what is the poundage of factory recoil spring?

[Derek_Z]

A quick question, anyone knows what is the poundage of the factory recoil spring installed on the a limited 9mm? It came with 2 spared spring in box, labeled 12 and 14lb, but no idea what is the installed one.

 

I replaced the factory spring with a 8lb wolff one and shot last weekend club match with 147gr reloaded ammo, jammed at every second caliber from each of my four mags, found the slide could not fully close after shooting the first round...is the 8lb spring too weak for running the cycle?

[johnbu]

It sounds like your AMMO has problems.  Forgive me if you already checked this but have you

1) plunk tested your loads in the barrel?  Most 9mm barrels need to be reamed to SAAMI spec as they are made to european spec.

2) have you chamber checked the ammo?

 

I usually run a 6 pound spring in a stock 2 and it cycles fine

[BigAm]

I was having a few random jamming issues with my Stock 2 with an 8lb spring. I swtiched to a 10lb spring, and its been running great.

 

Johnbu is right though plunk test your ammo. If its not fitting great Patriot Defense can sort you out.

 

I believe factory springs are 14lbs by the way.

[Tanfastic]

Same here, I tried the 8 lb. for a while but the slide just cycled too slow so I switched to 10 lb.  This is with 147 gr 132PF loads.

[SCTaylor]

@johnbu 6lb??? Crazy man! 

 

I'm running a 10 but might have to try a few lighter ones but 10lb is boringly reliable.

[MemphisMechanic]

22 minutes ago, SCTaylor said:

@johnbu 6lb??? Crazy man! 

 

I'm running a 10 but might have to try a few lighter ones but 10lb is boringly reliable.

 

Stoeger said he was running a 6 when he visitied Memphis to teach in 2016, too.

 

Your gun has to be well broken in or superbly polished in order to run with a spring below 9-10 pounds in my opinion... but that’s based on a sample size of 1 firearm. 

 

It didn’t run on an 8 initially, needed a 10 pounder to be reliable. 2,000 rounds and another round of polishing later? It ran more smoothly on an 8 pound than it did with the ten when it was new... but I settled on a 9 pound spring based on feel and how the gun patterned for me in bill drills.

 

Edited March 21, 2018 by MemphisMechanic

[Derek_Z]

Thanks, guys, I am still try finding the reason, but cannot find time to range so far.

 

I shoot this limited for only couple months, 3000-3500 rounds I think. It ran well with factory spring but I noticed muzzle "nodding" thing so replaced with a 8lb spring recently.

 

The most weird thing on Sunday was on each stage, only the second round from the first mag (random mag) loaded at ready jammed and prevent the slide fully close (maybe just 1/8 inch away from fully close, but just cannot fire), when I take that caliber out and restart the stage, everything ran well and smooth, reloaded another mag during shooting, no problem...

 

It happened all 5 stages that day, the only thing I did to this pistol is replace a wolff 8lb recoild spring, a  henning rod and a buffer. Someone said it might just be a coincident, if so, I think I should try some powerball this week.

[SCTaylor]

1 hour ago, MemphisMechanic said:

 

 

Your gun has to be well broken in or superbly polished in order to run with a spring below 9-10 pounds in my opinion... but that’s based on a sample size of 1 firearm. 

 

 

I've got ~15k on one Stock 2 and the other is a well worn-in 2nd hand pick-up.  I'm going to have to try some lighter springs.

[waktasz]

2 hours ago, Derek_Z said:

Thanks, guys, I am still try finding the reason, but cannot find time to range so far.

 

I shoot this limited for only couple months, 3000-3500 rounds I think. It ran well with factory spring but I noticed muzzle "nodding" thing so replaced with a 8lb spring recently.

 

The most weird thing on Sunday was on each stage, only the second round from the first mag (random mag) loaded at ready jammed and prevent the slide fully close (maybe just 1/8 inch away from fully close, but just cannot fire), when I take that caliber out and restart the stage, everything ran well and smooth, reloaded another mag during shooting, no problem...

 

It happened all 5 stages that day, the only thing I did to this pistol is replace a wolff 8lb recoild spring, a  henning rod and a buffer. Someone said it might just be a coincident, if so, I think I should try some powerball this week.

 

Why the buffer? 

