Recoil Spring for Light Loads?

[ulflyer]

All I do is shoot paper for pleasure using very light loads of 3.5 to 3.9 gr of Bullseye behind a 220 gr lead bullet. My 1911's all seem to cycle well using 16 lb springs, but I'm wondering if it would be better for the guns if I used maybe a 12 or 14 lb spring? Or does it really matter?

 

[1911Tuner]

Springy Stuff

Howdy Ted,

If the slide is cycling completely with the 16-pound spring, it's okay. You can try a 14-pound Wolff if you want a little more slide speed and ejection distance. Colt used to supply two springs with their Gold Cups. One for hardball and one for target wadcutters. Miking the wire on the lighter spring indicated that it was a 14 pound spring with 3 coils clipped off. The springs tested at an average of 12.5 pounds. I've got a couple of shortened 14-pound Wolff springs. I'll give ya one next time we hook up so you can try it.

 

[ulflyer]

Tuner, thanks for Springy Reply....will hold off on ordering springs for now.

Am looking at Brownell's for some sights for both the Nork and Chat-Ther. I believe the Nork takes a narrow tenon front but the sight set I would like to try (XS Express..pp297) comes only with dovetail front. Can you do that after you get settled in?

For the CT: is it a narrow Tenon front also? Not ready to go cutting on that one so will stay with the tenon.

 

[Zak Smith]

I run a 14# Wolff in my 1911 shooting 170 PF. Any lower and I get FTRB if my thumb rubs the slide at all.