Of springs and rust...

[WS6]

Interesting test. I thought Colt was using a copper colored spring?

They are, but after some use, it comes off. That extractor spring probably has around 6-800 rounds on it.

[WS6]

I have continued my corrosion testing to include JP's tuned and polished spring. However, it failed (all 3 that I ordered...) before they got to my house...

I am disappointed in the JP "polished and tuned" springs I ordered. I am a corrosion-phobe, and test things beyond realism when it comes to that aspect of performance. Why? It's humid where I live. I've had firearms damaged by rust before even in less humid areas. The 3 springs I ordered arrived pre-corroded in their wrappers. Now, it wasn't BAD, but you have to understand how springs work. The surface of a spring is VERY important to the properties of it. Moreso than the core or intermediate material, regarding its "ability to spring". What's more, half of the description of these things is "polished". They aren't too "polishy and slick" when they are rusted on the surface. Rust by nature tends to be a bit rough. So what did I do? I popped one of the corroded springs into my dish-washer. Why? It simulates what I might take the rifle through regarding humidity and rain at an all-day training course, or hunting. The wash cycle is not even close to done yet, and the spring is looking...rough. As in, like a Cheeto, after about 15 minutes. Might be good in a competition gun, but for a duty rifle that may ride in a hot, humid police vehicle, or be taken out on a call in the rain, or trained with, or hunted with...I'd make a difference choice. It not only failed my rather "tough" testing, it arrived rusted in what appeared to be an almost air-tight package.

Rust can clearly be seen evidenced both on the blue paper inside the wrapper, and to the right of the rust spots on the wrapper, seen on the surface of the spring.


I have not contacted JP, because this is not a customer service or product failure issue, it is a design concept flaw of using un-coated music-wire in the wrong environmental application. While one can argue "your gun won't go in the dish-washer!", I can argue "A polished spring should not arrive corroded, and the fact that it did indicates that the process will likely continue at any out-door match, if it can take hold in a warehouse within the safety of its factory packaging."

[Benito]

I'd contact customer service if a product arrived corroded inside the packaging.
Now I'm getting fidgety about the LPK I have from DSGArms. My corrosion-OCD is flaring up.

[556BlackRifle]

I'd contact customer service if a product arrived corroded inside the packaging.
Now I'm getting fidgety about the LPK I have from DSGArms. My corrosion-OCD is flaring up.

I agree. I think you should let them know it arrived that way. Could be a bad batch or could be product deficiencies but either way, I think it would be a good idea to contact customer service and see what happens with a set of replacement springs.

On the original test, I was surprised that the Springco - CS action springs fared worse than Colt in that test. Thanks for taking the time to perform these tests. The results are very interesting.

[WS6]

I agree. I think you should let them know it arrived that way. Could be a bad batch or could be product deficiencies but either way, I think it would be a good idea to contact customer service and see what happens with a set of replacement springs.

On the original test, I was surprised that the Springco - CS action springs fared worse than Colt in that test. Thanks for taking the time to perform these tests. The results are very interesting.

JP uses Music Wire. It is a high-carbon spring steel. Nothing was "wrong" with my springs, based on this information. I don't think JP can do anything about physics. I knew they were of a very easily rusting material when I bought them, and file it under "buyer be informed". In my dish-washer test, the JP spring looked many times worse than the Sprinco.

I could send it back to Brownells, for what, $7 shipping? I could "make" JP take it back? I dunno, the juice isn't worth the squeeze, and I don't feel I was dealt poorly with, so meh. I dunno. Maybe I'll ask to trade it for some of their gas rings, which actually did perform great for me.

[bruin]

You can have your cake and eat it, too... with a Tubbs flatwire buffer spring that's 17-7 and coated. I've used the AR15 and AR10 versions and the latter is stronger than milspec and more "linear" than a Sprinco green. The Tubbs are a pain to install/remove, though.

[WS6]

You can have your cake and eat it, too... with a Tubbs flatwire buffer spring that's 17-7 and coated. I've used the AR15 and AR10 versions and the latter is stronger than milspec and more "linear" than a Sprinco green. The Tubbs are a pain to install/remove, though.

Link? Only showing CS from them, not 17-7 coated.

[bruin]

Their website and Brownells are outdated. Last three springs I got from Brownells clearly state 17-7 on the packaging. I can snap you a pic if you're interested.

[Outlander Systems]

Great info.

As a resident of a humid environment, who also spends a lot of time outdoors, corrosion-resistance is a factor I consider with a lot of my firearms-related purchases.

Ironically, on my way home, I was thinking about running a similar test.

Thanks for saving me the trouble, and thanks for the outstanding information.

[joeyjoe]

Excellent and informative work, WS6!
This specific test aside, Im a little surprised to hear that some people have been experiencing corrosion issues with their springs. I live in a fairly humid environment, but i haven't ever really noticed any corrosion. Im going to start paying closer attention to this. I regularly slather the carbine action spring and the extractor spring with lubricant (slip 2000 ewl). Am i the only one who does this? I would think that a coated action spring couldn't corrode?