Springs?

[Enhander]

One question,
Ive heard several different things about the springs and what color does what...can someone clarify?

Heres what I think it is:

Silver spring: For velocitys of 250 FPS or lower, spring to use for indoor play
Gold spring: Medium spring for FPS of 260-280, spring to use for general paintball play
Red sping: Strong spring for FPS above 280.

Is that right?

[Spider-TW]

I think that is correct, and it is for the level 10 bolt only.

That is also only for new springs. A new gold spring can be stiffer than a worn out red spring for example.

You're balancing the dump chamber pressure (ball velocity and ball crushing capability) against the friction forces that can keep the bolt from starting forward and shooting at all.

You want a stiffer spring at higher velocities so that the bolt will still be soft on a pinched ball, but it has to be light enough that the bolt can shoot reliably, not only when it is well oiled.

For the same reason, you have to pay attention when you turn your velocity down to 250 for indoor rec or night play (low shooting volume). A fresh or stiff spring can make an unreliable shooter when you need it most. Re-lube if you can after setting, if you haven't tried that spring at that velocity.

[snoopay700]

It's not so much the velocity as how hard you want the bolt to hit. Granted you can change the spring and it will change how the gun shoots, but velocity was not the intention.

[Enhander]

So whats the best spring to use for all around performance, the gold?

[Spider-TW]

So whats the best spring to use for all around performance, the gold?

Generally, yes.

If you check your level 10 occasionally, over many cases of paint, you will feel your bolt spring getting weaker and the bolt push getting stronger.

[georgeyew]

So is the silver spring considered the "weakest" spring since it is for 250 fps and below? Isn't the silver spring longer and stiffer than the gold?

[Spider-TW]

So is the silver spring considered the "weakest" spring since it is for 250 fps and below? Isn't the silver spring longer and stiffer than the gold?

I know what you mean. I've been trying to remember the story with the silver and find my level 10 disk. I think it started as a finished weaker spring, but then they started sending it as one you could cut down.

I think Enhander's list matches the documentation, but I still have at least three open end silver springs in my parts box, untried.

I always pull out a worn gold spring for lower velocities if I have a problem.

[athomas]

gold spring is lightest tension and operates at the lowest velocity
red spring is middle tension and operates at a mid range velocity
gray spring is highest tension and only operates on the highest velocity

[athomas]

The original level 10 kits came with a gold spring, a cut gray spring, and a full length gray spring. The red spring eventually replaced the cut gray spring.

[Spider-TW]

The original level 10 kits came with a gold spring, a cut gray spring, and a full length gray spring. The red spring eventually replaced the cut gray spring.

[athomas]

Yeah. I was one of the beta testers. I remember having to gradually trim down the cut spring until it reached the proper length for consistent operation at 280 fps.

In the original beta kits there were only two spring lengths for three springs, a long one and a short one. Color didn't matter. However, without a length reference, people didn't know how to identify them so we started identifying the springs by color. This especially made sense once the middle spring was changed to a red one.