main spring replacement

[jimbullet]

A bit curly question: Very little experience in pulling a 2011 apart but wanting to replace the main spring from the factory standard 19 to 17.

I have watched some videos on how to disassemble a 2011/1911 but that suggests taking the whole thing apart. Not really wanting to do that as it is only the mainspring that I am after.

Wanting to keep it really simple and not wanting to remove what is not deemed necessary.

So my question is, can I simply take out the main spring housing, by removing the pin near the magwell and slide it out, replace the spring and slide it back in, without remove the leaf spring, grip safety and other parts?

Would it be that simple or is it , by removing the main spring housing, the leaf spring would then jump out and therefore will require me removing the grip safety anyway to align the whole thing up again?

By that way, I have a pinned grip safety if that makes any difference.

[rishii]

The answer is maybe you could do it by simply sliding out the mainspring, and maybe you could put it back without the sear spring moving off the sear, but it's not that hard to remove the thumb and grip safeties and do it right the first time

Also if you've never taken MS housing apart, chuck a punch up side down in a vice, and push the MS cap down on that, then use a small punch to push out the retaining pin

[Sparky]

I simply use a rubber band to hold the grip safety in place and that also holds

the leaf spring in place. Take the gun apart and lower the hammer by hand, do

not drop it with the trigger if its apart from the slide. Then do what "rishi"

advised about replacing the main spring. Or do what I do. I have pounded a

headless nail into the front edge of my loading bench and use that to take the

spring out of the MSH. Use the nail to push in the main spring cap and use a

small paper clip to push out the retaining pin and carefully release the

tension on the main spring taking it apart. Then reverse the process to install

the main spring and the MSH back into the gun.

There are a couple of ways of pinning the grip safety.

One is by drilling a hole in the top of the MSH and inserting a pin in the hole

that sticks out enough to hold one of the feet of the grip safety down. The other

is by putting a small piece of a shok buff or something similar in between one of

the feet of the grip safety and the MSH. Basically its a compression fit. Getting

the gun back together with the compression fit is a little more difficult than one

that has the pin in the MSH. I think the pin is used more than the compression.

Once you do it and you still have all the parts, it'll be a good day. Just be

careful taking the spring out and putting it back together. Definitely wear eye

protection, etc.

[Forgetful]

Sparky covered it. Make sure to use the rubber band trick if you don't want to mess with leaf spring.

[3djedi]

what is the benefit of changing from 19lbs to 17lbs spring?

[Steve RA]

Another way of "pinning" is to just cut the arm off the grip safety. Still looks the same and feels the same from the outside.

[mike4045]

what is the benefit of changing from 19lbs to 17lbs spring?

It will lower trigger from a bit to some. Depends on what it was already at. It's quick and easy to do. May save a $200 visit to the gunsmith. It was all I did to my last 2 1911s.

[Steve RA]

Lowers trigger pull - as said above. I've always run 17s in all my 1911s. Only problem I ever experienced with them was in my McCormick (STI) with all titanium parts and it would not reliably ignite Rem 7 1/2 primers in .38 Super. You won't ever run into that as the titanium hammers aren't available anymore - unless some of the old fossils around you still have some, Think I've still got three. (no, they aren't for sale )

[ltdmstr]

In addition to giving slightly lower trigger pull, it usually also gives a mushy feel. Maybe a slight improvement over the factory setup. Properly reworked hammer and sear with a HEAVIER mainspring will give you a light, crisp, and consistent trigger.

Edited September 8, 2013 by ltdmstr

[jimbullet]

Um mushy feel? what I was trying to achieve is reduce trigger pull weight without loosing crispness.

[BEC]

I use 17 pound mainsprings in my two Open guns and don't find them mushy at all.

One is a Bedell and the other Jim Anglin.