Lighter Springs and More Sensitive Primers

[Flinch Morningwood]

I had purchased a set of lighter springs for my Pietta 1858 Rem from VTI.  I found that these springs didn't have the power to always set off the percusiion caps I used. 

Now that I am making the move to Frontier Cartridge using a R&D conversion cyslinder, I would like to put the lighter springs back in to help in the two handed shooting.  I had talked to someone who mentioned that some primers are more sensitive (ie - easier to set off) than others...this may help when making the switch to lighter springs...

Does anyone know which large/magnum pistol primers may be the most sensitive???  I seem to remember them saying Federal but can't be sure...

Thanks!

[hellgate]

You don't need to use magnum primers. I have heard that Federal primers are softer than CCI. I had slam firing with Federal primers when shooting a semi-auto rifle with a floating firing pin. The magnum primer thing came from (can't remember the author [Wolf?] but I have the book downstairs) an authoritative book on loading for the Trapdoor springfield and duplicating the loads from the past. It was recommended/discovered to use magnum primers for their longer flash & brusiance(?) and to open up the primer pockets to a larger diameter. That was for the 45-70 not 45LC. I'd just do what others have successfully done for CAS as we are not a precision shooting sport and do not need to wring out every last bit of accuracy from our cartridges. What you want is reasonable accuracy and low fouling for smooth, reliable functioning. Any appropriate sized primer would do.

[reloader4410]

VTI springs work in r & d' s in my uberti' s. all my pietta' s have the colt springs in them work great w/ # 10 caps remington. brownells has them #969 322 800  $15.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I tried a pair of the VTI light springs in my Remmies and they wouldn't set off the primers, either. I went back to lightening mine. Here's a photo of one that has been ground down. Be sure to polish the grind marks longitudinally so the spring won't break on one of them. Also, do it carefully so you don't take the temper out of the spring. Take some off and quench the spring before it gets hot. I took a little off then checked it. If it fired all the priners, I took a little more off. When I got a misfire now and then, I put the retaining screw in and tightened it until there was enough tension to fire all the primers reliably. At that point, I noted how much of the screw stuck out of the frame, removed it again, took that much off the end of it and put it back. That way I have still more adjustment left to tighten them some if needed. One pistol wouldn't work with the screw all the way out, so I put it in just far enough to work rather than all the way in where it was from the factory. Note that the ends of the screw are still the original width. I did that so the spring would stay centered at both ends.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Great post on spring lightening techniques, Marshal Will!

[Bull Schmitt]

Reloader4410,

How about some more info on the coil spring setup in your Piettas? Did you do the conversion? This would make a fine article to include on the SCORRS web site.

[Oldelm]

Hi Bull,......I think he said colt springs,......not coil springs,...I had to squint at it, too, to be sure,....hehe 

[Bull Schmitt]

Oldelm,

Your are right!!! I just got new specs yesterday and I guess I ain't got'em under control yet.

I still think a coil sprinf setup would solve a lot of problems.

[Flint]

A mainspring too light for igniting percussion caps will usually still work on a cartridge primer, a Wolff spring will.  If there is a problem, Federals are the softest primers, Winchester are a bit harder but still work with Wolff springs, and CCI are hard, and usually need a stronger mainspring.

My coil spring conversion to a pair of Piettas...  Ruger coil and strut, modified the hammer to accept the strut, and made an adapter for the mainspring seat.  Also had to relocate the grip screw.

[Yankee John]

The mainsprings in the Pietta 5 1/2" barrel Remingtons are much lighter than the ones in the regular barrel Remingtons.  I have the 5 1/2" and have never had a problem with firing in my R&D conversion cylinder.

FWIW,  The mainspring on my original Remington NMA is so stiff that I think that it came from a dump truck- I swear.....

John

[rickk]

I havta concur on the Federal Primers. I shoot bowling pins with a Ruger Redhawk that I have lightend the mainspring on. Federals are the only thing that it can digest.

If you are shooting BP then regular primers are fine, but if you are shooting smokeless and the charges are light (half-full or less in the case), the Federal Magnum primers will give you more consistant ignition with light loads.