mil spec recoil spring

[craig]

i have a springer mil spec pb9108l. how often should i change the recoil spring? it has about 1500 rounds thru it now. i use it for plinking/target shooting mostly, and it's worked flawlessly since it's been broken in. i use umc and wwb 230 gr. ball almost exclusively. i do put 230 gr golden sabers in it when it goes in the cabinet but i don't really use it for hd. would a 16 lb. spring be right? that's what it says in the brownells catalog. i'm so confused at the large selection of springs. thanks, craig

 

[1911Tuner]

Spring

Hi craig,

The Wolff 16-pound spring should do well for any resonable factory ammo.
Change at about 2,000-2500 rounds.

 

[craig]

thanks tuner. i was curious. speaking of mil specs, the wife tried mine and found out .45's are fun. now she wants one. she still likes her 908 but all i hear now is "i want a .45" did you get my pm on the 30th? craig

 

[Onmilo]

I have been using Chrome Silicone recoil springs on several of my pistols for a couple of years now.
From what I am seeing these springs are good for at least 10,000 cycles and probably much more.

 

[1911Tuner]

Chrome Silicon

I've heard good things about the chrome silicon springs too...notably ISMI springs. One point though...Checking a small number of ISMI springs has shown a larger variation from the advertised load ratings...from as much as plus/minus 3 pounds to as little as plus/minus a quarter pound. They were tested in the pre-set condition, and allowing them to take a set may reduce that.

Another point with ISMI springs is that they come overlength by a few coils...
which may contribute to the variation...but absolutely does require checking for coil bind when installed. They provide instructions for testing and adjustment. Do NOT ignore these instructions. A coil bind during normal operation can do expensive damage to the gun.

Craig! I got your PM, but things got a little nuts before i could answer it...plus I had about 30 in the box. Thanks for the offer, and yes...I'll
take you up on it. PM sent in 5...

 

[Onmilo]

The use of a full length guide rod will all but eliminate any concerns about spring binding.
ALL springs C.S. or stainless or music wire should be tested for compression rate and coil binding prior to assembly but the point is noted.
I guess I give folks more credit for already knowing this stuff than I should.

 

[1911Tuner]

Bind

Onmilo said:

>>The use of a full length guide rod will all but eliminate any concerns about spring binding.<<
**************

Howdy Onmilo,

You're confusing binding with deflection kinking. The coil bind that I'm referring to is the condition that produces the spring's coils going solid
before the slide stops on the guide rod flange and impact surface in the frame.

When the spring stacks into a solid and stops the slide in recoil, it transfers the shock load to the plug, bushing, and the bushing lug raceway in the slide. The busing generally breaks within a few rounds, and even the slide can break in the thin area of the bushing lug raceway. This can happen more easily in Commander length and shorter guns than in 5-inch pistols, and it should be checked on any gun any time that a spring is changed. It only takes about .050 inch...about the diameter of one coil...to do expensive damage.

Cheers!

Tuner