Spring life

[roadrnnr42]

How long should a spring last. I have a shadow and varmit hunter. probably about 2500 shots in the shadow and the spring is making noise when you cock it. Only 2 months old.
How hard is it to replace the spring and should you replace anything else. Just ordered a GRT  and can't wait to get it.

the two springs that broke in my shadow lasted about 2000 shots each, but my new shadow is probably nearing 3000 and going strong.  It shouldn't be too hard to replace, except you would need a spring compressor.  Your gun is probably under warranty so if you want to opt to send it back, they will replace your spring.

Is the firing cycle different then it used to be?  Was there recently a sudden change from one shot, to the next one which was way different?  It could just be the spring 'creaking' while its being compressed, or there could be a lack of lubes around the spring.  My spring makes noise when I cock it, i don't know how to describe it though.

[Big_Bill]

Welcome Mike.

Spring life in any air rifle depends on the quality of the spring, ,how well it is prepared and fitted, how well it is lubed, the weight of the pellets your shooting through it, and others.

Unless you are mechanically inclined, I would have someone with experience perform this task for you, removing and installing springs can be dangerous. And if not done properly, will not leave you with a satisfactory preforming air rifle.

Now if you have felt or heard a difference in the sound when you shoot your rifle, or feel a difference in the velocity, using the same pellets, you may have a broken spring

If I established that I had a broken spring in my Gamo, I would send it CharlieDaTuna, he is a veryexperienced air gun smith who specializes in Gamo's. I haveonly heardpraises concerning his work !

CDT2@Charter.net

I hope that this helps !

Bill

[roadrnnr42]

Thanks for the info Bill. I am very mechanically inclined. I grew up in a motorcycle shop and was rebuilding engines when I was 12. By the time I was 14 I could bore cylinders and mill heads. I figure mechanical things out quickly I like to know how things work and prefer to do my own work for that reason. When I was 14 I turned a Honda Sl 100 into a 145 by resleeving the cylinder and using a 750 piston (after a few modifications).IF there are instructions that helps. I have never had a springer apart but I think I could do it without much problem. The things I would need to know about are what kind of lubes are needed etc. and what is the best aftermarket spring to put in it. IF the stock spring didn't last very long I don't think I want to send it back, even under warranty, just to get another sub par spring put in it. I already ordered the GRT trigger. Might as well make it the best gun I can if I have replace the spring.
I have seen great reviews for the trigger and tunes by Charlie datuna. That is where I got the info on the GRT trigger, looked up Charlie and ordered the trigger. He then sent an email about this forum. I always felt that if you are going to have a hobby or participate in a sport, you are better off knowing how to do your own repairs, tunes etc. so I will be picking everyones brain in this forum for info so I can learn. IF it turns out I am not as mechanically inclined as I think, I will send the parts to Charlie with a check.
Thanks, Mike

[roadrnnr42]

2000 shots doesn't seem like a lot when it takes about half that many just to break it in. IT still shoots okay. bought a varmint hunter a few weeks ago and both rifles seem to have same velocity and range. THe sound of the spring when you cock it just changed suddenly. Kind of a creaking noise. I paid $119.00 for the shadow and $129 for the varmint hunter at Acadamy Sports. They matched a 25% off from Sports Authority on Gamo guns. From what I see of prices on the web I think I got a good deal.

[Big_Bill]

Hello Mike,

The best available Springs and Lubes are available from James Maccari, if you replace the factory spring, it is recommended that you replace the tophat and spring guide with one that has been made for the spring, for best results. His springs are not made to Gamo Specs. and will not perform as well with the factory tophat and guide.

Tophats and guides must fit the spring properly for you to get the most out of your air rifle.

He also sells his lubes in a kit, see his website : http://www.airguns.citymax.com/page/page/251484.htm

Bill

[daved]

Hey, Mike, welcome to the GTA!  The stock spring in my CFX lasted less than 2000 shots, then broke.  Sometimes you can see the break if you pull the action out of the stock and look in the slot on the bottom of the spring tube.  Mine was also under warranty, but my feeling was the same as yours, why replace junk with more junk?  So I sent it to Charlie for a tune.  I had some other issues with that rifle, that Charlie helped clear up even though they weren't his responsibility.  Great shooter until the second spring collapsed.  Sheer bad luck, but by then, I was interested in gas rams, so that's what I ended up installing.  With your mechanical ability and experience, you'd have no problem doing a home lube/tune.  If you have some machining ability, so much the better.  Lots of info here on tunes, compressors, anything else you'd need to know.  You might also do a search on the Yellow Forum: http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/
Can't remember all the details, but there's a guy that did a tune on a CFX, and posted what amounted to a tutorial on the forum.  I'll see if I can find the link and post it, just in case.  BTW, the internals of almost ALL the Gamo rifles are essentially identical, so info on one will carry over to the others.  Good luck!

Dave

http://www.network54.com/Forum/479035/message/1157402298/CFX+rebuild+-+long+-+pics

[98 SNAKE EATER]

The stocker in my Whisper snapped after shooting over 5000 mixed pellets...

About 500 of those were PBA's and I had maybe 3 or 4 dryfires, so it probably would've gone longer...

Sent her out to CDT for a turbo tune a few days later  

[bently]

now wait just a minute you mean i just bought a gun that will prolly only last 2000 rounds or so? What happened to the 10,000 rounds that gamo claims to put through random guns on the assembly line? If all i get is 2000 rounds outta my gun im going to very upset.  That would mean id be buying a new gun or spring ever couple of months. Ill shoot 500 rounds or more per week when im home. Im thinking by the time i buy or make the stuff needed to replace the spring or send it to someone to do it i could just run down to gander mountain and buy a new one. Prolly less trouble. Hmmm?  Do the springs really wear out that quick? Bently

[gamo2hammerli]

Yeah now I'm worried like you....Like you I just got a Big Cat....

And I'm planning to pick up a Viper and a Whisper in a few weeks......

[howie1a]

how about the spring life in other rifles like the beeamans either r7 or r9 or any of the china  rifles is the short spring life do to the 1000 fps ? lets here from some other members that have both Gamnos and other brands

[Rixtrix]

My stock spring broke at 2500. Replaced it with a used Crosman spring from afriend until I could get a Jim Maccarri spring( about 500 shots) and the JM Spring has 3000 on it and still shoots the same fps  it did new. Gotta use a compressor for safety, but they're pretty easy to change. If using a stock Gamo spring , one can just install it with the proper lubes. Some aftermarket springs come with fitted guides(to the spring) that should come close to the original length when installed. Most gun tuners will cut  guides to match the exact dimensions of the particular gun they are working on. Check CDT"S website for details, or give bob a call or email.He's great to deal with and helped me out a lot! Or, Check out the links in the Mall for others. Lots of help available here!

RicG

I wouldn't be worried about it.  A remmedy I would think, would be to put some spring tar on the spring.  My shadow which was lube tunned by someone else lasted 5000+ shots, then I replaced the spring with something more powerful, a JM tarantula.  The old spring didn't break, I just wanted to upgrade.  Don't worry about the spring.  Every spring will break eventually.  If it does break, we here at the GTA can help you put in a new one if you want to do it yourself.