M&P Recoil spring

[9longboy]

I recieved a Smith & Wesson M&P9L for Christmas. I've recently noticed shooting matches that when I do a tactical reload (IDPA) or any reload with a round in the pipe, the gun jumps out of battery. It only moves about and 1/8 of an inch, but enough to take the gun out of battery. I can bump the slide forward into battery. I've been talking to my dad about it (who also shoots a M&P), and we both think the recoil spring is weak. The factory recoil spring was changed to an aftermarket one. I'm not sure if I want to take it back to a factory spring. Does anyone make recoil springs for M&Ps? If so, what is the best poundage for a recoil spring? If you need to know I shoot Winchester white box ammo and slightly lower charged ammo, that still makes power factor

[pbosik]

contact kenny at speed shooters spec., he is a forum dealer, click on the name and go to the web,,i would say 13 or 15 to insure slide staying in battery, he has all the m&p stuff

[Storm52]

Several members, including me shoot the M&P. I have fullsize in 40 and the 45 on order. You might want to browse the M&P forum as there is also a great deal of information on springs, rods and troubleshooting.

http://mp-pistol.com/boards/

[Pdoyle]

Mike Cyrus...M and P GUru...told me to stay with factory springs for this. I have not seen any of these probelms. i have seen some in others who drop the springs down to 11 and 13 lbs. Almost as if it cant be kept in battery...but they shoot pretty well...just feel - funky.

Pat

[Sarge]

WOW. No wonder they say opinions are like a holes. I shoot a 13 lb spring in my pro and it feels better but certainly not funky.

As to longboys original post. My pro will come out of battery if I flick my wrist when I put an 11lb spring in it with no round in the chamber. Sounds like there is a very light spring in your L. Truth be told there probably is no reason to run anything but stock in the M&P's as mine worked just fine with very light 147 loads(119PF). And for what it's worth an uncaptured 15lb spring is a bear to get locked in during reassembly. Try a 13 and see if your problems go away. SSS has them for around $10 I think..

[RH45]

Springs that fit/work in a Glock 17,34, 35, ect will work just fine in your M&P.

Even though my .40 will run loads right down to 120 pf with the stock, S&W spring, the brass just dribbles out.

My Pro won't run much under 130pf with the stock spring. I currently have a 14# spring, with a tungsten guide rod in it, and it will run down to 120pf, but, the slide isn't real lively, and I'm thinking that if everything isn't perfect, there may be a time that it won't go all the way in to battery, so, I may just pump up my load until the factory spring weakens a little.

[Chris_Andersen]

Springs that fit/work in a Glock 17,34, 35, ect will work just fine in your M&P.

Even though my .40 will run loads right down to 120 pf with the stock, S&W spring, the brass just dribbles out.

My Pro won't run much under 130pf with the stock spring. I currently have a 14# spring, with a tungsten guide rod in it, and it will run down to 120pf, but, the slide isn't real lively, and I'm thinking that if everything isn't perfect, there may be a time that it won't go all the way in to battery, so, I may just pump up my load until the factory spring weakens a little.

Where did you get your 14# spring?

[Scott R]

I recieved a Smith & Wesson M&P9L for Christmas. I've recently noticed shooting matches that when I do a tactical reload (IDPA) or any reload with a round in the pipe, the gun jumps out of battery. It only moves about and 1/8 of an inch, but enough to take the gun out of battery. I can bump the slide forward into battery. I've been talking to my dad about it (who also shoots a M&P), and we both think the recoil spring is weak. The factory recoil spring was changed to an aftermarket one. I'm not sure if I want to take it back to a factory spring. Does anyone make recoil springs for M&Ps? If so, what is the best poundage for a recoil spring? If you need to know I shoot Winchester white box ammo and slightly lower charged ammo, that still makes power factor

I have 2 9Pros and both did that with a 13lb recoil spring and factory striker spring. After changing to reduced power striker springs they haven't done it again.

[Nemo]

What's the weight of the factory recoil spring?

