anyone use the stock recoil rod .......

[fastarget]

Can you just smooth off the nut looking end of the stock recoil rod and use uncaptured aftermarket springs in it on a pro....?

[cyclone336]

Can you just smooth off the nut looking end of the stock recoil rod and use uncaptured aftermarket springs in it on a pro....?

That is an actual nut, so you would have to make sure you were turning it the correct way if you attempted to smooth it off. Alternatively, you could grab the large end with a pair of vice grips and turn the nut off with a wrench or socket. That's what I did with my M&P9 in order to use a 13 lb. aftermarket spring, but I had to put the nut back on the same way.

[fastarget]

Great, easy way to experiment with it........thanks

[LikesToShoot]

I used a 1/4" socket to unscrew the hex end while the base end was held and the spring held compressed.

Last week I installed the #13 ISMI spring and it seemed to work well while test firing around 50 rounds.

Unfortunately while using this set-up at the Midwest Regional Backstoppers IDPA match I had around eight light primer strikes and had to rack the slide real quick to eject the round.

I didn't figure out the problem until the match was over and it too late. I'll be using the factory #16 or aftermarket #15 from now on.

[fastarget]

Well, I have 15 wolff springs that were given to us. one of the pros has it , the other is stock, the ejection and function of the one with the wolff spring seems a bit better than the stock one. So why not, you are right I have heard issues with the light strikes and we have had some in our stock pro. Sooooo a bit of experimentation is in order. Maybe even federal primers for matches, who knows.....

[LikesToShoot]

When the first "light strike" happened. A Master class shooter / gunsmith on our squad said the same thing, switch to Federal primers for major match's. So I was thinking it was a primer issue when it happened again and again.

On the long ride home I just couldn't believe that after shooting over 12K of this lot # of CCI primers I could run into a bad tray of primers. I had shot a steel plate match the week before without a single problem and the only thing I had changed was the recoil-rod/spring, it had to be the problem. I called the Master / gunsmith and asked if it could be a striker spring issue or recoil spring issue. He suggested I try another striker spring to see if that corrected the problem but didn't feel the #13 recoil spring could be the cause.

I got home and took the gun apart. All extra rounds chamber checked fine even after shooting about 140 rounds during the match. Striker and spring looked OK. Slide worked smoothly until I put a loaded mag into it. When chambering a round it stopped just short of the barrel locking into the slide, with a light shake it completely closed. I repeated this several times then put the stock recoil spring/rod into the gun and it chambered every time.

This gun won't be seeing that #13 spring ever again.

Thanks for your feedback and Federal primer suggestion.

[fastarget]

The federal primers are just to remove one more possibility during a match, light strikes or not. One less issue to worry about.

I am keeping the spring to 15lbs, but the wife had several light strikes with the stock spring, so go figure.

[LikesToShoot]

The federal primers are just to remove one more possibility during a match, light strikes or not. One less issue to worry about.

I am keeping the spring to 15lbs, but the wife had several light strikes with the stock spring, so go figure.

I do plan on adding Federal primers to my major match only reloads, if and when available. I plan on doing inventory very soon and placing an order in, understanding it will be "backordered" but at least I'll be in line.

Edited August 24, 2010 by LikesToShoot