[tucmoto]

New guy here, just picked up my first A5, and trying to learn more about it. It is a 1963 12ga. 3"magnum, Belgian made, 30" full choke, excellent condition.
A friend suggested I get a new recoil spring and friction rings for it, because of it's age.
I ordered them, and when I went to replace the parts, I noticed the new recoil spring is larger diameter (also the spring wire is larger diameter) than the existing one, and that the friction rings had been set for light loads.
I installed the new spring, set the friction washers to heavy loads. The barrel was very stiff to push down, but I shot a 3" mag load anyway and it did not cycle. With the old spring in it works fine. I am thinking maybe it's a light spring?
Question is, what spring / friction setup is correct? I will be shooting only 3" mag buckshot.

 

[Worc]

Welcome to SGW. Here a link to set the friction rings.

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=70794

With any Long Recoil operated model, start any new load in the heavy setting. If the gun cycles them leave it there. If not, then move the rings to the light setting.

You might have gotten parts for the Mag 12 from Japan which may be different from the Belgium models. I don't know for sure though.

 

[tucmoto]

Quite possible, I just don't know what the difference is. I know it doesn't function according to the manual w/ the new spring and friction settings as intended for the magnum. Even tho the larger spring fits, I was concerned about the tolerance being too tight on the forearm, I don't want to crack it. I haven't tried reducing the friction rings to allow a cycling, but once I figure out if the spring is correct, I can go that route.
Thanks

 

[Ole Cowboy]

1. A friend suggested I get a new recoil spring and friction rings for it, because of it's age.

2. With the old spring in it works fine..

1. Don't take off the wall suggestions if there is nothing wrong!

2. There you go, leave it as is. :wink:

 

[Tijeras_Slim]

because of it's age

It's just a pup. There's plenty of A-5's pushing 80 or even 100 years with most if not all the original parts. :mrgreen:

 

[tucmoto]

Yeah, probably right, the old spring was exactly the same length as the new one. He figured it may have taken a set being that old, I kinda doubted it, but parts were cheap anyway.
I just need to know if I have the correct one in there. I have no idea if the original one is for the magnum or not. The guy that had it only shot 2-3/4 low base in it, so I was thinking it might have the spring from a Light 12 in there, and I need the original spring to shoot magnums. I think. I dunno. :? The recoil isn't terribly strong, so I might be Ok. Just don't want to tear it up.

 

[A5Mag12]

New parts generally need to be wore in a bit. The full set up of rings are what you want for 3" buckshot. Just add a bit of extra lube until the gun wears in the new parts.

 

[Ole Cowboy]

Just don't want to tear it up.

You worry too much.
Your Great Grandson will be using it long before it tears up.

 

[58evinrude]

The light 12 recoil spring is shorter than the mag 12 recoil spring. You'd easily be able to tell the difference. I have a mag 12 and use the light 12 recoil spring for light loads, along with a light 12 brake and ring. The light 12 spring I have is brand new from brownell's. It's way different from the mag 12 spring. My mag 12, however, is the miroku-japan version.
Hope this helps,
JBJ

 

[tucmoto]

The light 12 recoil spring is shorter than the mag 12 recoil spring. You'd easily be able to tell the difference. I have a mag 12 and use the light 12 recoil spring for light loads, along with a light 12 brake and ring. The light 12 spring I have is brand new from brownell's. It's way different from the mag 12 spring. My mag 12, however, is the miroku-japan version.
Hope this helps,
JBJ

Yes, that helps a lot! Now I know the spring is not from a light 12. My new spring is also from Brownells. Apparently the Belgium spring is smaller than the Miroku spring. I might can get some info on it from Brownells tech dept as to it's origin.

 

[A5guy]

You did not mention what type of ammo you tried. If it was steel shot, you will probably have to set it on the light arrangement, even though it is a 3" shell. The light setting is for 2 3/4" shells and "Steel Shot Loads".

 

[tucmoto]

Shooting Rem. 3" mag 000 buckshot. Don't shoot steel at all, can't really do it anyway thru the barrel I have, from what I understand.

 

[A5guy]

That 000 buck should have operated the action set on Magnum.

 

[tucmoto]

It didn't w/ the full set of friction rings. Like I sd., I can't even cycle the barrel by hand w/o really leaning on it. Very stiff. I am gonna try it some more this afternoon, maybe reducing the rings. Can somebody mic the magnum spring and tell me the diameter of the spring and the wire? Then I can check it against mine to make sure I really have the right spring.

 

[tucmoto]

I checked mine last nite, the new spring is .076 larger diameter than the old one, and the wire diameter is .031 larger. Both springs are 10.5" long.
I called Browning, they really didn't know the difference, other than any replacement spring is made in Japan, and possibly this is the difference. So I will just play around w/ the friction rings and put some time on it and see what happens.
Thanks for all the input.

 

[jaguarxk120]

I just got a new spring from Midway It is 10 1/4 inches long and the wire diameter is .138, there are 22 coils.

The old spring from my light twelve measured 7 3/8" long (shorter than minium length), the wire diameter is .118 and there are 19 coils.

 

[tucmoto]

My wire diameter measured .136, so I guess we are pretty close. Thanks for measuring.

 

[tucmoto]

Good news, I put it all back together w/ the new spring, full set of friction rings, lubed the magazine tube this time, and it worked perfectly. It won't cycle dry, as Browning recommends, but will if lubed. Some break in time is needed, and I think all will be OK.