[Cy Soto]

What's the weight of the factory recoil spring?

It's a tad over 16lbs.

[David Olhasso]

My uspsa/idpa gun is setup with a wolff 12lb recoil spring and reduced power striker spring. With this setup I can unlock the gun by inserting a fully loaded mag with some force. My Steel challenge gun which runs only 105pf ammo has a much lighter spring.

For uspsa/idpa, my usual suggestion is to use a 14lb wolff spring with an uncaptured guide rod from Speed Shooters or Wolff. With this setup, the gun stays locked up.

[vetts1911]

Just to confirm I run an ISMI 13 pound in my M&P 9 and 9L. That makes it run great. With a 130 power factor. I have an issue with ejection when I run the reloads with the factory spring.

[kwrangln]

I tried a 13 lb spring in my 9Pro for a short while. Shot it, didn't really feel a difference, shot a Bill drill, and ended up stringing shots vertically. Put the stock spring back in, did the same drill and kept them in the a zone. Guess with factory loads the stock spring is about perfect for me. I keep the 13 lb spring and noncaptured guide rod in the spart parts bag for whenever I get the chance to try some light loads, till then it'll collect dust.

[duncan]

My son recently got a PRO. His will close with the stock springs if he slams the mags to hard . It doesnt do it all the time just every now and then. I'll try the stock spring with no endcap, and see if that helps.

[crazygolf]

Good.

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[msb]

WOW. No wonder they say opinions are like a holes. I shoot a 13 lb spring in my pro and it feels better but certainly not funky.

As to longboys original post. My pro will come out of battery if I flick my wrist when I put an 11lb spring in it with no round in the chamber. Sounds like there is a very light spring in your L. Truth be told there probably is no reason to run anything but stock in the M&P's as mine worked just fine with very light 147 loads(119PF). And for what it's worth an uncaptured 15lb spring is a bear to get locked in during reassembly. Try a 13 and see if your problems go away. SSS has them for around $10 I think..

I tried some light 147s from AA&A brass was dribbling out most of the time with stock springs should I pop in a 13 lb?

[msb]

My uspsa/idpa gun is setup with a wolff 12lb recoil spring and reduced power striker spring. With this setup I can unlock the gun by inserting a fully loaded mag with some force. My Steel challenge gun which runs only 105pf ammo has a much lighter spring.

For uspsa/idpa, my usual suggestion is to use a 14lb wolff spring with an uncaptured guide rod from Speed Shooters or Wolff. With this setup, the gun stays locked up.

David you think with some light AA&A 147 subsonic loads I should try a 13lb spring everything else is stock on my m&p pro

[ebg3]

I have a Pro and have been using a 13lb flat-wound ISMI spring from S.S.S. on a stainless Glock guide rod(noncaptured) and a Wolf reduced power striker spring. The gun stays in battery fine with this setup. Before I went to a reduced striker spring, I tried an 11lb spring and felt like it was too close to coming out of battery when reloading. An 11 may work OK now with the lighter striker spring.

EG

[msb]

I have a Pro and have been using a 13lb flat-wound ISMI spring from S.S.S. on a stainless Glock guide rod(noncaptured) and a Wolf reduced power striker spring. The gun stays in battery fine with this setup. Before I went to a reduced striker spring, I tried an 11lb spring and felt like it was too close to coming out of battery when reloading. An 11 may work OK now with the lighter striker spring.

EG

THank you for the responce does the lighter recoil spring and the lighter striker spring make the gun cycle faster with the minor power factor ammo for you ?

[ebg3]

I can't really say it cycles faster, it just feels a little flatter. I had a light strike issue with Win. small pistol primers so I went back to the stock striker spring with 4 coils cut off. Seems to be working fine now. The Wolf reduced power striker spring and Fed. small pistol primers worked great. I've been shooting 12lb progressive springs in my major .40 for years so I think the minor 9mm should be a lot lighter than what S&W puts in the Pros. If the gun would function, I would be using a 7lb or 8lb recoil spring.

