The left mainspring broke on my Bland 12 ga box lock. Can anyone recommend someone to craft a new one or who may have a selection of v springs? Thanks.
JJ Perodeau 580-747-1805
The best!
Second on JJ, he did the same repair for me on one of my father’s gun and cocking on that spring is like glass smoothness
Twenty years ago I had a shade-tree gunsmith fabricate a new leaf spring for my great grand dad's Parker VHE boxlock. He tempered the spring by putting it in a flaming puddle of motor oil in a coffee can. I've put probably 500 shells through the gun since without a hiccup.
It was easy enough service. He lived at the end of my country road and accepted a bottle for payment. I'd recommend him to you, but for him being on the wrong side of the grass now....
Hardening is one thing .The correct steel is just as important. There is spring steel and steel that can be used for springs .
Stephen Hutton at Britania Sporting. Used to work for Churchill. Made a new cocking spring for my Atkin Spring Opener.
Hardening is one thing .The correct steel is just as important. There is spring steel and steel that can be used for springs .
Gunman, good point. What alloy would you recommend? I've a fair to middlin' speaking acquaintance with metalurgy, but would like to know what experienced men use.
DDA
I have made several V Springs in the past using the method Grouse Guy cited. All to the best of my knowledge have given good service, at least the ones I have not lost contact with. I believe that Brownell's may carry spring stock, Dixie Gun Works I assume still does. I once had some from the now defunct I believe Frank Mittermeer firm.
As I recall 1075 will make a good spring, I believe that 1095 is too hard & apt to break. I am sure there are other alloys now in use but these plain carbon steels will make long lasting springs & lend themselves well to "Primitive" methods of heat treating.
Brownells sells this mainspring kit, in addition to spring stock. No idea if it's useful to you, but it's at least another option.
https://www.brownells.com/shotgun-parts/...-prod10071.aspx
Most manufacturers use 1070. Temper using molten lead. The “kits” from brownells and Dixie use 1070. As stated above..1095 isn’t ideal.
My “new” mainspring/cocking limb for a Lancaster body action was hand cut from 1070, filed to shape and hardened/tempered in molten lead. This is probably the hardest working spring in any type of doublegun. It does a lot of heavy work. It’s holding up extremely well.
I believe 1095 is a pretty common 'spring' steel, but it probably would benefit from by the book heat treating. Not many will identify the steels used, but I believe there are quality gunmakers that use 1095 for mainsprings. I'd also suspect a little less carbon might be easier to get the home heat treating in the ball park. Even lower carbon content than 1070 might be 5160 that has a good chance of turning up as automotive leaf spring. Options are around, I'd think start with a known steel.