Thinking of trying Vltor A5.......what spring

[Onyx Z]

I prefer the stock spring that comes with the A5 kit. I tried a Sprinco Green and the A5 spring is a lot smoother IMO.

[BufordTJustice]

I have had 100% reliability with the Vltor spring. In my 14.5 I have the -2 buffer and Vltor spring. I have 6 rifles with the A5 RE and 5 have the Vltor spring and one has a Colt spring I think. All are 100% reliable.
I have never used a Sprinco anything.

The Springco is an excellent spring and no doubt it will outlast the std Vltor spring, but for the A5 it may be gilding the lily. Regardless, anybody who runs it will not be poorly served. Springco makes quality stuff.

EDIT: I rec Springco white or blue springs in carbine receiver extensions above all others and I use their 5 coil extractor springs exclusively. They make great kit, but their green spring allowed more gun movement and caused muzzle dip for me whereas the A5 spring doesn't cause muzzle dip in any config I've tried, regardless of buffer weight.

[Glockman1968]

Interesting... I threw the "green" in as soon as I had the castle nut staked. Never bothered with the spring that came with the kit.

Just to be absolutely clear, when you say copper colored spring, we are referring to the stock spring that comes with the kit?

The reason I ask is I did not notice a copper finish on the spring I got with the kit. Kit was ordered from RogTactical (no afilliation whatsoever).

[BufordTJustice]

Interesting... I threw the "green" in as soon as I had the castle nut staked. Never bothered with the spring that came with the kit.

Just to be absolutely clear, when you say copper colored spring, we are referring to the stock spring that comes with the kit?

The reason I ask is I did not notice a copper finish on the spring I got with the kit. Kit was ordered from RogTactical (no afilliation whatsoever).

The current Vltor A5 spring as ordered from Vltor is very similar in color to the new Colt copper washed extractor spring. They are $5 from Vltor. I know the early A5 springs from Vltor had a very dull, sandy/copper color and a rougher finish.

The Vltor spring actually has a slightly different spring rate than a std rifle spring according to Phreakish. Having used virtually every quality rifle spring on the market, I now believe him.

[Glockman1968]

Is it safe to assume the spring rate between the old and new are different?

The spring I got almost looks "caulky" if thats a good enough description. Lke a penny that went through a laundry wash cycle. Definitely not like the Colt extrator spring.

[jerrysimons]

The current Vltor A5 spring as ordered from Vltor is very similar in color to the new Colt copper washed extractor spring. They are $5 from Vltor. I know the early A5 springs from Vltor had a very dull, sandy/copper color and a rougher finish.

The Vltor spring actually has a slightly different spring rate than a std rifle spring according to Phreakish. Having used virtually every quality rifle spring on the market, I now believe him.

Have you reordered your judgment of each springs stiffness? Why did you switch back to the Vltor, needed more carrier return velocity? How about Brownell's CS rifle spring? Maybe Spring Co will make a rifle equivalent to the carbine white spring.

[TehLlama]

One of the nice things about the A5 is that many different rifle springs work well.

As a default, just run the stock vltor spring that comes with it.

I'll admit, it's only out of laziness/cheapness, but the stock setup on all my A5 lowers has worked perfectly, so I haven't ventured to see what I can change on something that already works better than I need it to. I just spent that money on more A5 kits.

[BufordTJustice]

Is it safe to assume the spring rate between the old and new are different?

The spring I got almost looks "caulky" if thats a good enough description. Lke a penny that went through a laundry wash cycle. Definitely not like the Colt extrator spring.

That's the first gen. I found the rates seem identical, the first gen is just rougher.

[BufordTJustice]

Have you reordered your judgment of each springs stiffness? Why did you switch back to the Vltor, needed more carrier return velocity? How about Brownell's CS rifle spring? Maybe Spring Co will make a rifle equivalent to the carbine white spring.

Brownells was fine and felt similar, but I'm in Florida and the last formal training day I had I got POURED on with my AR15. Ultimately, the Vltor spring had more corrosion protection than even the 17-7 ph mil spec springs and it just felt best.

A lot of engineering went into the Vltor spring according to Phreakish. I keep finding that they did the job right the first time.

[BufordTJustice]

Have you reordered your judgment of each springs stiffness? Why did you switch back to the Vltor, needed more carrier return velocity? How about Brownell's CS rifle spring? Maybe Spring Co will make a rifle equivalent to the carbine white spring.

I have a bunch of notes at home (I'm at Disney World now, feeding the animals). I'll try to find them and post the updated version in the next few days.