Measuring 1911 recoil spring weight

[Catpop]

I need to get a lighter recoil spring for my Kimber Classic Royal to be able to cycle lighter 185 grain loads. How do you measure the existing spring weight to get a starting point?

 

[Walkalong]

If it is .45 ACP, it probably has a 16 or 18 pound spring in it now. Springs are cheap. You might try a 14, 15, & 16 pound spring. I am running 16's in .45 and 14's in 9MM. I have a couple of pretty light loads in .45 ACP, and my stock 16 Lb 1911 springs work with them. It will have to be mighty light before you need lower than a 16 Lb spring.

ISMI springs:

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortb...ionids=4294846063&newcategorydimensionid=9572

 

[tuj]

Bullseyegear and Brownells sell a 'reduced power' spring pack that has the appropriate recoil and fp spring pairings. Remember, the mainspring (hammer spring) influences how the gun behaves under recoil as well.

http://www.bullseyegear.com/bullseyepistol/product.php?productid=56&cat=15&page=1

 

[ku4hx]

I use the data at the Wolff springs website as reference. For all the guns I've been interested in, they sell OEM weights a well as others.