View Full Version : Colt "Gold" extractor spring vs Sprinco 4 coil
I just used my last Colt gold/copper washed ejector spring on one of my ar's that was showing weak and erratic ejection, and it fixed the problem. While I was looking through my "box-o-parts" I found a baggie of 3 sprinco "enhanced" 4 coil ejector springs, inserts, and o rings that I don't remember buying. I searched, and pretty much everything was about the Sprinco 5 coil XP springs, not much about the 4 coil. My question is, how do they compare to the Colt springs? Are they pretty much the CS version of them? Do I need to use the o ring, or is just the insert enough?
Thanks in advance!
From a prior discussion.
I remembered having tried a Sprinco 5-coil at some point, and when I went to look for it in the parts box just now, I found that I had one of their 4-coils as well. So I measured….
Colt copper-washed: wire diameter .026, ends ground, approx 3-1/2 turns by my count. Free height ~.175
Sprinco 5-coil: wire diameter .025, ends not ground, approx 4-1/2 turns. Free height ~.225
Sprinco 4-coil: wire diameter .026, ends ground, approx 4 turns. Free height ~.190
Damage Industries copper-washed: same measurements as Sprinco 4-coil.
Old-style from unknown mfg: wire diameter .022, approx 3-3/4 turns, ends ground. Free height ~.160
ETA: I’m glad I did this because until now I had assumed that the Damage Industries spring was the same as Colt’s. Not quite.
They're both very similar in strength and dont need the oring
From a prior discussion.
Sprinco 4-coil: wire diameter .026, ends ground, approx 4 turns. Free height ~.190
Those are the same requirements as the Colt Gold spring, at least they fall within the tolerances.
From a prior discussion.
They're both very similar in strength and dont need the oring
Those are the same requirements as the Colt Gold spring, at least they fall within the tolerances.
Awesome, don't know how I missed that post. Thanks guys, I'm no longer hurry to order anything from Brownells, I'll just get some next time I'm there.
I know it's not super scientific or anything, but yesterday at the range I shot a bit off a rest with the Colt spring in, then swapped to the sprinco 4 coil and the brass was landing in the exact same spot with both springs.
Both are great and are absolutely worth the upgrade imo. The only difference is the Sprinco will last significantly longer because it’s made out of chrome silicone.
The only difference is the Sprinco will last significantly longer because it’s made out of chrome silicone.
You may recall I have quoted this before. If you have good reason to believe lysander is wrong I'd like to know it.
In ALL AR-15 applications there is absolutely NO REASON to use chrome-silicon wire, period.
There is absolutely no difference between music wire and chrome-silicon wire, except performance at high temperature. Two springs, one music wire, and one C-S made to the same dimensions, will have the same spring rate, same stress factors, same life, at temperatures below 300 degrees F.
If you need a valve spring to live inside and engine, yes, it might have to withstand a constant heat soak of 300 F. If your gun spring is uniformly above 300 F, your gun is on fire and you don't need to worry about the spring life.
Quote Originally Posted by lysander;
In ALL AR-15 applications there is absolutely NO REASON to use chrome-silicon wire, period.
There is absolutely no difference between music wire and chrome-silicon wire, except performance at high temperature. Two springs, one music wire, and one C-S made to the same dimensions, will have the same spring rate, same stress factors, same life, at temperatures below 300 degrees F.
If there is no difference...what difference does it make in the AR application?
Anybody know who manufactures the extractor springs that BCM sells? Is it Sprinco?
Does anyone have a good source where I can purchase 5 to 10 of these at a better price than purchasing one at a time?
Quote Originally Posted by lysander;
In ALL AR-15 applications there is absolutely NO REASON to use chrome-silicon wire, period.
There is absolutely no difference between music wire and chrome-silicon wire, except performance at high temperature. Two springs, one music wire, and one C-S made to the same dimensions, will have the same spring rate, same stress factors, same life, at temperatures below 300 degrees F.
If there is no difference...what difference does it make in the AR application?
CS fails corrosion testing badly. Very badly. If someone has a gun that never sees bad weather and gets treated like a pure bred poodle, then the aftermarket spring probably wouldn't cause problems.
I tried a springco years back and it made my carbine malfunction. I'd guess it was a miss-pack rifle spring or something. I've never put a non spec spring in my guns since.
And corrosion causes spring failure.
And corrosion causes spring failure.
Sprinco is the only extractor spring I can recall completely breaking. I thought I had a post in here, but I can’t find it. It broke after shooting in a downpour for a couple days, though it could be a fluke. It broke leaving almost exactly one coil in the extractor, which makes me wonder if the unground end somehow introduced a stress on the coil above. Every Sprinco action spring I’ve used rusted, even just from humidity from the gun case coming in and out.
So, if there’s no difference, then that could be the difference. Maybe. Or not.
the AR-15 Junkie
08-19-22, 17:12
Sprinco CS Springs = SOTAR Hype.
Though I dont have any pics of broken Sprinco extractor springs I have several pictures archived i have seen of the Sprinco buffer springs broken where they corroded thru.
Just run the Colt stuff and forget about it.
I’m gonna pile on the corroded Springco springs.
When I was younger and more easily influenced I got a Sprinco Blue to make my 6920 perfecter. After a bit of time living on the ranch it didn’t cycle. Spring was trashed.
68719
It seems that I did not remember correctly. That’s clearly more than exactly one coil.
68719
It seems that I did not remember correctly. That’s clearly more than exactly one coil.
Interesting. Thank you. I'm not trying to find excuses for a poor QC, but it seems like a manufacturing defect to me rather than external influence like rust.
I've used Sprinco in multiple bolts - extractor and ejector springs. All performed fine. I think rust is less of an issue if you keep a rifle lubricated.
I’m gonna pile on the corroded Springco springs.
When I was younger and more easily influenced I got a Sprinco Blue to make my 6920 perfecter. After a bit of time living on the ranch it didn’t cycle. Spring was trashed.
Was it just rusted or some other issue? I'm just curious how often did you lubricate the gun? Did you inspect other springs? Were they affected as well or just the buffer spring?
Did it function initially fine with the Blue spring?
I can't recall, but somebody said that external rust on CS springs was acceptable and easily removed with a light CLP application. Can't say if that's normal, but susceptibility to easy rusting would definitely be a concern for me as well.
On the same topic: has anyone used a green extractor spring from Specialized Armament: https://www.specializedarmament.com/ar-15-bolt-group/extractor-spring-assembly-sa/
I wonder if it's a CS or a stainless steel wire spring.
Does anyone have a good source where I can purchase 5 to 10 of these at a better price than purchasing one at a time?
https://www.specializedarmament.com/ar-15-bolt-group/extractor-spring-assembly-colt-10-pack/
IMHO, price seems pretty good especially with extractor inserts.
Interesting. Thank you. I'm not trying to find excuses for a poor QC, but it seems like a manufacturing defect to me rather than external influence like rust.
I've used Sprinco in multiple bolts - extractor and ejector springs. All performed fine. I think rust is less of an issue if you keep a rifle lubricated.
I’m not claiming its rust that caused that. I don’t know what did. The rust that I have noted is on the action (buffer) springs, not extractor springs, that I know of.
From living in Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey, and Montana...I've never had a Sprinco spring rust or fail in 10+ years with basic maintenance and lubrication in any season or environment. Not stay at home setups. My experience only.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.