Square Spring Wire vs. Traditional Round Wire?

[SpiralGroove]

I purchased a spring assortment pack from Jim Maccari a couple of years ago and received some square wire springs?  I was tuning my HW30S and wondered if I should use one?

Does anyone know what the advantages and disadvantages are, of using a square wire spring vs. traditional, round wire in a spring airgun?

I'm sure JM knows, but he's not on the forum .

[bandg]

Probably need a mechanical engineer or materials scientist to answer that one.  Seems square wire springs might drag/hang a bit more.

[Bryan Heimann]

Not real sure, you'd probably know better than me, but I think this is what they refer to as an "ox"  spring?  And i think it was kind of a fad that never really caught on, except in a couple of guns that they worked well in.  I am interested in the results.

[shorty]

Lower profile with larger CSA. This means that the spring would typically have a stronger lbs/inch in the same O/D - ID than a traditional round wire wound spring

[Roadworthy]

I'm not speaking from experience but I think the strength of a spring (for power) is determined by the cross sectional area (diameter) of wire used.  Using square wire allows greater cross sectional area for a given wire thickness.  This would permit more turns in a given length of compression tube before becoming coil bound on cocking.

That is why transformers are frequently wound with square wire rather than round.
Figure the area of a circle two inches in diameter - it's 3.14159 square inches.  Now the area of a square two inches on a side - it's four square inches.  That's a twenty seven percent increase for the same thickness of wire.

[SpiralGroove]

Figure the area of a circle two inches in diameter - it's 3.14159 square inches.  Now the area of a square two inches on a side - it's four square inches.  That's a twenty seven percent increase for the same thickness of wire.

I would have to say, that's it

- I know, more coils, thicker wire or smaller OD of the springs means more power.
- Smaller wire, less coils or larger spring OD means less power.

So more wire area, means more power too, just have to consider OD and coils to estimate relative power - I think .

[cobalt327]

More coils = less.

[Taso1000]

Wouldn't a square wire be more susceptible to stress fracturing?  That would make the wire less durable over the long term.  But, I am not a metallurgist.  I just absorb miscellaneous information from all over the internet!   

Thanks,

Taso

[Nvreloader]

Kirk

When you say "Square Wire" springs, are you referring to flat wire spring?

Or the coil width and thickness are the same?
 
Meaning, the thickness of these flat wire springs is .025" thick by .070" wide, distance between the coils is .160",
.420" O/S dia and .260" I/S.

This is the spring I am using for my SSG, and I just love it.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wilson-Combat-1911-Flat-Wire-20LB-Recoil-Spring-5-Full-Size-45-ACP-P/231789667525
These flat wire springs are in numerous lengths and # rates.

I am using this flat wire spring, 20# by 4.250" long, 36 coils, coil bound is right around 1.125", if I remember right,

This flat spring puts the standard round wire spring to shame,
It provides a very smooth adjustments, has more power in the longer length,
VERY easy to cock, stacks very uniformly etc,
I can use one finger to cock with at the max setting on my setup etc.
I will never go back to a round wire spring, unless there is NO other option.

Tia,
Don

[SpiralGroove]

More coils = less.

I meant more coils = a longer length of spring.

But you're right all things being = if there are more coils in the same length .... you get less power.

[SpiralGroove]

Kirk

When you say "Square Wire" springs, are you referring to flat wire spring?

Or the coil width and thickness are the same?
 
Meaning, the thickness of these flat wire springs is .025" thick by .070" wide, distance between the coils is .160",
.420" O/S dia and .260" I/S.

This is the spring I am using for my SSG, and I just love it.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wilson-Combat-1911-Flat-Wire-20LB-Recoil-Spring-5-Full-Size-45-ACP-P/231789667525
These flat wire springs are in numerous lengths and # rates.

I am using this flat wire spring, 20# by 4.250" long, 36 coils, coil bound is right around 1.125", if I remember right,

This flat spring puts the standard round wire spring to shame,
It provides a very smooth adjustments, has more power in the longer length,
VERY easy to cock, stacks very uniformly etc,
I can use one finger to cock with at the max setting on my setup etc.
I will never go back to a round wire spring, unless there is NO other option.

Tia,
Don

I think my spring looks very similar to yours, except it's square.  I'm going to try it in my HW30S .