DGA Firing Pin Spring

J

jfo1945

New member
Hi,

My old Shilen DGA, SN 1588 needs a new firing pin spring. Does anyone know if Ed Shilen used a standard spring from some standard production model rifle or did they have special springs wound for the DGA. The DGA I have is a standard length with a flat face bolt and a sliding extractor. The spring I removed from the bolt is wound to an O.D. of .375 from .054 music wire. The spring has a free length of about 4.47 with 30 coils. Remington springs have an O.D. of .407 and are wound from about the same .054 music wire. The short action Remington 700 spring is too long and the XP-100 spring is too short. I installed a short action spring to try, but it wants to get wavy like the springs on the Remington bolts with the key locks. It is also compressed about .425 more than in a 700 short action. The short action spring does not quite go solid when the DGA bolt is cocked. This should yield a snappy firing pin strike (maybe much too snappy). My other option is to put a spacer on the DGA firing pin behind the spring to match the compressed length of the XP-100 spring in an XP-100 bolt. I would greatly appreciate any information that anyone may have on the DGA firing pin springs.

Thanks,

John
 
Boyd Allen said:
Do you have enough room to shim your existing spring?
Click to expand...

Hi Boyd,

Yes, I have room to shim the existing spring. I thought of that but the spring that is in there has been in a compressed state for about 35 years, so I thought I would replace it with new material.

John
 
I have tested springs on a bathroom scale, and found that they had not weakened that much over the years. I think that they settle into a lower value after a while, and remain stable there, but of course this is just speculation. I have a DGA like yours, that is glued into an old Six thumbhole stock, and it sounds quite snappy to me. It shoots pretty well too. If you find a source please PM me. I don't think that I have a problem, but it never hurts to have a backup.
 
Boyd Allen said:
I have tested springs on a bathroom scale, and found that they had not weakened that much over the years. I think that they settle into a lower value after a while, and remain stable there, but of course this is just speculation. I have a DGA like yours, that is glued into an old Six thumbhole stock, and it sounds quite snappy to me. It shoots pretty well too. If you find a source please PM me. I don't think that I have a problem, but it never hurts to have a backup.
Click to expand...

Will do.

John
 
I suggest you check the specs on the springs Dave Kiff uses on his Remington replacement bolts. They seem to be straighter than the factory springs.
 
3 options id try in no order-
1- call wade at shilen maybe they have records
2- call turk takano and see what they used
3- call wollff spring and see if they recognize it or have a recommendation
 
If all else fails

Contact Wermke Spring Co in Fenton, MO.
They will make any spring. An Industrial Spring Manufacturer.
Centerfire
 
Thanks guys for the suggestions

I have decided to go with the XP-100 spring. The XP-100 springs will be available for as long as I will need them. I'll let you know how it works out in the DGA.

Thanks again,

John
 
28# XP-100 Spring

I used a new 28# Wolff XP-100 spring in my DGA this past Thursday. It seemed to get rid of the severe vertical and no more primer blanking. The calculated load on the 28# XP-100 spring is about 23# in the DGA. Next, I will try a standard 24# XP-100 spring to see how well it works.

John
 
I just talked with Wade Hull, current owner of Shilen, he said he had a big box of DGA springs at the shop. Contact him next week when he gets back home.we are at Holton now.
 
JerrySharrett said:
I just talked with Wade Hull, current owner of Shilen, he said he had a big box of DGA springs at the shop. Contact him next week when he gets back home.we are at Holton now.
Click to expand...

Hi Jerry
Any chance you could ask if they have any 308 extractor claws ???
Thanks
Matt Paroz
 
It's been a few years but when I asked about replacement extractors they had not had any in a long time. Since they started building actions again perhaps they have them now.
 
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