Loading gate spring

[JulioKyoshi]

Is there a "lighter tension" loading gate spring available for a 94AE??? I have seen one for Marlins but not Winchester.

[AJMD429]

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Others who know more will likely answer before long.

As far as I know, the existing one could be 'lightened' by carefully hand-bending it, although if the problem is pinched-fingers, it may be helpful also to do a good de-burring of the gate opening and end of the gate.

Welcome to the forum...!

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

If you have to work with the one that is on it and can't find a lighter one, I prefer to file/thin it, over bending it. Just my way of doing it and it may not be the best solution, but has worked very well for me.

[marlinman93]

If you have to work with the one that is on it and can't find a lighter one, I prefer to file/thin it, over bending it. Just my way of doing it and it may not be the best solution, but has worked very well for me.

Same here. Filing, not bending, and never use a belt sander, grinder, or anything that causes heat, which will anneal the spring.

[piller]

Good point. Springs are heat treated to a rather specific range. Heating them up again can ruin the treatment.

[765x53]

I agree with this thread endorsing the Henry design.

[GunnyMack]

In school we had to make Vee springs, from flat stock. Forging, shaping, fitting and the difference in how a spring " feels" is a matter of polishing the final product. I'd say try fine grit emery paper and light buffing. Heat treating is obviously important but the tempering is the important part. We did our flat spring tempering in a LEE pot of molten lead.

[piller]

That is what Frank Richtig did with his knives. It sets the internal structure of the steel to a body centered cubic form while giving the bonds time to align for longest lasting shape and best retention against deflection from impacts. Springs which are left 24 hours in molten lead to temper after proper heat treatment will last much longer because of a highly stable internal structure. If you had pounded those springs through a buggy axle, you too might have made it into Ripley's Believe it or not.

[AJMD429]

Cool information. Do you keep the lead molten, or let it gradually cool with the spring in/on it, or what...?

[GunnyMack]

In school we did not temper over a long period. 20 minutes maybe, dont remember. If you let it cool then you wouldn't get it out unless you reheated it.
The way you knew you were at proper temperature was to drop a peice of paper on top of the lead, if it immediately turned to flame the temp was right.

[piller]

Richtig kept the lead molten for the 24 hours. Of course, he wanted the knives to be a bit harder than a spring.

[GunnyMack]

A pot of lead is not anywhere near hot enough to harden steel. I took a class and we had to cut , shape our blades then wrap is stainless foil and then into an oven at 2000° and then they got quenched. Then back into the oven at a much lower temperature to draw a temper . Im not saying it won't work but im dubious about heat treating in lead.

[GunnyMack]

A quick search for
Can steel be hardened in molten lead
From what I see a lead bath is used to temper after its hardened. That requires much higher heat, quenching will make the part 'glass hard'. The temper will bring some softness properties back, giving toughness but workability.
Lead meltsat 620+/-°, not hot enough to harden steels.

[piller]

That was his tempering. He put the steel in it after the quench. He used 1085 steel.

[piller]

Carbon migration can still occur even after a quench, but it is slow. Temperatures above 400°F, closer to 530°F, are necessary. The intermediate phase between austenite and pearlite was where he found his sweet spot. Only happens in carbon steel as far as I know. Again, it was not his heat treat final temperature, nor his quench, but his draw.

[GunnyMack]

It's a process I hadn't been aware of, now that I know of it I'm going to look at it deeper. Good knowledge for when we revert back to the dark ages!