I have a couple sigmas and glocks in my collection and I was wandering how often the striker spring should be changed? Also is there anything else that should be routinely changed/maintained in a striker fire pistol? There is nothing wrong with the guns now, just curious.
Striker fire pistol springs
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Walt Sherrill
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Coil springs are unusual beasts, and they tend to degrade with a 1) LOT of use near their design limits, or 2) by being kept compressed near their elastic limits.
A striker spring is generally only partially compressed when ready to fire, and with most guns, it's not even partially compressed until the slide is racked (either manually, or by cycling). Pulling the trigger compresses the striker spring further and releases it.
If you store an unloaded striker-fired gun with the striker discharged (pull the trigger after the slide is closed), there almost no chance of wear during storage.
I don't think I've ever heard of a striker spring failure. It may happen, but it doesn't seem to be a common problem.
If you're still concerned, contacting the manufacturer is probably the best course of action, as all of these striker-fired guns are subtly different, as are the designs of the springs used.
A striker spring is generally only partially compressed when ready to fire, and with most guns, it's not even partially compressed until the slide is racked (either manually, or by cycling). Pulling the trigger compresses the striker spring further and releases it.
If you store an unloaded striker-fired gun with the striker discharged (pull the trigger after the slide is closed), there almost no chance of wear during storage.
I don't think I've ever heard of a striker spring failure. It may happen, but it doesn't seem to be a common problem.
If you're still concerned, contacting the manufacturer is probably the best course of action, as all of these striker-fired guns are subtly different, as are the designs of the springs used.
I bought my first Glock in 1991 and after thousands of rounds, it's springs are still doing their intended jobs. Same for my 1006 bought circa 1990 and many other "old" guns I own. Since I shoot guns in "self defense rotation" often, I'm reasonably certain I'll detect any problems in the early stages of failure. Of course, a catastrophic failure will be known pretty quickly.
My BHP has 40+ year old springs and it still goes bang every time. However, I do have spares for springs and such. It's not a question of do mechanical things fail, it's a matter of when. The problem comes in knowing the "when" part.
The thing about the springs and other small pieces and parts; they're dirt cheap and easy to replace. If you're concerned, replace them and keep the old ones as spares in the event you do get a failure.
My BHP has 40+ year old springs and it still goes bang every time. However, I do have spares for springs and such. It's not a question of do mechanical things fail, it's a matter of when. The problem comes in knowing the "when" part.
The thing about the springs and other small pieces and parts; they're dirt cheap and easy to replace. If you're concerned, replace them and keep the old ones as spares in the event you do get a failure.
I'd be more concerned about your recoil spring than your striker spring...most manufactures recommend regular replacement of recoil springs at 3500-5000 rounds for full sized pistols and a much shorter number as the size of the pistol are reduced.
I seem to remember a Wilson Custom ADP having a recommended spring change interval of 600-1000 rounds
Walt Sherrill
Member
Even a recoil spring isn't likely to be a big problem, when it starts to go. While spent cases will likely be sent into the next county -- your gun will probably continue to function for quite a while... giving you time to pick up a replacement.
Mag springs are the most likely to cause functional issues -- when they go, the gun just won't run right.
Broken springs, like trigger return springs (had that happen with a Glock, once) are good things to have as backup springs.
Mag springs are the most likely to cause functional issues -- when they go, the gun just won't run right.
Broken springs, like trigger return springs (had that happen with a Glock, once) are good things to have as backup springs.
The fact is, of the striker-fired pistols, I believe that only the Glock's striker spring is partially compressed when ready-to-fire. I know that the XD's striker spring is fully compressed and pulling the trigger has nothing to do with cocking or compressing the striker spring.
You'll probably never need to change out a striker spring.
You'll probably never need to change out a striker spring.
Walt Sherrill
Member
Even if a striker spring is FULLY COMPRESSED (i.e., compressed as far as it's supposed to be compressed in normal function), the spring may still be well within it's design limits and not stressed by being kept compressed.
As others have said, I doubt you'll ever have to replace a striker spring...
As others have said, I doubt you'll ever have to replace a striker spring...
Walt Sherrill
Member
Note: the guns in question were Glocks and the similar SIGMAs, which is why I responded as I did. But I agree -- it's unlikely that a striker spring will have to be replaced in most guns.
(An old Luger was my first striker-fired gun...)
(An old Luger was my first striker-fired gun...)
