Spring question

[olp73]

Why does a lot of shooters change the recoil spring in there standard/production guns? What is wrong with the original weight? And do they change for a lighter or a heavier spring? Or maybe a progressive one?

Olp73

[Greg G]

I changed my standard IPSC recoil spring because all we can shoot in Australia is minor as no calibre over .38 is allowed. Most people change the springs to suit the load they are using or to change the way the pistol feels under recoil.

[Detlef]

use the search function here for "recoil spring", and you will have to take a day off to read all the information...

--Detlef

[Skywalker]

olp,

you would want to change you springs according to:

- the load you shoot (heavy/light bullet, fast/slow powder)

- the Power Factor of your laods

- the kind of felt recoil you prefer (sudden and sharp vs. progressive and soft)

- the preferred cycling of the slide (fast slamming or gentle moving).

It's totally a matter of personal preference, as is the issue of light vs. heavy bullet or slow vs. fast powders.

You'll need to experiment a lot with different combinations to see what works best for you and your gun.

[olp73]

olp,

you would want to change you springs according to:

- the load you shoot (heavy/light bullet, fast/slow powder)

- the Power Factor of your laods

- the kind of felt recoil you prefer (sudden and sharp vs. progressive and soft)

- the preferred cycling of the slide (fast slamming or gentle moving).

It's totally a matter of personal preference, as is the issue of light vs. heavy bullet or slow vs. fast powders.

You'll need to experiment a lot with different combinations to see what works best for you and your gun.

Are you telling me that there is impossible to make any generalisation here? There has to be some basic rules, or at least some things that goes better together than other things? What do you use for example?

I have a lot to learn here, that is for sure. I have never even heard about that the slow/ fast powder debate!!

olp

[Flexmoney]

Many...most...go with a lighter recoil spring than stock.

You can read some opinions here: http://www.custom-glock.com/glocktech.html

[Skywalker]

olp,

in a nutshell, yes.

Flex has provided a good link, and I'm sure if you search on these forums for slow/fast powder you'll find a lot of info.

It looks like the general preference is towards lighter springs (as Flex pointed out).

My set-up:

I shoot a 180grs plated bullet @ 177 PF with a fast powder (Vitavuori N320).

My "lightsaber" is actually fitted with a 14-lbs ISMI recoil spring, a 17-lbs main spring and 1 shock buff.

I settled on this set-up after some testing. I would still prefer a 12-lbs recoil spring and 2 shock buffs for the same bullet/PF/Powder combo, but such a light spring gave me some feeding issues upon stripping the first or first two rounds from a full 18+1 start, thus I had to switch back to a heavier spring.

[olp73]

For my Tanfoglio limited 40sw the following springs are available (from Tanfoglio):

56AA for minor loads (3,96 kg.)

54AA for Standard loads (5,09 kg.)

75AA for major loads (6,46 kg.)

If I am not mistaking one pound is about half a kilo. I always thought you could ruin the gun if you used too light springs. To me these springs seem really light????!!!!! Even the heavyset is just around 14 pounds. Maybe there is no risk here? I have ordered the 75AA to start with, but maybe I could benefit from a lighter spring? Now I use the spring the gun came with. I don’t know which of them that is, but it seems too light, almost “open” like!

[Flexmoney]

I still use a stock spring in my gun. Don't sweat it much...just go shoot.

[Nate]

[Duane Thomas]

Much of the recoil you feel when you fire an auto pistol is the slide overcoming the recoil spring as it comes to the rear. On a gun like the 1911 with an exposed hammer it also has to overcome the mainspring to recock the hammer. Lessen the amount of energy required to do that, you lessen the amount of muzzle flip and perceived recoil.