Bending flat springs?

[JohnKSa]

It is accepted that deforming a spring (stretching or compressing it to the point that it loses its original shape) will ruin the spring. It reduces its lifetime and permanently weakens it.

However, I just read an article in a respected magazine in which a respected gun writer advised bending the legs on the Colt 1911 sear spring to tune various aspects of the pistol's operation. He does advise that "constant bending will weaken it." but my understanding is that any time you bend a spring you've weakened it.

Are flat springs different from coil springs in this respect?

 

[rcmodel]

Not so much different, but the 1911 sear spring is a little different then most flat gun springs.

It applies very little force, and is under very little tension as compared to most flat gun springs.

It is not tempered quite as hard as the average flat gun spring, and can be bent (or more accurately, sprung throughout it's curve) enough to adjust it a pound or two without hurting it.

rc

 

[JohnKSa]

That makes perfect sense.