7 lb recoil spring - 9 major

[roklock]

Hello,

STI trubor with a lone star comp design.  Currently running 7.7 WAC with 115 JHP and getting 173 PF.  Dot tracking, for me, is great with a 7 pound recoil spring.  My question, I don't see a lot of guys running this combo, seems 8 pounds is the most popular.  Anybody ever try it?  Concerned I may be replacing a slide sooner than I would like to.

Thanks,

Steve

[teros135]

I'm running 7# in both my 38sc aND 9 major guns.  Seems.to be working fine, no unusual wear areas.  No shock buffs.

[mro111lland]

I run a 10 pound in my open gun

 

[ShortBus]

I ran a 7lbs last night for an indoor match and I was shooting 132pf fast powder loads. I'd be nervous to run that with major. 

 

How do you tell what's too light?

[roklock]

 

How do you tell what's too light?

Yep, that's pretty much my question

[js1130146]

I'm curious as well. I was running an 8# but just put in a 7 cause the dot wasn't tracking the way I wanted after a load/powder change. I also plan on trying the variable rate springs.

[echotango]

I run an 8#. Tried a 9# a couple times and did not like the way the dot tracked. I only use variable.

[mro111lland]

The way I chose my spring was locked slide back held gun like I would normally had a friend release slide lock and compared muzzle dip got same dip with a 7pound as I did with the 10 pound. Figured heaver spring would save the slide

[ano]

I run 7# 

[Sarge]

1 hour ago, mro111lland said:

The way I chose my spring was locked slide back held gun like I would normally had a friend release slide lock and compared muzzle dip got same dip with a 7pound as I did with the 10 pound. Figured heaver spring would save the slide

Thats not really a good test. I used to run straight 8's and when I tested a straight 7 I found the gun tracked better with the 7. But since going to 8V the closing force has been reduced so for me it feels closer to the 7 in that regard. I also found running 7's or 8V my controlled pairs are closer together with faster splits than with a straight 8 so the timing or movement is better for me. You really have to run these things at speed and preferably with a timer to really know for sure what works and what doesn't.

[js1130146]

6 minutes ago, Sarge said:

Thats not really a good test. I used to run straight 8's and when I tested a straight 7 I found the gun tracked better with the 7. But since going to 8V the closing force has been reduced so for me it feels closer to the 7 in that regard. I also found running 7's or 8V my controlled pairs are closer together with faster splits than with a straight 8 so the timing or movement is better for me. You really have to run these things at speed and preferably with a timer to really know for sure what works and what doesn't.

What made you go 8V over the 7? Just to reduce battering? Do you run a buff with either?

[roklock]

I'm interested in knowing the difference as well

[al503]

What weight you run depends on several different things including:

1. Slide to frame fit.

2. Hammer spring weight.

3. Is the bottom of the firing pin stop radiused or not.

4. Slide and even the barrel/comp weight. 

5. How efficient your comp and barrel holes (if you have them) are.

Even your choice of lube will have some effect.

I run the heaviest spring I can where the recoil spring tunnel still makes contact with the head of the guide rod during recoil.  

Right or wrong, it feels like the slide cycles faster, there's less wear and tear on the pistol, and the pistol will be a little more tolerant of slightly out of spec ammo and dirt build up.    

Edited December 23, 2016 by al503

[Hi-Power Jack]

2 minutes ago, al503 said:

I run the heaviest spring I can where the recoil spring tunnel still makes contact with the head of the guide rod during recoil.    

I'm not disagreeing, just wondering - how do you know if the srt makes contact with the hotgr?

Sounds like an interesting theory ...

[al503]

25 minutes ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

I'm not disagreeing, just wondering - how do you know if the srt makes contact with the hotgr?

Sounds like an interesting theory ...

I cut out some golf club head contact tape.  Any contact changes it from white to blue.  I suppose you could use regular tape (masking/painter's/duct) tape as well and check for signs of contact.  

[jcc7x7]

13 hours ago, Sarge said:

Thats not really a good test. I used to run straight 8's and when I tested a straight 7 I found the gun tracked better with the 7. But since going to 8V the closing force has been reduced so for me it feels closer to the 7 in that regard. I also found running 7's or 8V my controlled pairs are closer together with faster splits than with a straight 8 so the timing or movement is better for me. You really have to run these things at speed and preferably with a timer to really know for sure what works and what doesn't.

Timers don't lie like our feelings do sometimes!

Only problem I've had with a 7 is if I get my thumb on the slide to hard It can/does cause failure to feed because I've stopped it with my thumb.

