Quote History Quoted:
Yes, Spike’s P/N SLA501S
On mine the wire is just slightly thinner than normal, say .070” versus .071”. Not something you’d notice by eye.
Not really, but if I had to guess I’d say 2017–2019
Last one I bought was from BCM, but there are lots of places that sell them. Look for mil-spec stainless.
As a sanity check, this morning I compared the strength of a bunch of springs, using a different approach than I had years back when I just had gotten the Spike’s. Using a kitchen scale, I estimated the force required to compress the spring to where the face of the buffer is even with the lip of the buffer tube, as when the bolt is forward and locked. Take these numbers with a grain of salt because my set-up isn’t very stable, but here’s what I got:
BCM: ~6.3 lb. Various other basic carbine springs were similar, ranging from say 6.2 to 6.6.
Sprinco blue (extra power) ~7.8 lb
Sprinco(?) yellow (reduced power) ~5.7 lb
Spike’s ~5.8 lb
These results are reasonably consistent with what I had observed previously by a completely different technique.
ETA: I re-read your post and noticed that you have a Damage Industries chrome-silicon spring. Mine measured about the same as the BCM, say 6.3 lb
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Well,
Compared the 13/14' production spring with a 20/21' production one, and seems u were right!
The newer ones are weaker, I less my older one was an oddball.. Although,
It has about an extra inch of length (after being in a lower to 6-7 years and also the coils appear to be thicker on the older one)
May only have a mag of live fire on it but probably 100 dry cycles over that long (at minimum) and the coils STILL appear to have more space between them than the new one!
When racking the CH with the new one, its a tad weaker than the Aero, while the original still feels like an XP spring.
Being polished SS, in talking very stiff. Used my fi gers to compress 2 coils and it was incredicable stiff.
It doesnt even flop over when holding like most springs, its stays rigid!
NOW, wondering if the heavy "original one" coupd cause issues in a Middie with H Buffer
(weakest ammo would be 223 Bronze but mainly Xtac)
The other one feels like a well broken in spring (tension wise) as you noted, with thinner coils amd seems the inside of them isnt as rounded off, may be wrong.
The length difference can ve normal with springs, but its the different in thickness that makes me wonder why a Spikes rep says the springs havent changed in the 10 years he has been there.
In summary:
Wondering if this would serve best in an overgassed Carbine with H or H2 rather than a Middie with an H (the original spring I mean)
-Maybe that Damage industries spring would serve best in this Middie with an H buffer (rather than in carbine with H2 buffer)
-And the stiff/longer Spikes spring put in a gassy Carbine with H I stead of H2 buffer due to the stiffer spring (also the carbine has an S/A carrier)
May could just use an H buffer on the carbine being the spring has extra tension than most and avoid the H2 altogether.
Any advice?
Left (original 7 yr old Spikes spring)
Right (new out of package 2021 version)