Wolff spring set on a Colt Mustang Pocketlite

[UpperAtmosphere]

I bought a Wolff spring set for my Pocketlite, which includes a recoil spring, hammer spring, and extra strength firing pin spring. Recoil spring and hammer spring went into place without issue.

The firing pin spring is about three coils too long - If I stick the spring into the channel, the firing pin won't push down far enough to get the retainer plate back into place. It's also a fair bit wider than the standard spring.

I don't think I'm doing anything wrong - spring goes into hole, firing pin goes into spring, firing pin gets pushed down, retainer plate slides back into place.

Anybody else done this? Not sure if it's the wrong spring or what.

 

[4v50 Gary]

You're doing it right.

I hope the mainspring has enough strength for the hammer to overcome that new spring. If not, you may have FTFs.

 

[rcmodel]

Call Wolff Monday and discuss it with them.

You may have got the wrong spring by accident?

Or maybe there were two different sized springs used at different times by Colt?


On the other hand?
Is something wrong with the Colt FP spring that makes you want to replace it?

Sometimes EP FP springs cause more real problems then the 'potential' ones they are 'supposed' to cure!!!

rc

 

[Jim K]

I'll go further than that. I think 90% of the spring replacement business is hokum and totally unnecessary. Unless a gun maker is completely incompetent, the factory springs will last a very long time, a lot longer than most of us will live. Nonsense like replacing all the springs in a 1911 every 100 rounds may make money for the spring makers, but is simply absurd and should be ignored by any sensible person. A spring is like any other part; it should be replaced when it needs to be replaced, not on any silly schedule ginned up by someone who owns stock in a spring company.

Jim

 

[rcmodel]

I'd agree with that right there too!

If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

It is pretty unlikely the average Colt .380 Mustang in presentable condition has been shot enough to need all new springs.

rc

 

[rondog]

Yeah, it's a Colt Mustang, not a 1943 M1 Garand that saw heavy service. Some guns just NEED new springs, but I'd wager most really don't. Especially small handguns that likely haven't seen but a very few thousand rounds. Firing pin springs aren't very stout anyway. You'd probably cause more problems than you'd solve.

 

[4v50 Gary]

BTW, I prefer factory springs to aftermarket.

The Germans graph their springs and study the pressure curve. They want it to work with a wide variety of ammunition and conditions. That's why I'll never put an aftermarket spring in a Sig Sauer or other well made German gun. Ditto with Ruger & S&W guns. Their stuff is designed to work with a wide variety of SAAMI spec ammunitions.

Aftermarket folks want to sell stuff. Some things are good like better sights. Some stuff is just junk or totally unnecessary.

 

[krs]

You might have a spring for the Colt .380 Government model - it's a version of the same design that wasn't continued or renewed and has a longer slide/barrel, and probably firing pin than the more common Mustangs.

I'm with these guys - forget about it. If there's enough spring in the original (like it's not broken) to push the firing pin back you won't need more.

I think mag springs get flat if the mag is kept loaded but it takes a l-o-n-g time. That spring can effect the operation though by making the last round feed unreliably

Spring changing is a thing that most anyone can do so clever marketers sell us springs to let us feel good doing somehing for our guns. The need for them depends a lot on the buyer's psyche' and not so much on the piece's using them up.