The P64 and springs

[MCgunner]

What recoil spring are you guys using, you that modified your P64 with Wolff springs? I'm not worried about the hammer spring, getting the assortment with 4 weights only 9 bucks. But, mine ejects rounds further than I can throw a baseball anymore. Finding the spent brass is impossible. So, I hope I didn't goof up, but I ordered the heaviest, the 22 lb spring. If it don't work, I guess I can get a lighter one in another order. But, as strong as the ejection is, I wanted to go all the way on the spring rate.

Anyone? What are you using for the recoil spring weight? I know there are several P64 owners with the Wolff spring conversion on this board.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

I put in either a 22 or maybe a 24lb spring. It was the heaviest that wolf had. The wolf recoil spring is a little longer than the stock one I replaced. It was almost as hard getting the slide back on as it was installing the hammer spring, but it fit. You might need a third hand to manipulate the trigger guard while your other two hands are on the grip and the slide.

The heavy wolf recoil spring makes the p64 much more pleasant to shoot. It is a very worthwhile addition.

 

[MCgunner]

Yeah, maybe it was 24 lbs, ordered the strongest one at any rate. Glad to hear it works for you. I was thinkin' the thing is WAY under sprung the way it is just judging by the force and distance of ejection. Man, I've launched model rockets that didn't go that high. In addition to helping out with felt recoil, I hope it'll help me find my spent brass. I put a 1911 18 lb spring in my Ruger P90 early on. It's longer, preloaded, too, the 1911 having a 5" slide. But, now, ejection is more controlled and I can lay out a 6x8 plastic tarp and most of 'em will fall on that tarp. It's still 100 percent reliable and the extra spring rate, I'm sure, will attenuate wear on the slide and frame. The velocity that little P64's slide has, it's gotta be hard on things even if it's all steel.

I just pull my trigger guard down and it'll rest on the frame if I pull it over to the frame a bit. It has enough slack in the pivot to do that.

I've done hammer springs like that before, too, from my old Security Six and more recently an SP101. Just put the strut inside a box on a board. The board and cardboard keep the spring guide from moving and if the spring pops off, it's not as likely to fly across the room and get lost, will hopefully hit the side of the box and stay contained. It's a PITA, but it can be done. I wonder if gunsmiths have a handy dandy tool, like a little mini McPherson strut spring compressor, for that?

 

[kragluver]

22# recoil spring and 19# hammer spring. I also replaced the trigger return spring with one of my own manufacture from heavier gauge wire. All of these mods made the DA trigger pull acceptable, the SA pull slightly heavier (it was originally too light for my tastes) and moderated the recoil a bit. I also replaced the grips with new ones made by Ziba (see p64resource.com) and added a Hogue slip-on grip. Widened the rear sight notch and put a touch of white model paint on the front sight.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

Kragluver- How did you do the trigger return spring? Was it on p64 resource?

 

[kragluver]

After I replaced the hammer spring on my pistol, I found the DA pull acceptable but the SA pull measured about 3# -- too light for my tastes in a carry pistol. There are two springs that affect SA trigger pull on the P64 - the sear spring and the trigger return spring. The sear spring would be a real pain to remake and replace (there is a guy on p64resource that's done it - but I don't have his skills). I first measured the diameter of the original trigger spring. Then I chucked a drill rod into my bench vice and wound coil springs around the drill rod of a couple different music wire gauges being careful to maintain the final total width of the coil spring to the same dimension as the factory spring. This ensures it will fit within the trigger yoke. Make sure you leave the "tails" of the spring long and cut to fit upon installation. I probably made 10 different springs before I found one I liked. Fortunately, music wire is cheap!

I had to try a couple different wire gauges until I got the SA trigger pull where I wanted it. I ended up using a slightly thicker wire gauge with only 3 coils as opposed to the factory 4 - still maintaining finished spring width. The SA trigger pull is now about 6# and is a better match with the DA pull.

 

[MCgunner]

Yeah, I don't like the DA/SA transition, but I'm thinkin' if significantly lightening the DA don't help, I will just live with it.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

Thanks Kragluver.

 

[North Bender]

My 2 cents: shoot 200 rounds through the pistol before you do any spring work. It may loosen up and you may like the trigger after you shoot it a bit. I don't believe in just jumping in and changing springs on the little beast.

And it is a little beast! Quite the trigger pull and recoil flip. But shoot it a bit before modifying.

 

[searcher451]

http://www.p64resource.com/