Wilson Combat CQB compact recoil spring problem.

[TheEgg]

OK, maybe I am just stupider than I thought. You tell me -- here is my story.

I own a Wilson Combat CQB compact (4.1 inch bull bbl, no bushing). Excellent pistol. Not one I have shot a great deal. However, I have reached the 2,000 round mark on it, and wanted to order a new recoil spring.

Contacted Wilson's and asked for the correct spring number -- they said order 10SC22. This is a 22 pound spring. I ordered 2 of them, to have a spare in hand.

They arrived and I went to install one. There seems to be no way in the world that I can compress this spring enough to fit in the pistol. It seems to be almost an inch longer that the one that came out of the pistol. I know that old recoil springs shorten up some with use but this seems like a lot.

Second, after struggling with this for a while, I decided to pull the spring off. When I did, the end of the spring, having an heretofore unnoticed sharp edge, cut a deep gouge in the guide rod.

Anyway, I have communicated with Wilson's and at this point they are simply telling me that I don't know what I am doing, there is nothing wrong with the springs, and that I should take the springs and the pistol to a gunsmith and have him show me how to reassemble the pistol.

Well, before I rain nuclear bombs down on Wilson's, I thought I would check here. Has anyone else with a CQB compact had issues with replacement recoil springs? Am I, even after shooting 1911 pistols for 35 years, in need of remedial instruction.

Thanks.

 

[Zach S]

If I'm not mistaken its the same setup that comes in 4" kimbers, so the rest of my post is pretty much in assumtion of that. I think its a safe assumption, considering the barrel length is the same and they both use 22lb springs.

When I changed the spring in mine I couldnt get the giude rod put back together with the new spring very easily. I used a short guide rod instead. Just install the spring on the guide rod, put the spring plug in the slide, and slide the spring/guide rod in under the barrel. Spring changes for me dont involve four-letter words anymore.

If you prefer the FLGR, a two-peice (simular to the ones in Para P12s) would make life easier, however nobody makes one for 4" 1911s that I know of. I looked, before I thought about putting a short guide rod in.

The springs are basicly full-diameter springs for the officers model (Brownells part #969-490-220). I replace the springs around the 500 round mark (any more than that it and it jams with a limp-wrist), and they are a little shorter. No where near as much as yours, but you do have 4 times the amount of rounds on it.

 

[RogersPrecision]

Egg,
I have been there and done that!
The Wilson springs are the same number of coils and wire diameter as the Wolff springs, but appear to have been wound to a much longer overall length.
They are indeed a BEAR to install without kinking.
Once installed, the overall length will quickly shorten to some reasonable semblance of practicality and future reassembly will become easy.
Other than growing a third hand, I do not have any tips or tricks to facilitate the original install.

 

[CCW1911]

It's too bad full length guide rods went out of style. Sure makes this situation easier. Wouldn't want to be untactical thou.

Other than that you just have to wrestle it in there, wear eye protection, clear the area of pets, don't try this at home. Forgive me for trying to be funny, I took out a overhead light when one of these got out from under me just about the time I thought I had it.

Ross

 

[TheEgg]

Thanks for the replies.

I guess it is just a "cuss it and do it" sort of thing.

But Wilson's could have replied and said "Yeah, we know it is kind of tough to squeeze these in the first time" instead of implying that I was a know nothing dufuss (how did they find out about that, anyway ).