Tension is pulling.
Compression is pushing.
Torsion is twisting.
I am at a loss to identify a single coil spring on any gun I own that's actually in tension. Leaf springs are just different, but most behave like torsion springs.
So there's no spring tension.
All of the springs are compression or torsion, and nearly all of them are compression.
How do you tell?
A compression spring is squished shorter between two surfaces when you work what it's acting on.
A torsion spring rotates around its axis. Hint, AR hammer spring is a torsion coil spring, as is the ejection port door spring.
A tension spring is stretched longer by the parts acting on it. I really can't think of one in a cartridge firearm.
So, when you hit the magazine release you car not relieving spring tension on the magazine. When you press the detent to allow you to rotate the take-down lever you are not relieving spring tension.
You are compressing a spring! The very opposite of tensioning one!
Not trying to argue at all. I completely get the point of your post! Words mean things, and we should strive to be precise in our descriptions... But to play devil's advocate: what about the the hammer spring in a Ruger LCP or original LC9? If I'm understanding your explanation correctly, those would be under tension, right?
ReplyDeleteYou did say you couldn't think of one in guns YOU own, though, so there's that.
Looking at the exploded diagram, it appears to be a genuine tension spring!
Delete