1911 45 ACP

[Bouttime]

I shoot a Kimber 1911, 45acp. I shoot major. I run a recoil spring that lets the brass clear by about 4 feet. Is this good way

to tell if you have the correct spring. I use 200g LSWC. Also which is better the 200g or a 185g LSWC.

[pjb45]

A friend uses this method:

Go to slide lock and drop the slide.

You might want to have a spent round in the chamber.

If the gun dips when the slide lock hits home, you might have too heavy of a spring.

Some people run really light springs with a buffer and replace the buffer often.

Do you know your current spring weight? buy a sample pack from Brownells and use the above method to do a dry fire test as your starting point.

At the range, you want to make sure you have enough weight to cycle the gun; increase or decrease as needed.

For major loads you can use 12 to 16 without much of a problem.

[juan]

major 45 200 grain

12 lb recoil 17 lb main

works sweet for me.

[CocoBolo]

I use a 14# in my SS. That is temporary as it is still tight with a new barrel (barrel lockup). When it was lose I ran a 12#. The 14# is so the gun runs. Anything between 12 and 16# is a good choice, it is a matter of your skill level. The heavier recoil spring will soften the recoil and make the gun flip more at the start of recoil when the barrel is unlocking. A lighter spring will put a little more in your palm and the barrel will not rise as much. What feels right for you is the best one to run, you can't shoot well when the gun does not feel good when you are shooting it. As your skill increases your preference will change.

I run 200Gr Precision RN or SWC over 4.3gr of Clays, it is a very soft shooting load crono's at 168 pf.

[G-ManBart]

A friend uses this method:

Go to slide lock and drop the slide.

You might want to have a spent round in the chamber.

If the gun dips when the slide lock hits home, you might have too heavy of a spring.

If that's Rod's method, he described it to me using a dummy round since it'll be different feeding a round than closing empty. Also, making the extractor snap over a case in the chamber, while often disputed, isn't doing the extractor any favors. R,

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I like the 14lb ISMI recoil spring and 17lb mainspring for 200 grain bullets in my 45. I used this with a Kimber and my Spartan. Thanks, Eric

[Bouttime]

Thanks everyone,

I know I have a #17 recoil spring but not sure what the main spring weight is. I will get more springs and try everyone suggestions.

I do us buffer pads. The 200g, LSWC with 4.2g of clays gives me a 168 power factor.

[Merlin Orr]

With a normal grip and hold aim at a spot and do a double tap with your match ammo without taking the second sight picture. The first shot will be on the spot. The second shot will be... high for to light of a recoil spring. The second shot will be low for to heavy a recoil spring.

This is not to endorse shooting the second shot without aiming but it will help a lot with tuning the spring for YOU at your current level of experience and skill.

My opinion. Your's may differ (and be wrong).

[Bouttime]

With a normal grip and hold aim at a spot and do a double tap with your match ammo without taking the second sight picture. The first shot will be on the spot. The second shot will be... high for to light of a recoil spring. The second shot will be low for to heavy a recoil spring.

This is not to endorse shooting the second shot without aiming but it will help a lot with tuning the spring for YOU at your current level of experience and skill.

My opinion. Your's may differ (and be wrong).

Thanks Merlin, I shoot on Tuesday nights I will try this and see what happens, I do have a #16 & #14 spring, I will try these also.

Thanks again.

[juan]

changing your grip [strenth] also affects your second shot,

make sure you use the same grip [strength] as you would shoot in a match.

[2alpha]

Use the recoil spring that allows your gun to work 100% no matter what, bad grip, weak hand, strong hand, off ballance, crappy grip, good grip, every way. Stay with it because your senses are learning the timing as you shoot.

I know this will not be agreed with by many, if any, but I think this whole thing of picking a spring that dips the least feeding a dummy round is somewhat bogus. To start with, when actually firing the pistol is completely cycled before the sights are back from recoil and the pistol is level. The slide is already forward unless you have terminator type power holding it which tends to slow you down in other ways.

[Bouttime]

Shot at the indoor range tonight and what i ended up with was 16# recoil spring and 17# main spring. Also one of our better

shooters had me relax the grip on my right hand (my strong hand) because twice tonight I froze up on a turnner with my second shot.

I shoot a match this week end I will see how this works.

[2011BLDR]

The Double tap method described above (1 sight picture 2 shots) can give a false reading. I prefer to do 2 separate controlled shots at speed with your normal match grip, and then analyze the sight picture for that second shot it should be in the same place in relation to the target as the first. If a sight correction is required a change in spring is warranted to correct it. If the sights are returning high an increase in recoil spring rate should bring the return down. If the sights are returning low a decrease in recoil spring rate should bring the return higher.

A straight wound recoil spring will act different than a variable wound recoil spring of the same weight, I prefer the variable wound recoil springs.

Out.

2011BLDR

[Bouttime]

I do have a varable wound spring. I will have to experment some more, I under stand what you are saying. I did shoot slower

and it seamed my sight returned to the same position. I will check this out again.

When I said slower, I ment slower than a double tap.

Thanks

Dave

Edited September 16, 2010 by Bouttime

[xpertz]

As a rule you should use the strongest spring that your pistol will function correctly with. By using a lighter spring than this, you could be battering the barrel lock up points and causing more damage than you are aware of. Even with buffer pads , this can damage a gun. The buffer pads will compress and will also get chewed up.