SwampWolf
Member
Years ago, I read a test report on the HK P2000 pistol authored by Charlie Cutshaw. In that report, Mr. Cutshaw made the following observation concerning this pistol: "...When the slide is worked to the rear and sets the hammer against the sear, the hammer is under tension by the mainspring. For this reason, HK recommends that the pistol be cleared and the hammer dropped on an empty chamber prior to placing the pistol in long-term storage. This is probably a very good idea, as it is not advisable to place any device in long-term storage with springs under tension."
I wrote HK and inquired as to how important it really is to keep the spring(s) tension-free during long-term storage and what is meant by "long-term" (days, weeks, months, years?). In the same letter, I also noted that I'd never heard of any other pistol manufacturer issuing the same precaution.
HK responded to my inquiry with this one sentence: "HK recommends that the P2000 pistol be cleared and the hammer dropped on an empty chamber prior to long term storage to protect the life of the spring." Still
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I wrote HK and inquired as to how important it really is to keep the spring(s) tension-free during long-term storage and what is meant by "long-term" (days, weeks, months, years?). In the same letter, I also noted that I'd never heard of any other pistol manufacturer issuing the same precaution.
HK responded to my inquiry with this one sentence: "HK recommends that the P2000 pistol be cleared and the hammer dropped on an empty chamber prior to long term storage to protect the life of the spring." Still
.Walt Sherrill
Member
It's probably H&K stating a fact about springs that most people don't know and some manufacturers don't care about. A spring under tension will degrade. If it being held under tension within it's NORMAL operating range, the degradation may be so gradual as to be unimportant. If the spring, when compressed (and kept that way), is compressed to the limits of its operating range, it will degrade more quickly.)
It would appear that the H&K design, when the hammer spring is engaged, pushes the spring near to it's limit.
This is why SOME magazine springs,when the mags are stored fully loaded, can degrade more quickly than expected. It's why Wolff Springs recommends downloading hi-cap mags (and semi-compact/compact mags holding a lot of rounds) a round or two for long-term storage. Other mags, like many 9mm 10-rounders, or 7-4ound .45 mags, are likely to never degrade if left fully loaded for long periods -- THOSE springs aren't all that hard pressed, so to speak.
It's been a trend in recent years for gunmakers to have guns do things they couldn't do before -- they've made the guns smaller, but made them function like their full-size companion models. Smaller springs have to do the same work, with less space and less material more and the springs have become renewable resources.
H&K is just telling their owners to do what's best for them and the gun. It may be that the design of other guns use the springs in a different manner, so that leaving them ready to fire is not stressing the springs.
It would appear that the H&K design, when the hammer spring is engaged, pushes the spring near to it's limit.
This is why SOME magazine springs,when the mags are stored fully loaded, can degrade more quickly than expected. It's why Wolff Springs recommends downloading hi-cap mags (and semi-compact/compact mags holding a lot of rounds) a round or two for long-term storage. Other mags, like many 9mm 10-rounders, or 7-4ound .45 mags, are likely to never degrade if left fully loaded for long periods -- THOSE springs aren't all that hard pressed, so to speak.
It's been a trend in recent years for gunmakers to have guns do things they couldn't do before -- they've made the guns smaller, but made them function like their full-size companion models. Smaller springs have to do the same work, with less space and less material more and the springs have become renewable resources.
H&K is just telling their owners to do what's best for them and the gun. It may be that the design of other guns use the springs in a different manner, so that leaving them ready to fire is not stressing the springs.
SwampWolf
Member
A possibility that opting for a different brand of pistol having different design parameters (permitting a pistol to lie in a state of readiness for an extended period of time without "stressing the springs") might be a compelling reason to look somewhere else (instead of HK) for a pistol intended for self-defense.
Walt Sherrill
Member
That's certainly an option.
But there's also the possibility that, as I originally stated, H&K simply addresses something that the other gun makers ignore... We simply don't know.
That said I haven't heard a lot of internet horror stories about H&K springs failing.
Oh, crap: now that we've addressed the subject there will soon be a bunch of rumors about H&K springs going South. Soon it won't just be CZs that have a "well-known reputation for crappy springs." (That one frequently gets my dander up.)
I wonder if we can start some rumors about other guns, too?
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Yes springs will weaken over time but that rarely means the gun becomes non functional or even unreliable. If it begins to show problems from a spring that's getting week then replace it. As I've got older my philosophy on these kind of things is expressed in the colloquial vernacular as "don't fix what ain't broke".
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