1911 recoil spring weight
Objekt
recoil spring, my Springfield Armory 1911 shows signs of needing a new
recoil spring. According to SA, it shouldn't need a new spring yet, but
I don't know how else to fix a problem with Remington Golden Saber 185
grain .45 ACP +P misfeeding.
This is a gun that never had misfeeds with any commercial ammo, with one
exception: I found that Corbon 200 grain .45 ACP +P hollowpoints didn't
usually work. When I fired several dozen rounds of it, I got lots of
damaged brass and the same type of misfeeds I saw with the Golden Saber
last weekend.
The misfeed type I'm talking about is not the usual one where a bullet
hangs up on the way in the chamber. Rather, the cartridge has left the
magazine, but has somehow jammed against the chamber roof, getting stuck
at an angle to the bore axis.
Only time I saw this type of jam before was - as I suggest above - with
heavier +P ammo. It worked fine with 185 grain +P loads, until now.
That is why I'm thinking I might need a new recoil spring.
So, the stock 1911 recoil spring is 16 pounds. What I'm wondering is,
what weight should I get to replace it? Another 16-pounder, or maybe a
little heavier? What have you found to be successful? I would not mind
if I could no longer get away with the really light reloads I've been
shooting, as long as it still works with a variety of both
standard-pressure and +P .45 ammo.
Objekt
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Scribner
<t37st...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> ...
Try a 19 pound Wolf.
Ol Shy & Bashful
Do you find this to be true with every magazine you are using? That
sounds like the problem to me. I've used a standard hardball spring for
many thousands of rounds without malfunction except when I changed up
magazines. I found this to be true with a couple dozen 1911's. I doubt
I've changed the recoil spring more than twice in my #1 which has over
125,000 rounds fired thru it - hardball and reloads.
Ol Shy & Bashful
Objekt wrote:
> ...
Mitch...@aol.com
Bugs
> ...
That spring should have been replaced a long time ago. Try changing
springs by at least 5,000 rounds. At 10,000 rounds that spring needs to
be retired, Get a couple of new springs like a 16 and a 18, try them
out and the one you don't use you can use as a back up.
Good Luck Bugs100
Bugs
> ...
That spring should have been replaced a long time ago. Try changing
springs by at least 5,000 rounds. At 10,000 rounds that spring needs to
be retired, Get a couple of new springs like a 16 and a 18, try them
out and the one you don't use you can use as a back up.
Good Luck Bugs100
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Peter McMullen
# Having fired about 10,000 rounds in its lifetime, with the original
# recoil spring, my Springfield Armory 1911 shows signs of needing a new
# recoil spring. According to SA, it shouldn't need a new spring yet, but
# I don't know how else to fix a problem with Remington Golden Saber 185
# grain .45 ACP +P misfeeding.
#
# This is a gun that never had misfeeds with any commercial ammo, with one
# exception: I found that Corbon 200 grain .45 ACP +P hollowpoints didn't
# usually work. When I fired several dozen rounds of it, I got lots of
# damaged brass and the same type of misfeeds I saw with the Golden Saber
# last weekend.
#
Assuming the extractor does not appear loose or worn, and
the magazines feed other rounds without problems, I'd
replace the recoil spring with a Wolff spring. They are only
8 bucks apiece, so you could try a standard weight or a
heavier weight if you consistently shoot hot loads, maybe an
18.5 lb.
http://www.gunsprings.com/SemiAuto/ColtNF.html#Colt%201911
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"At this time, Google policy does not permit the
advertisement of websites that contain 'firearms and
ammunition'."
BOYCOTT GOOGLE, USE ALTAVISTA
:-)
Bugs
> ...
That spring should have been replaced a long time ago. Try changing
springs by at least 5,000 rounds. At 10,000 rounds that spring needs to
be retired, Get a couple of new springs like a 16 and a 18, try them
out and the one you don't use you can use as a back up.
Good Luck Bugs100
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Sam A. Kersh
wrote:
#On Wed, 27 Sep 2006 03:46:26 +0000 (UTC), Objekt
#<t37st...@yahoo.com> wrote:
#
# > ...
#Try a 19 pound Wolf.
Too heavy. The 18½ pound variable rate spring from Wolfe is as heavy as
you should go. FFIW, the stock spring is 16 pounds.
gri...@texas.net
#Having fired about 10,000 rounds in its lifetime, with the original
#recoil spring, my Springfield Armory 1911 shows signs of needing a new
#recoil spring. According to SA, it shouldn't need a new spring yet, but
#I don't know how else to fix a problem with Remington Golden Saber 185
#grain .45 ACP +P misfeeding.
#
Snip
#So, the stock 1911 recoil spring is 16 pounds. What I'm wondering is,
#what weight should I get to replace it? Another 16-pounder, or maybe a
#little heavier? What have you found to be successful? I would not mind
#if I could no longer get away with the really light reloads I've been
#shooting, as long as it still works with a variety of both
#standard-pressure and +P .45 ammo.
#
#Objekt
A heavier recoil spring will give you more muzzle flip. I suggest you
get a least one factory 16 lbs spring and one heavier spring.
After 10,000 rounds, the original has definately lost some of its
bounce. Try the new factory spring and see if it will function
correctly. If not, go heavier.
