Low power Wolfe spring for Glock 19. Why?

[billj888]

Bought a 15 lb. spring by mistake from Wolfe for my G19. Must have been half asleep because I thought a stock replacement spring was coming just so I would have a spare. Not only is it a low power spring, but it's not a captive spring so I would need to send another $25 plus shipping just to get their steel guide rod. Also didn't want a weaker spring they say is for low power loads ONLY. I do reload weak target loads and much more, but the gun works fine with the original spring in a gun made around 1986. Why would anyone want a weaker spring in their gun? Should I just kiss my $12.58 with s+h goodbye? I understand you can ship these older Glocks to Smyrna Ga. and they will check them out and replace the spring free then mail the gun back at no charge.

 

[greyling22]

you still have you ship your glock to GA though. That's not cheap. But when I sent min in they replaced a lot of the internal and small parts.

low power spring for very light loads. loads too light to cycle the factory spring.

 

[jackpinesavages]

"Why would anyone want a weaker spring in their gun?"


To make sure the slide cycles low power-factor loads?


Did you order through LWD or Wolff Springs?

http://www.gunsprings.com/index.cfm?page=items&cID=1&mID=5#147

I'd just get hte service Pak, a guide rod, and be done with it. Send back the 15# spring for a credit with your order.

 

[billj888]

I shipped a Ruger LCP to Prescott, AZ not long ago and it didn't cost $15. The G19 weighs twice as much but if they replace parts and give it a clean bill of health that's worth it.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Please tell me how you shipped your Ruger both ways for less than $15.

 

[Sapper771]

I broke down and got the Wolff guide rod and I really like it. It is a bit of a PITA at first, but Worth the money IMO.

 

[billj888]

You're right. That was one way at the Fed Ex cheapest rate. A week before it was fixed Ruger emailed me and asked for a check for $30 which I mailed right away so it would clear. UPS came to my door and required a signature upon delivery about two weeks later.

 

[billj888]

Sapper: If you field strip and clean your Glock after every range session like most people, haven't you just made the job a lot harder? Isn't a new factory captive spring the way to go?

 

[CatsEye]

A non-captured spring isn't that big a deal. The first couple of times you do it can be a little tough until you learn the technique. I replaced the captured springs on my M&Ps with Wolf springs and rods. It takes maybe two seconds longer to install.

 

[billj888]

Is there two sections to the Wolfe rod? Can't tell by their picture.

 

[jackpinesavages]

Sapper: If you field strip and clean your Glock after every range session like most people, haven't you just made the job a lot harder? Isn't a new factory captive spring the way to go?

You are going to have to clarify what you want to do.


Made what job a lot harder?

The RSA from Glock is about $3. You could certainly just go that route.


Seeing that you claim your pistol is 25 years old just get the Wolff service PAK, rod/spring combo, and replace everything. It's good to go for another 5K rounds.

 

[NG VI]

I've heard Glock customer service is very good about just sending owners small parts that they need, it's not Springfield, who makes you send your XD in any time you need any part or any service at all. used to anyway.

 

[mgmorden]

The non-captive spring can be changed out for other springs more quickly if you like to switch back and forth a lot. If you go captive for all springs then usually it ends up being a matter of getting a guide rod for every spring and switching out the whole assembly every time.

As to why you'd want the weaker spring, two main reasons come to mind:

1. The weaker spring will cycle weaker loads more reliably. You say that your current weak target loads still cycle with the stock spring, but at a lower weight, you could go even lower on the power if you wanted.

2. Even for a load that functions on both springs, the felt recoil will be lower on a weaker spring than a strong one. The strong one gives less (well, it compresses the same amount, but does so slower) when the shot goes off resulting in more of the recoil being directly transferred to your wrist, whereas the spring itself soaks up more of it on the weaker spring.

IMHO, it behooves you to have a non-captured guide rod in the Glock parts box just in case.

To put it into perspective, a lot of competitive shooters (particularly steel challenge guys wanting to shoot ultra-light loads) run 11# recoil springs in their Glocks.

 

[billj888]

Thanks for that explanation MG. Now how would you describe the effect of firing a heavy load with a weak spring? Do you risk cracking the slide and slide stop?

 

[mgmorden]

Thanks for that explanation MG. Now how would you describe the effect of firing a heavy load with a weak spring? Do you risk cracking the slide and slide stop?

It batters the frame more. How much more and how likely that extra battering is to cause damage is a factor of just how heavy the loads are and how light the spring is.

With a 15# spring? You're unlikely to hurt much unless you're shooting many thousands of rounds of +P or higher.

If you're combining an 11# spring with +P+ loads then results may vary. Still not likely to do anything immediately, but the wear will be accelerated.

 

[Bovice]

I've made the mistake of trying to re-assemble a G34 with a wolff spring and guide rod. The spring is super long and next to impossible to put back. It offers nothing over the stock spring. If your goal is to bunny-fart your loads down as low as you possibly can, you're inevitably asking for a FTF or FTE with a glock regardless of what spring you're putting in it. Also if you're using jacketed bullets, you're risking a stuck bullet. 9mm isn't a high-recoil round in its factory spec anyways, in any of the glock pistols chambered for it.

No thanks. Keep the stock recoil spring. If you want no recoil, shoot a .22.

 

[Dogguy]

I've used nothing but the Wolff springs/rods in Glocks for several years. I prefer them to the Glock captured springs. I don't understand how anyone could find it difficult to field strip and reassemble a G19 because of a non-captured recoil spring. 'Course the G34 extra slide length might require a little more effort than the G19.

I have noticed the Wolff outer rod of the two-piece guide rod in both my G26 and G30 are being chewed up with use. I might have to reconsider the Glock springs for these guns.

 

[mgmorden]

If your goal is to bunny-fart your loads down as low as you possibly can, you're inevitably asking for a FTF or FTE with a glock regardless of what spring you're putting in it. Also if you're using jacketed bullets, you're risking a stuck bullet. 9mm isn't a high-recoil round in its factory spec anyways, in any of the glock pistols chambered for it.

No thanks. Keep the stock recoil spring. If you want no recoil, shoot a .22.

Plenty of people work out a balance that works great with no FTF or FTE issues. They're also WELL above the power needed to push the bullet out of the barrel, which isn't really all that significant a risk (the gun would cease cycling long before you got that low).

The reality is that tons of shooters use replacement springs for this purpose to great effect. If you don't want to go that route then you don't have to, but don't pretend that people aren't getting "nothing over the stock spring". Many Glocks/M&P's won't even cycle 125PF (USPSA Minor/IDPA SSP) loads with a stock spring.

 

[billj888]

I fire a lot of 125 gr. lead round nose in my G19. They're well lubed and I bring my Hoppe's, a cleaning rod and some patches to the range. Clean once or twice during the session to pay respect to the Glock admonition to not fire lead due to polygonal rifling. Is anyone afraid to use lead in their Glock?