Folks,
Yesterday, I replaced the factory magazine spring in my Marlin Model 1895GS (stainless steel), .45-70 lever action rifle with a Wolff magazine spring which is marketed as being 20% stronger than the factory version. Now, the Wolff spring was literally twice as long as the factory spring. I was able to get the spring into the tubular magazine, and it is, in fact, much stronger than the factory spring. However, I can now only get three rounds into the magazine vice the four with the factory spring. Is this normal? Was I supposed to cut (shorten) the Wolff spring some? Essentially, it appears that I cannot have it both ways--a stronger spring and four rounds in the magazine.
I'm a hobby gunsmith, but I am relatively new at this. Just as background, I have replaced the factory ejector with a Wild West guns stainless steel, one-piece "bear-proof" ejector; replaced the triger and sear with a EDM trigger and sear; replaced the magazine follower with an aluminum Wild West guns follower; added Brockman rear peepsight and Brockman front "winged" sight; added a Kirkpatrick leather cartridge holder and a Pacmeyer leather slip-on recoil pad.
I like everything about the rifle, but I thought the factory magazine spring was a little "flimsy." I would appreciate any observations/suggestions on whether to leave the Wolff spring in the magazine at its current length or to shorten it some.
Yesterday, I replaced the factory magazine spring in my Marlin Model 1895GS (stainless steel), .45-70 lever action rifle with a Wolff magazine spring which is marketed as being 20% stronger than the factory version. Now, the Wolff spring was literally twice as long as the factory spring. I was able to get the spring into the tubular magazine, and it is, in fact, much stronger than the factory spring. However, I can now only get three rounds into the magazine vice the four with the factory spring. Is this normal? Was I supposed to cut (shorten) the Wolff spring some? Essentially, it appears that I cannot have it both ways--a stronger spring and four rounds in the magazine.
I'm a hobby gunsmith, but I am relatively new at this. Just as background, I have replaced the factory ejector with a Wild West guns stainless steel, one-piece "bear-proof" ejector; replaced the triger and sear with a EDM trigger and sear; replaced the magazine follower with an aluminum Wild West guns follower; added Brockman rear peepsight and Brockman front "winged" sight; added a Kirkpatrick leather cartridge holder and a Pacmeyer leather slip-on recoil pad.
I like everything about the rifle, but I thought the factory magazine spring was a little "flimsy." I would appreciate any observations/suggestions on whether to leave the Wolff spring in the magazine at its current length or to shorten it some.