EG

[msb]

I can't really say it cycles faster, it just feels a little flatter. I had a light strike issue with Win. small pistol primers so I went back to the stock striker spring with 4 coils cut off. Seems to be working fine now. The Wolf reduced power striker spring and Fed. small pistol primers worked great. I've been shooting 12lb progressive springs in my major .40 for years so I think the minor 9mm should be a lot lighter than what S&W puts in the Pros. If the gun would function, I would be using a 7lb or 8lb recoil spring.

EG

I have a 13 lb captured built and I will built a 15lb I want to keep the cycle time fast sot maybe the 15lb? I'll give them both a try thank for the information.

[Dan Burwell]

I can't really say it cycles faster, it just feels a little flatter. I had a light strike issue with Win. small pistol primers so I went back to the stock striker spring with 4 coils cut off. Seems to be working fine now. The Wolf reduced power striker spring and Fed. small pistol primers worked great. I've been shooting 12lb progressive springs in my major .40 for years so I think the minor 9mm should be a lot lighter than what S&W puts in the Pros. If the gun would function, I would be using a 7lb or 8lb recoil spring.

EG

If you run anything but the factory weight springs you will have a problem sooner or later.

You cannot compare spring rate between 1911/2011's to M&P's, they are two completely different guns. 1911's do not have a spring in the back trying to pull the gun out of battery (striker spring) so you have to run a heavier spring in M&P's

You all are welcome to keep trying, but when it fails on a stage in a major, you just lost to the guy that runs the stock springs.

lastly there is no such thing as cycling faster, if a gun cycles it cycles, heavier spring slide goes back slower but returns faster, lighter spring slide goes back faster but returns slower. Now they will cause the sight to track differently, but that doesn't really matter either so long as the sight is returning consistently.

[Hany]

Now why did you have to go and explain that? We were going along just fine with quantifiable and articulate terms like "Faster" "Flatter" "Funkier"...

Edited August 23, 2009 by Hany

[msb]

I can't really say it cycles faster, it just feels a little flatter. I had a light strike issue with Win. small pistol primers so I went back to the stock striker spring with 4 coils cut off. Seems to be working fine now. The Wolf reduced power striker spring and Fed. small pistol primers worked great. I've been shooting 12lb progressive springs in my major .40 for years so I think the minor 9mm should be a lot lighter than what S&W puts in the Pros. If the gun would function, I would be using a 7lb or 8lb recoil spring.

EG

If you run anything but the factory weight springs you will have a problem sooner or later.

You cannot compare spring rate between 1911/2011's to M&P's, they are two completely different guns. 1911's do not have a spring in the back trying to pull the gun out of battery (striker spring) so you have to run a heavier spring in M&P's

You all are welcome to keep trying, but when it fails on a stage in a major, you just lost to the guy that runs the stock springs.

lastly there is no such thing as cycling faster, if a gun cycles it cycles, heavier spring slide goes back slower but returns faster, lighter spring slide goes back faster but returns slower. Now they will cause the sight to track differently, but that doesn't really matter either so long as the sight is returning consistently.

Thanks Dan I really apperciate your help the stock spring is 16.5lbs , I'm finding out that some are reducing the power of the striker spring and that sounds to me like asking for a problem for sure.. the recoil srpings are the same on both the .40 and the 9mm right? That is intersesting I would like the gun to track alittle bit flatter I'll hit the weight room before I lighten all the springs I guess anyone ever try a 15lb ismi on a captured rod maybe?

[Stuck in C]

I guess I'll soon find out. My M&P Pro works great with stock springs and my 132+ P.F. match ammo. (My son mostly shoots this pistol-I can't seem to give up my G34). However, I have a case of weak factory ammo (115 gr PMC) I'd like to shoot up as practice ammo. It won't reliably cycle either the M&P or the G34. I just ordered the 13# spring and guide rod from SSS and will try it out with this stuff. Hopefully it won't screw us up switching back to the stock springs and reloads for matches...