tempering mag springs/oven

[Longhunter1]

Has anyone tried to stretch worn magazine springs and retemper using an oven? If so what temperature, how long, quench method,etc? Waste of time?

 

[Trickymissfit]

Has anyone tried to stretch worn magazine springs and retemper using an oven? If so what temperature, how long, quench method,etc? Waste of time?

all your going to do is weaken an already weak spring. Unless you have 1400+ degree oven, and the correct quench medium (some steels want oil, and some want water). Better off buying new springs
gary

 

[tinkerer]

What he said.

Larry
Tinkerer

 

[shortgrass]

The spring would need to be annealed (put back in its soft state), adjusted for shape (streatched or whatever), re-hardened, and then given "spring temper". You'd have to know exactly the make-up of the steel used. For an obsolete, unavailable spring, I'd probably make a new one from 'new' steel, so i'd know the exact composition of that steel. If you have a spring that has taken a 'set' or has lost its ability to preform, it wasn't heat treated properly to begin with or the steel was inferior for the intended task or both.

 

[Trickymissfit]

The spring would need to be annealed (put back in its soft state), adjusted for shape (streatched or whatever), re-hardened, and then given "spring temper". You'd have to know exactly the make-up of the steel used. For an obsolete, unavailable spring, I'd probably make a new one from 'new' steel, so i'd know the exact composition of that steel. If you have a spring that has taken a 'set' or has lost its ability to preform, it wasn't heat treated properly to begin with or the steel was inferior for the intended task or both.

I just assumed the user was thinking AR platform. Never seen an internal mag spring fail. Now with AR's, a lot of folks like to leave a twenty round mag loaded with twenty rounds. A huge no no! In 1968, the Army found out (the hard way) that twenty rounds in the mag was a place for failure. They recommended going with 18 rounds instead. Springs don't like to be totally compressed, and the platform operated better with 18 rounds. I never had a 20 round failure (thank God). Yes I used a lot of twenty round (loaded mags), but I also could simply get new mags.

gary

 

[shortgrass]

Don't know what he has or what he's thinking. Modern magazine springs are cheap. Like I stated in my post, only if obsolete and unavailable. Modern made springs are better than they've ever been. Ya' just can't 'make' parts any cheaper than you can buy them if someone is already mass producing them. Heck, Brownells sells replacement springs for AR magazines. If I'm needing a spring for a Mauser '98 I buy the "kit" and replace all of them. He might even have a coil spring from tubular fed shotgun he's messing with,,,, who knows? His post didn't provide nearly enough information, except for the 'oven', and thinking another tempering cycle would improve the spring. It won't. It'll just make it 'less springy'. Lotta' technology in springs and heat treating & tempering. I guess you can't hurt much by messing with them, except need a new spring in the end..

 

[Longhunter1]

I was mainly wondering if there was some simple fix that I had not heard of. I have an M1 carbine that has a few faulty mag springs. These are a bit harder to come by, especially now in NY state

 

[shortgrass]

Illegal to ship springs to NY? Make your own, but that may be illegal, too.

 

[Longhunter1]

I'm not sure if I can order 15 rnd mag springs. Too many new laws in NY to even keep track.

 

[shortgrass]

I'm not sure if I can order 15 rnd mag springs. Too many new laws in NY to even keep track.

I'd call Wolff Spring and ask. They're a large company and they'll either say "NO, we can't ship to NY" or take your order!