1911 Recoil Spring

gknaka2

Was practicing at the range last night with my new Ultradot. The slide is now too heavy to cycle and the expended case stays inside the pistol

Should I go to a lighter recoil spring (it is currently 16lb)? These are not particularly light loads with 5.0 titegroup/200gr Flatpoints so I do not want to increase the powder charge.

I was thinking 12 - 14 lbs and use the highest poundage that will cycle the slide.

Pearyw

You need to buy an assortment. You can get them from Wolff. I use a 13# in my comp 1911.

perry shooter

GKNAKA2 you have the right Idea use the strongest spring that will still give 100% function. I use 4.5 or 4.6 grains of BULLS-EYE with 200 grain Bullet . Good practice for HARD-BALL CMP service pistol matches. "PRAISE THE HARD-BALL GUN"[}:)][^]

EDITWith all due respects Mr.Hicks. a good quality spring albeit in a firearm or Automobile valve spring should not get weak from storage. Automobile have valve springs that go through millions of cycles and end up compressed depending on where the crankshaft stops when engine is cut off. I have a quality recoil spring in one of my match pistols that has over 200,000 rounds fired with this one spring in the pistol and 2 magazines that have split the same number of rounds the recoil spring is less then .030 shorter then new and still test within 1.5 ounces at compressed length.The magazines still function 100%. Cheap poor quality springs or springs that are OVER stressed from poor pistol designs are the ones that give trouble. YMMV with what gun you purchase.

gknaka2

I just placed an order for the 11-15 lb assortment

Stephen M. Hicks

Store your gun with the slide locked open. That will stress the spring and weaken it. Worked with my 1911. Worth a try before buying springs.

geeguy

You say ultra dot, so this is for NRA competition (185-200SWC). And last post you had a long slide. You need a 12 lb. spring, and down load your ammo. Don't know your powder, but most that are using Clays use 3.8-4.1 grains. (I use 4.1 with 200 SWC and it functions on all my guns 5&6" with rail and scope mounted on the slide)

Make sure you get a spring for the long slide model. If buying a range I assume you know how to test for the right spring. You want it to drop that brass at your feet and slow enough you can hear the gun cycle.

Best of luck

dcs shooters

quote:Originally posted by Stephen M. Hicks
Store your gun with the slide locked open. That will stress the spring and weaken it. Worked with my 1911. Worth a try before buying springs.


That just shows the quality of those Philipine built 1911's [B)][xx(]

Pearyw

For longer spring life, I have converted several of my 1911s to use the flat coil springs that are used in Glocks. They last a lot longer than coil springs but the spring weight choices are limited.

Pistollero1050

I use a 14# spring and shoot 4.1 gr of titegroup under a 230 gr round nose. Works real nice. Puts out just at power factor.

gknaka2

quote:Originally posted by geeguy
You say ultra dot, so this is for NRA competition (185-200SWC). And last post you had a long slide. You need a 12 lb. spring, and down load your ammo. Don't know your powder, but most that are using Clays use 3.8-4.1 grains. (I use 4.1 with 200 SWC and it functions on all my guns 5&6" with rail and scope mounted on the slide)

Make sure you get a spring for the long slide model. If buying a range I assume you know how to test for the right spring. You want it to drop that brass at your feet and slow enough you can hear the gun cycle.

Best of luck


Fortunately for me, my long slide model uses standard 5" govt springs (6.75"). The designers of the reverse plug were smart and did not drill all the way through to the end, allowing the gun to use standard government springs.

gknaka2

Thank you all for your responses. 12 lb spring is a perfect fit for my loads...

My 1911 is no longer a bolt action pistol...[:D]