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How light recoil spring?


3djedi

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How light of a recoil spring can you use for major PF without destroying the frame?

I'm using an sti Apeiro and I've gone down to an 11lb spring and still getting bounce of the front sight. Remember the Apeiro uses an island barrel and the slide has cutout for the barrel so it is lighter than, say, an edge style slide. I'm still using the stock main spring but have a 17lb spring on order. ( I don't know how this will effect recoil)

Would it be safe to try a 10lb? What happens if you go to light? Will it just be cycling problems?

Thanks!

I'm using the Dawson tooless guiderod if that makes any difference.

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Edited by 3djedi
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I use a shock buff on my limited gun. It is a sight tracker style gun. 11 pound recoil, and a wolf 16 pound main spring. I have been using the 16 pound for years and have never had a problem with light primer hits.

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Do people use recoil shock buffer pads when they go this low?

You can, but if you're going to use a buff, buy a lot of them and change them every time you clean your gun. I've seen too many of them come apart and stop the gun during a stage. Flex told me to try a Dawson Alumabuff in front of a Wilson Shock Buff and I really liked that in my 6" with a 10# Sprinco recoil spring. However, Brandon doesn't approve of that combo, so I've gone to a 12# Sprinco and no buffs on my 5.4 Sight Trackers.

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Before I start changing everything I'm going to have to rechrono and work a new load. My load was fine in other 2011's but I think this AET barrel is stealing some of the energy. I won't know until I chrono but it feels a little weak.

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I know someone who has done really well in limited with a spring well under 11 lbs.

There are a lot of variables to consider including firing pin stop profile, mainspring weight, slide weight, barrel weight, bullet weight and velocity...

I've seen people go light on springs, and I've seen slides crack with the crack propagating from the recoil spring tunnel/slide junction.

One of the reasons people like stroked guns is that the increased stroke allows you to go to a lower weight spring without damage and with less reliability issues- I am sure someone will be along shortly to disagree with that.

With the increased stroke you can go to a lighter spring as the slide has more time to slow down before it hits the guide rod head/frame. You also get better feeding reliability with extremely light slides as the spring gets a chance to "run up" some before it strips the next round off the mag.

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Before I start changing everything I'm going to have to rechrono and work a new load. My load was fine in other 2011's but I think this AET barrel is stealing some of the energy. I won't know until I chrono but it feels a little weak.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

You might be surprised. My apeiro is 10-15 fps faster than my friends edge with the same loads.

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Before I start changing everything I'm going to have to rechrono and work a new load. My load was fine in other 2011's but I think this AET barrel is stealing some of the energy. I won't know until I chrono but it feels a little weak.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

You might be surprised. My apeiro is 10-15 fps faster than my friends edge with the same loads.
Is that right. I'm going to try and chrono this week and see where I'm at.

Are you able to get any plated bullets to work through your apeiro? What bullets are you using? Thanks!

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I have never used plated bullets. I have used almost every coated bullet on the market and my favorite ones are Precision Bullets. 185 grn round nose with no lube groove.

And these work well with the Apeiro's AET barrel?

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I have never used plated bullets. I have used almost every coated bullet on the market and my favorite ones are Precision Bullets. 185 grn round nose with no lube groove.

And these work well with the Apeiro's AET barrel?

I've shot 5k Precision 185s and just ordered 2.5k more.

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I have an infinity with a 5.4" AET Sight Tracker barrel but only a 5" slide. The slide and barrel both effect what spring is needed. That said I use a 10lb spring and a Dawson aluminum shock buff. So far it shoots like a dream.

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I have an infinity with a 5.4" AET Sight Tracker barrel but only a 5" slide. The slide and barrel both effect what spring is needed. That said I use a 10lb spring and a Dawson aluminum shock buff. So far it shoots like a dream.

Thanks. I just ordered a 10lb spring and the Dawson aluminum buffer to try. 11lb is very close so 10lb will be just right I'm hoping.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

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Before I start changing everything I'm going to have to rechrono and work a new load. My load was fine in other 2011's but I think this AET barrel is stealing some of the energy. I won't know until I chrono but it feels a little weak.

Sent from my LG-D850 using Tapatalk

You might be surprised. My apeiro is 10-15 fps faster than my friends edge with the same loads.
Chrono'd today. My loads that are about 170 on my other gun is about 168pf through the apeiro. Pretty close to the floor! But definitely good enough for practice ammo........

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Oh, btw, unless you changed out the barrel in your Apeiro, I'm pretty sure those are not AET, just the standard twist island barrels...

It's says "tribrid II AET" on the barrel.

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Edited by 3djedi
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And that is what came stock from STI? I had no idea. Very cool! I would have though they would advertise that kind of feature.

STI's new website doesn't have AET barrel listed, but there old site did. Their new website basically blows!

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