When to change main spring?

[Pylon]

Hey guys, i was just curious, how do you guys know when you are suppose to change the main spring in your gun?

I was just wondering because lately i've noticed that my gun's slide has been cycling slower? It might just be my perception, but i swear i can see the slide going back and forth slower then it used too, and even when i'm racking the slide for the first time, it seems sluggish. I mean it works still, just not sure if its time to replace my main spring or not?

FYI: I'm shooting a used Sig with unknown number of rounds through it, Shoots great though. I've personally shot 1,500 through it so far.

Thanks for your help guys!

-Pylon

 

[mete]

A good gun like a Sig should give a minimum of 10,000 without a problem of any kind and probably a whole lot more than that if it has been maintained well. As I have stated in previous posts a properly made spring does not wear out or 'take a set'. If you are paranoid about the gun springs you should really panic about the valve springs in you car !!

 

[ARGarrison]

Best spring advice I ever got was to; Buy a new spring and lay it down beside the old one. If the old one is noticably shorter (3 coils) than the new one replace old for new.

Some may say round count. A whole lot of light loads do not equal a whole lot of hot loads.

Any problems you are having with sluggish action cycle that are not corrected by a new spring I think you need to take your Sig to the doctor (aka Good Gunsmith).

 

[burrhead]

Are you asking about the main spring or the recoil spring? The main spring powers the hammer and should last for tens of thousands of cycles at the very least. The recoil spring is the one in the slide and controls slide movement. Donno about Sigs but I change the recoil springs in my 1911s every 3,000 or so.

 

[Mannlicher]

Even with a weaker spring, you could not tell the difference in cycle speed. I change springs when I get the urge to. I have one old Hi Power, that dates back to 1942, and I have never changed any of the springs. I have fired over 10K rounds through it, and believe me, I got it second hand.

 

[Bobarino]

i thought i noticed the same thing happening in my USP compact. i called HK and asked them when to replace the spring, they said around 10,000 rounds. i'll order a replacement then, or sooner if i notice any malfunctions.

Bobby

 

[ARGarrison]

I was thinking recoil spring on my above post.

 

[stans]

If the slide is moving slower, it is not the result of a weak recoil spring. I am thinking that maybe your ammo is a little less powerful than what you have previously used or there is a build up of gunk that is slowing the slide.

 

[Pylon]

Burrhead, yes i meant the recoil spring. Sorry didn't know the hammer spring was called the main spring. Never thing about that spring actually. Kinda forgot that was there. hehe


Anyways, some good advice here, i'm starting to think it might have something to do with the ammo i'm using. I tend to use the local range reloads just cause they are cheap and seem to work fairly well. If any of you are from Tennessee you should know what i'm talking about, the orange box "tennessee reloads"

And i buy it to support my range. Anyways, i like the idea of holding a new spring next to the old spring and seeing how much it is compressed. I forget who suggest that in thread, but i'm gonna do that. Good advice

-Pylon

 

[BluesBear]

Important Notice.

Just remember that a new recoil spring will always be a few coils longer since it hasn't taken a set yet. A new recoil spring will settle in and take a set then it shouldn't change until it starts wearing out.

And be sure you are comparing two springs of equal strength.


1911 Tuner can give you more exact information than I can.

 

[Josey]

It sounds like it IS time for a good detail strip and an overnight soak in Kroil. All parts but the grip panels. Reassemble and test the action for function with dummy rounds first. Then try a box of Winchester white box. If there are still problems, gunsmiths need to eat too.