Lighter Spring for Hart RAD 2a Recoil System

[Ruger15151]

I recently had a new F-Class rifle built with a Cerus stock and RAD system installed. The supplied spring feels like it is too heavy for a 21+ pound F-class gun. It looks like a great product but their website has zero information as to spring selections or hydraulic settings.

Any recommendations on lighter springs and hydraulic setting.

Other than directly through Hart, is there anywhere else to source these springs?

 

[D-4297]

When a shooting friend had the same issue with a RAD system , I don't know the manufacturer , another trusted shooter suggested Ace Hardware . But you would need to take the spring with you for comparison to a lighter one .

 

[Fullbore308]

Agree with the Ace hardware
15/32” x 1-1/8” and try different wire diameters with different settings on the hydraulic cylinders until you like it. This is an example for 18lb FTR setup. Good luck

 

[Ruger15151]

Agree with the Ace hardware
15/32” x 1-1/8” and try different wire diameters with different settings on the hydraulic cylinders until you like it. This is an example for 18lb FTR setup. Good luck

I have tried that #28 spring with a 6-7 setting on the hydraulic shock as per @Keith Glasscock video. I can feel the spring compresses softly before it hits the hydraulic and it gets stiff. If I lower the setting on the hydraulic shock then I feel like the RAD bottoms out. I even added some nylon shims because its 1/8" shorter than the supplied spring to take up any slop.

I'm not sure the rifle will recoil properly with the soft compression of the soft #28 spring and then the hard hit of the hydraulic shock.

Maybe I just load the rifle with my shoulder until I feel the RAD compress up against the hydraulic shook to eliminate that initial soft compression?

Happy to hear any thoughts of people who converted to the #28 spring.

 

[Dave M.]

I use a 38# spring (pretty sure that is the force that was listed on the bag), and it measures .072” wire diameter. I found a good selection at ace hardware, and I use the #5.5 setting on the hydraulic shock. This is an F-Open setup in .284 win and has a total mass of 21.2lbs. It feels great and I can literally shoot the .284 all day long with no effect from the recoil. The way I did it originally when I had the same issue, was to take the original spring to Ace and find a comparable length spring with a lower compression force by hand (just estimate them side by side by pinching between the thumb and forefinger) and I ended up buying 3 different springs (all same length but different wire diameters), and the first one I selected worked great (0.072” wire diameter).
Dave

 

[Ruger15151]

Awesome. Thanks for all the information Dave! Our ACE only stocks a #28 spring which is .047. The stock spring that came with my rad was also .072 but must have been a lot stiffer than the #38 you picked up from ACE. I'll see if I can find more on their website.

Thank you again!

 

[Dave M.]

Awesome. Thanks for all the information Dave! Our ACE only stocks a #28 spring which is .047. The stock string that came with my rad was also .072 but must have been a lot stiffer than the #38 you picked up from ACE. I'll see if I can find more on their website.

Thank you again!

I just checked a brand new RAD2A that I have new on the shelf and it has a thinner .062” spring.

 

[Ruger15151]

I think the .062 spring is closer than the .072 in my new RAD system. I checked with ACE online and they no longer stock anything other than a .047 in the correct diameter an length. I'm going to give Hart a call again and just order a selection of springs from them. I'll post what they have.

 

[Ruger15151]

I just checked a brand new RAD2A that I have new on the shelf and it has a thinner .062” spring.

FYI- I was able to get the following spring information from Hart. Mine was shipped with the .072 spring.

	OD	Part #	Free Length	Spring Rate lbs/in
0.08	0.48	71623	1.25	118
0.072	0.48	C0480-072-1250-M	1.25	82.3
0.063	0.48	C0480-063-1250-M	1.25	45
0.058	0.48	C0480-059-1250-M	1.25	36.2
0.055	0.48	C0480-055-1250-M	1.25	27
0.052	0.48	C0480-051-1250-M	1.25	21.3

 

[Dave M.]

FYI- I was able to get the following spring information from Hart. Mine was shipped with the .072 spring.

This is huge. Nice to have the selection. I find it funny that I have 3 of them and one has the .072” wire diameter spring wire and the two have a .064” wire diameter. These are all direct from Hart.
Do you know if Hart sells them in sets? Or individually??

Dave

 

[Ruger15151]

This is huge. Nice to have the selection. I find it funny that I have 3 of them and one has the .072” wire diameter spring wire and the two have a .064” wire diameter. These are all direct from Hart.
Do you know if Hart sells them in sets? Or individually??

Dave

Spoke With Marta and she can sell them separately or create a set for you. I ordered the .052 - .063. I think the springs are only about $4 a piece.

 

[Sumtoc]

I just added a RAD 2A to a stock for my 284 and I also got a spring kit from Marta since the supplied spring was a bit too stiff for the 284. I suspect that the RAD has introduced new variables that I am not managing well for 1K yards. I changed out springs to a lighter version and left the setting at about 6.5. The RAD now compresses nicely but I don't believe it is bottoming out. Any suggestions for spring and setting? How about butt plate adjustment up/down or cant? And what is the process for refining gun handling with the RAD?

Thanks

 

[Waydeo]

Sounds interesting being able to tailor recoil.

 

[James Hickey]

Get a #28 spring from ace hardware works great on F. class rifles for the rad 2A system

 

[1shot]

Agree with the Ace hardware
15/32” x 1-1/8” and try different wire diameters with different settings on the hydraulic cylinders until you like it. This is an example for 18lb FTR setup. Good luck

I did this to my F open rifle and it helped a lot!!
Thanks @Fullbore308

 

[GLC]

Get a couple of bright coloured rubber o-ring the diameter of the rad exposed rails, dis assemble the rad and add the washers, slide them to the front of the rad, towards the front of the rifle you will see how much compression you are getting from where the o-rings finish, you can adjust the tension in the rad to tune the compression and addtionly swap the spring, I did both and my o ring runs 3/4 of the way compressed.