So I have 2 questions:
1) What is the best way for me to measure the # of each?
2) What do they mean by "Fitting of these springs is required"?
Six replies and zero answers.
1) Spring rate (aka pounds, #, or lbs/in) = number of pounds required to compress a spring by 1 inch in length.
If you want to know what the spring rate (#) is then figure out some way to hold the spring still under load then find some way to measure the force required to compress it one inch.
I guess what you could do with a recoil spring is mark a spot on your slide. Have two marks on your frame, one at the same mark on the slide and the other at 1" rearward on the frame.
Find some way to rig a fishing scale or trigger pull scale to the slide, then pull the scale and see what it reads when the mark on the slide lines up with the 1" mark on the frame.
What's really confusing is Wolff labels those springs as #1 through #5.
That is not to be confused with the normal method of labeling springs as their spring weight followed by "#" to denote "pounds."
2) "Fitting of these springs is required" is simply something manufactureers say to cover their butts. It means that you are responsible for correctly installing the springs.
Springs are a pain in the butt to keep track of. I put each spring in its own labeled bag. That way I never lose track of what spring rate it is.
Generally with autos you start with the heaviest spring and fire a bunch of rounds. If you have any failures to feed or eject then you swap out to the next lightest spring. Repeat the firing til you have a spring that works consistently.
