Clipping Sniper Spring for FPS Reduction
 

got a Well L96 that is currently shooting 485ish....

i need to get it down to 450 or less.

how many coils do you imagine i'd need to clip?

Should i just replace the spring with a weaker? Hard to find weaker around though they all seem rather high powered..

Replace the spring, but also check what you're shooting on both .20s AND whatever you'll be shooting.
Bolt actions have a tendency to joule creep like mad in some cases.

what spring rating will get me shooting 450 or less?

If you have access to a chronograph and don't want to spend money on new spring than cut one coil at a time and test it. You would probably need to get rid of 2-3 coils at most. Keep in mind, every aftermarket part that you will put in afterwards will probably increase FPS so plan ahead. Also read this. http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=107119

So I cut 2-3 coils off and it's shooting exactly the same!???

The FPS didn't change at all.

Try with heavier bbs and see if you lost joule creep. Could be you're over volumes for 0.20's

But if my field requires 450 on .20 will it matter what my FPS is with heavier BB"s?

If I get to shooting 450 on .20 will it be too weak to push a .40 ?

Not necessarily too weak, just a 1.8j with 0.40's are slow. Like 330'ish. 0.36's might be a better fit going 350'ish.

If they only measure with the 450/0.20's, build to suite it. Either weaker spring or you can start shortening the barrel to loose power with 0.20's and build jc in heavier bbs

For example, my own M24 can be set up to shoot 380fps on .20s, and 375 on .36s.

So if I were to chrono at that field, I wouldn't even have an MED, while also being well over the joule limit for bolt action.
375 on a .36 is 2.34j, which is the equivalent of 505fps on a .20

Regardless of what the field standard is for chrono, the fact is they have a joule limit (they're just attempting to enforce it like idiots), so don't be negligent, because you are responsible for your own gun being under that limit.

Just ran it through a few chrono tests .. Here are the results

Before clipping the spring 2-3 coils : 480-490 FPS Using .20's

After clipping spring:
- 485ish FPS/2.2 joules using .20
- 415ish FPS/1.5 joules using .30

Note: i have done a bunch of upgrades including new piston and 509mm tight bore inner barrel with Prommy Purple bucking. (Plus the PDI hop unit)

Seems to me if I clip the spring anymore I won't have the Joules to bother with higher weight BB's??

What is an optimal Joul range while keeping it under 450fps with a .20 BB?

Well if your limit is 1.87j, then you want to be in the 1.7 to 1.87j range lol
Normally it wouldn't matter, but if they're forcing you to chrono on .20s then the reverse joule creep is handicapping you pretty hard.

You'll want to mitigate that joule creep as much as possible. Allegedly making the piston heavier will increase creep, but I have the opposite effect in my rifle.