rubber washer and two brass washers that fit over the inner guide before you put the spring in. The inner guide is just a press fit into the bottom of the outer guide. It is free to rotate under spring torque. Third photo is first kill with the new spring. Went out to my hunting grounds and nailed him in the head from 25 yards within five minutes. Saw three more but never had a decent shot on them.

 

[gonzav71]

With Vortek springs, I usually get 10,000 shots when I shot my HW97K in a typical year of field target. Then they usually break at the top hat portion. I now keep spares just in case.

 

[JW652]

Just a thought. Have had two RWS rifles that were spring breakers. However, they were factory springs. Both had many thousands of rounds on them and broke in two places, but still functioned, albeit with less velocity. Know of folks with side-levers that broke springs as well. Have never broken a spring with another brand of rifle.

Perhaps it is a symptom of the rifles themselves and can be remedied, as suggested, with better spring guides or tuning. Still love the designs, accuracy and price. Might just be something we have to live with.

 

[outdoorman]

Came across this very interesting article on spring failure in spring piston air guns.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/277953420_Spring_Buzz_and_Failure_in_Spring_Piston_Airguns