Those things are only $7.
Thanks, Mark
chang
# Having fired about 10,000 rounds in its lifetime, with the original
# recoil spring, my Springfield Armory 1911 shows signs of needing a new
# recoil spring. According to SA, it shouldn't need a new spring yet, but
# I don't know how else to fix a problem with Remington Golden Saber 185
# grain .45 ACP +P misfeeding.
#
# The misfeed type I'm talking about is not the usual one where a bullet
# hangs up on the way in the chamber. Rather, the cartridge has left the
# magazine, but has somehow jammed against the chamber roof, getting stuck
# at an angle to the bore axis.
What's the OAL of the rounds? I had exactly the same problem with some
185gr bullets that went away when I started loading them longer. Of
course you have no such option with commercial rounds. You can always
pull some bullets, seat them out a little further, and see if it makes a
difference. At least you'll know if your gun can't run with them.
10,000 rounds doesn't seem like much to me. I know some people change
springs as often as every few thousand rounds, but I have a Colt with
well over 100,000 rounds that's only been through 2 springs. Still runs
fine, other than some loss of accuracy.
YMMV,
Phil
Clark Magnuson
Recoil Spring Selection Tips (from Wilson Combat catalog)
By Bill Wilson
As a rule of thumb, you should use the heaviest recoil spring possible,
which does not interfere with the pistol functioning.
The spring tension requirement is affected by many factors, including
the ammunition used, grip pressure, compensators, slide to frame
friction, pistol type etc. The following procedure will help you
determine what is the proper recoil spring for your gun.
1. First, try the recommended standard spring for your load/pistol
combination.
2. Watch for extraction related jams and failure of the slide to lock
back. This is an indication of a very heavy spring. Use a lighter one.
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http://www.gunsprings.com/1ndex.html
How heavy should my recoil spring be?
What weight recoil spring should I use with a particular load?
These are two very hard questions to answer in exact terms and in most
cases an exact answer is not possible. There are many factors which
influence the correct weight recoil spring to use. These factors
include the particular ammunition brand and load, individual pistol
characteristics, individual shooting styles and your individual,
subjective feeling of how the gun shoots and should feel. In general
terms, the heaviest recoil spring that will allow the pistol to function
reliably is the best choice - tempered by the above factors. If your
casings are hitting the ground in the 3 to 6 foot range, then the recoil
spring is approximately correct. If you are ejecting beyond the 6-8
foot range, then a heavier recoil spring is generally required. If your
casings are ejecting less than 3 feet a lighter recoil spring may be
needed to assure proper functioning. Taking these factors into
consideration, it then comes down to how the gun feels and performs when
shooting - in your judgment. Using too light a recoil spring can result
in damage to the pistol and possible injury to you.
-----------------------
My own calculation on "How far do cases fly?":
1) For a semi-automatic case fired 5 feet form the floor, the time to
reach the floor is
t= square root ((2)distance / acceleration )= root (5'/32'/sec/sec)= .54
seconds
2) In a Colt .45 the ejector contacts the case when the slide is back
1.3". The farthest the slide can travel is 1.8" where it hits a stop. If
the spring is perfectly sized for the gun and the round, then the slide
will just run out of energy at the stop. Assume Vslide = 0 at 1.8".
3) Energy Slide at 1.3 inches = (force) (distance)= (16lb
spring)(1.8-1.3=.5")=.66 foot pounds of kinetic energy left in slide
when it hits the case
4) Energy is also = 1/2 mass velocity squared = .5 (mass of slide=
weight
of slide/ grav accel=12 oz/32 ft/sec/sec)(V squared)
5) Combining equations 3) and 4): Vslide at 1.3" = square
root(E/(.5mass)) = root(.66 ft lb/((.5)(.023 lb sec sec /ft)) = 7.6
feet/sec
6)Center of gravity [this should be moment of inertia, but that would be
work] is .25" from extractor claw and ejector hits the
case at .35" from the extractor claw.
Velocity of case = (.25"/.35") velocity of slide at 1.3" = (.25/.35)7.6
feet/sec = 5.4 feet per sec = 3.6 miles per hour
7) Combining 1) and 6): Distance case travels=
(Velocity)(time)=(5.4ft/sec)(.54 sec)=2.9 feet horizontally from the
gun
And Wolff FAQ wants your empties to land from 3 to 6 feet. They must
want the slide to barely hit the stop.
http://www.gunsprings.com/1ndex.html
Clark
# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
For choosing to fight, one gets the horrors or war, stress, and possibly
death.
For choosing not to fight, one gets subjugation, humiliation, and
possibly death.
Choose your fights carefully.
R.M.R.
but I don't know how else to fix a problem with Remington Golden Saber
185 grain .45 ACP +P misfeeding.
~~~~~
Springfield is funny about recommending recoil springs.When I broke my
wrist and couldn't pull my slide back I asked them for a recommendation
on a reduced spring.Their reply was (to paraphrase) because of liability
reasons they couldn't recommend a reduced spring. In your case even that
doesn't make any sense because after 10,000 rds and a semi diet of +P
loads you pretty much washed the life out of that original spring.Even
if it is a magazine problum I'd change it anyway...
Ray,
(Si vis pacem,
para bellum) U.S.A.