SO I run 8 variables get the same dot movement and consistent operation.

Run your loads on a timer only counting when you shoot two center A's and figure out which spring works best with your gun, load, grip etc etc.

Half the fun is figuring out how to make it run the best for you.

Edited December 24, 2016 by jcc7x7

[S&W686]

6 hours ago, roklock said:

Hello,

STI trubor with a lone star comp design.  Currently running 7.7 WAC with 115 JHP and getting 173 PF.  Dot tracking, for me, is great with a 7 pound recoil spring.  My question, I don't see a lot of guys running this combo, seems 8 pounds is the most popular.  Anybody ever try it?  Concerned I may be replacing a slide sooner than I would like to.

Thanks,

Steve

I have a CK Arms Open and running the same spring weight and load you are running.  It has been working great for me.

[Sarge]

1 hour ago, jcc7x7 said:

Timers don't lie like our feelings do sometimes!

Only problem I've had with a 7 is if I get my thumb on the slide to hard It can/does cause failure to feed because I've stopped it with my thumb.

SO I run 8 variables get the same dot movement and consistent operation.

Run your loads on a timer only counting when you shoot to center A's and figure out which spring works best with your gun, load, grip etc etc.

Half the fun is figuring out how to make it run the best for you.

Yep. If my gun dirty at all a 7 would struggle. 8V seems to be able to run several matches and still run. with these light springs and light slides a pound is a world of difference.

[Sarge]

2 hours ago, js1130146 said:

What made you go 8V over the 7? Just to reduce battering? Do you run a buff with either?

 

3 hours ago, js1130146 said:

What made you go 8V over the 7? Just to reduce battering? Do you run a buff with either?

Never ran a buff in my guns. The 7 is just more finicky if you don't clean your guns every match. (Like me) I was lucky to get two matches before cleaning with 7 pounder but an 8V will run several matches.

[Acsr]

7 hours ago, roklock said:

Hello,

STI trubor with a lone star comp design.  Currently running 7.7 WAC with 115 JHP and getting 173 PF.  Dot tracking, for me, is great with a 7 pound recoil spring.  My question, I don't see a lot of guys running this combo, seems 8 pounds is the most popular.  Anybody ever try it?  Concerned I may be replacing a slide sooner than I would like to.

Thanks,

Steve

What is the difference in this compo design and the normal t2 trubor comp? 

[ShortBus]

2 hours ago, al503 said:

What weight you run depends on several different things including:

1. Slide to frame fit.

2. Hammer spring weight.

3. Is the bottom of the firing pin stop radiused or not.

4. Slide and even the barrel/comp weight. 

5. How efficient your comp and barrel holes (if you have them) are.

Even your choice of lube will have some effect.

I run the heaviest spring I can where the recoil spring tunnel still makes contact with the head of the guide rod during recoil.  

Right or wrong, it feels like the slide cycles faster, there's less wear and tear on the pistol, and the pistol will be a little more tolerant of slightly out of spec ammo and dirt build up.    

I'd like to know more about the changes a radiused firing pin stop can make. 

[Sarge]

I'm no gunsmith but the more radius allows smoother operation of hammer cock when the slide recoils so there is less resistance and a lighter spring will do the job.

[ShortBus]

That's what I thought, but I think there is more to it than that. 

[al503]

13 minutes ago, ShortBus said:

That's what I thought, but I think there is more to it than that. 

It's just another available way to fine tune the pistol the way you want it.  You can minimize or increase the effects of having or not having a radius in a lot of different ways.  IE, a stronger hammer/mainspring will reduce the effects of a radiused FPS.  A variable recoil spring (lighter at the start of compression) might also give you some of the effects of a radius without actually putting a radius on the FPS.  

With a radiused FPS, there will be less resistance to the slide unlocking.  Depending on a myriad of factors, this might help the shooter keep the pistol flatter v. flipping more right at the beginning of the recoil impulse.  But if they're also using a very light recoil spring as well, it might lead to a lot of flip when the slide hits the frame (recoil spring tunnel and spring plug hits the head of the guide rod).  If you look at some slow motion vids on recoil, some will show very little flip until the end of the stroke when slide meets frame.. 

[js1130146]

1 hour ago, Sarge said:

 

Never ran a buff in my guns. The 7 is just more finicky if you don't clean your guns every match. (Like me) I was lucky to get two matches before cleaning with 7 pounder but an 8V will run several matches.

That makes sense. I wasn't thinking about the reliability aspect. Thanks