Spring replacement question.

[holdan74]

So i installed a vortek kit, now im at 16fpe, but im starting to understand what so many say about springers, keep it tame and smooth. The gun is accurate but im wondering if it wont be even better if i go back to that 12fpe spring. The shot is just a hard kick no vibration or twang at all, but it feels violent. So my question if i want to try this.



Can i stick my stock 12fpe spring into all my vortek parts? dont know if anyone has tried this. but i think a soft kitten of a shot cycle would be more fun lol.

 

[thumper]

Vortek usually requires a smaller diameter spring than other tunes and factory springs. This is due to it needing to fit inside Vorteks dual guide arrangement. So I doubt a stock spring would fit. 

Modify the Vortek spring. Cut a couple coils and close the end, or heat and collapse a coil at the rear end. 

You could try snugger pellets too. It can help calm a slammy rifle a little bit. 

 

[holdan74]

Ahh thats what a slammy rifle means lol, its got some adjustment thing on the top hat where you turn it, but ive seem to have lost the instructions lol. Let me try googling what that adjustment is and how it works

 

[jusanothajoe]

You might could cut a few coils off the Vortek spring and tame it some.

 

[thumper]

What gun and caliber are we working with here? 

The tophat deal whatever it is, just make it shorter overall if it threads in and out of the spring. 

 

[holdan74]

its the hw95 .22

I know the instructions said something about turning the top hat to make an adjustment, poop why did i lose them lol.....

 

[holdan74]

Ok i found the instructions! The small guide at the end of the spring can be rotated to increase or reduce velocity, its got a small slot in the guide the deep one reduce and the other increases it says.

 

[thumper]

I've found the HWs in .22 to have oversized bores. A tight pellet will be your best bet in those, like a Superdome or a H&N FTT in 5.54 or bigger. If the pellet isn't sealing well, the pellet starts moving in the barrel before the piston reaches peak compression, and you get a harsh slam. The cushion at the end of the cycle relies on pellet seal and the transfer port diameter. 

If you are using JSBs, I'll almost bet that it will feel better with a pellet swap alone. I'd certainly try it before opening it up. 

 

[ChuckHunter]

Vortek usually requires a smaller diameter spring than other tunes and factory springs. This is due to it needing to fit inside Vorteks dual guide arrangement. So I doubt a stock spring would fit. 

Modify the Vortek spring. Cut a couple coils and close the end, or heat and collapse a coil at the rear end. 

You could try snugger pellets too. It can help calm a slammy rifle a little bit. 

There are no closed ends on the new vortek kits...haven't actual seen one in person yet but that's what the description on the website says...something about notches in the guides for the spring ends to fit in...

Sounds kinda weird but I guess its working!

James from Michigan 

 

[GoldenStateAIRGUNer]

" I've found the HWs in .22 to have oversized bores. A tight pellet will be your best bet in those, like a Superdome or a H&N FTT in 5.54 or bigger. If the pellet isn't sealing well, the pellet starts moving in the barrel before the piston reaches peak compression, and you get a harsh slam. The cushion at the end of the cycle relies on pellet seal and the transfer port diameter. "

That is a good point Thumper! Both my .22cal Sig ASP20 and my .22cal RWS 34 shoot harsher with loose fitting pellets and with less velocity than with tighter pellets of equal weight. Higher power springers prefer snugger fitting pellets.

 

[AirNGasman]

As with most (all?) things mechanical, as power approaches the limit of any platform, mechanical VIOLENCE increases exponentially. And vice-versa. 

 

[holdan74]

you guys are just a wealth of information glad i can ask questions lol

 

[Michigander]

I found a picture on the Vortek site that shows the 12 ft-lb kit with an open ended spring fitted to a top hat having a helical groove of some sort to accept the open end of the spring. But the top hat is white whereas the HO top hat is pictured as black, so I think the springs cannot be switched due to differences in diameter. And the top hat adjustment is described as being used to make only MINOR adjustments to power level on the 12 ft-lb kit to ensure a gun is not over the 12 ft-lb limit.

But the HO spring end should be able to be clipped to reduce power. Grind a notch in the spring wire then snap off the end and smooth with emery cloth. I would call Tom at Vortek and ask how many coils to remove to reach the desired power level unless someone here knows a rule of thumb you can apply.