[FrankD]

Has anyone used the 1911 recoil spring tester by SDM fabricating. It was carried by Brownells for $56.10 but is no longer available. I was thinking of getting one to keep check on my recoil spring tension if it was worth while. If it's actually a good tool, where can I get one.?

[1911Tuner]

Howdy Frank,

I've got one, but not for keeping track of my spring tension. I use it for
other things.

A practical "gauge" that won't cost you anything is to order two new Wolff springs in the appropriate load rating...Please don't overspring the slide. 16 pounds for a 5-inch gun is a gracious plenty. Compare your new spring with your used one about every 5 hundred rounds. When the used one has lost a coil and a half to two coils worth of free length, it's time to change. This assumes that both springs have an equal number of coils.

Ordering a 10-pack of Wolff springs from Brownells will save you a little cash
over ordering singles. Might want to order a few firing pin springs too while you're at it. Change that one with every other recoil spring. About 2 bucks a copy.

[ulflyer]

Are there any advantage/disadvantage to using Wolff variable recoil springs over the standard?

[FrankD]

I've been changing mine about every 2000 rounds with a 13 pounder. I'll shoot somewhere around 650 rounds a week. Using a 1911 in 9mm with 5" barrel and factory ammo in either 115g or 124g. Don't have any problems. Just looking for the gauge to see how my spring regresses over time. Nothing more than for general info. I'm the curious type.

[1911Tuner]

AH! Sorry Frank...I tend to think in terms of .45 when I'm on 1911-pattern pistols. A 12-13 pound spring should be fine as long as the gun doesn't short cycle with springs in that range. 2,000 rounds is a good general rule of thumb. One thing to keep in mind is that all springs aren't created equal...
even from the same manufacturer and within the same lot. New springs can vary easily plus/minus a full pound, so the only way to keep track of each individual spring's decline is to check each one when new, and record it.
Also...they won't all lose load tension at the same rate. One may need changing at 1500 rounds, and the next one from the same batch may go 2500
before it reaches the same tension. That's why I like to use the loss of length
method to determine when the change.

Ted...I've never used variable springs, so I can't comment on the performance. The advantage is mainly in being able to use one spring rate for a wider range of ammo power levels...but I don't know just how wide that range would be. Since I don't vary my practice ammo very much from full-power ammo, I've never seen a need for variable springs. 16 pounds does nicely for both.(.45 caliber) If I go to a 200-grain bullet with the lighter powder charge...the same one that I use for practice 230-grain loads, I use a 14-pound spring.

[ulflyer]

Tuner, thanks for info. I had bought a 16 lb variable way back and shortly after I started shooting the Commemorative with it tossing some cases in my face, I put the variable in. Didn't make any diff about some cases in the face, but it did make a difference in that the cases were no longer bent up on the case mouth as they were with the original spring. Gotta get em to toss up and over like the Nork. One landed inside my T-shirt coller and burned the crap otta me.

I do use real light loads and the regular 16 lb works fine in the Nork and 1991A1. Figured I'd stick with the 16's in case I want to shoot some heavy or factory loads. Just ordered several to have them on hand along with some diff sights for the Nork.