[Nathanb]

Pretty sure I’m at a 9lb spring

[Derek_Z]

15 minutes ago, waktasz said:

 

Why the buffer? 

for fun and try some new things

[IHAVEGAS]

4 hours ago, SCTaylor said:

I'm running a 10 but might have to try a few lighter ones but 10lb is boringly reliable.

 

Except when I lube the gun immediately before going to a match on a chilly day. 

[waktasz]

1 hour ago, Derek_Z said:

for fun and try some new things

 

Sounds like a good idea

[johnbu]

4 hours ago, Derek_Z said:

The most weird thing on Sunday was on each stage, only the second round from the first mag (random mag) loaded at ready jammed and prevent the slide fully close (maybe just 1/8 inch away from fully close, but just cannot fire), when I take that caliber out and restart the stage, everything ran well and smooth, reloaded another mag during shooting, no problem...

 

It's your ammo.  Lets break it down (as I see it anyway).  You're slide has the greatest friction from the mag spring when the mag is full. Any extra long rounds or extra fat rounds will slow it further and it will hang up. Chamber check the ammo.  Do the Plunk, thump & dump test.  Drop a round in the barrel, thump it with your finger hard, turn the barrel over and it should drop free. If not.... fix the issue. Either ream the barrel or shorten the ammo OAL or use a bullet with a narrow ogive shoulder.  smart choice is to have it reamed and then any ammo will run.

 

As MemphisMechanic said,  a well polished gun is needed for the  lower poundage recoil springs to work.  I like the 6# as the gun runs very flat with 9 minor handloads.  The method of polishing is to slather the rails with "blue magic" polish or equivalent then hand cycle the bare slide on the bare frame while pushing down hard 100 times.  Then 100 while pulling UP hard. Then 100 while pushing to the left then 100 to the right.  Add new compound for each 100.

[IHAVEGAS]

20 hours ago, johnbu said:

 

I usually run a 6 pound spring in a stock 2 and it cycles fine

 

If you do not mind, can you tell me where to get them. Tried PD & Stoeger & I do not see anything for a standard slide Tanfo lower than 8lb, did see a 6 for a longslide. 

[Qbert]

1 hour ago, johnbu said:

 

 

 

As MemphisMechanic said,  a well polished gun is needed for the  lower poundage recoil springs to work.  I like the 6# as the gun runs very flat with 9 minor handloads.  The method of polishing is to slather the rails with "blue magic" polish or equivalent then hand cycle the bare slide on the bare frame while pushing down hard 100 times.  Then 100 while pulling UP hard. Then 100 while pushing to the left then 100 to the right.  Add new compound for each 100.

Wouldn't doing this kind of polish job loosen the slide to frame fit noticeably? 

[MemphisMechanic]

2 hours ago, Qbert said:

Wouldn't doing this kind of polish job loosen the slide to frame fit noticeably? 

 

Not with polishing compound like Flitz or Blue Magic, no. Just makes it REALLY feel like she’s running on ball bearings.

[johnbu]

4 hours ago, IHAVEGAS said:

 

If you do not mind, can you tell me where to get them. Tried PD & Stoeger & I do not see anything for a standard slide Tanfo lower than 8lb, did see a 6 for a longslide. 

Use the wolff long slide spring and trim to the same length as the regular spring.

[Derek_Z]

Actually the 8lb long slide wolff spring I brought from Ben's shop is about half inch shorter than the factory one on my limited

[IHAVEGAS]

8 hours ago, johnbu said:

Use the wolff long slide spring and trim to the same length as the regular spring.

 

Thank you!

Gots to try it 

[Avenida]

10 hours ago, MemphisMechanic said:

 

Not with polishing compound like Flitz or Blue Magic, no. Just makes it REALLY feel like she’s running on ball bearings.

 

well, the fit between slide and frame is not exactly 2011 custom kind of fit anyway... they are all very sloppy and not exactly tight. Accuracy comes from the locking mechanism/barrel fit on these guns. 

Both mine have a lot of wiggle movement in between frame and slide and when I say a lot, it is not GLOCK movement but it is not certainly tight. 
The edges of the rails are also rough in certain areas, and when I say rough, it is not chatter or pikes but it is not silky smooth, therefore I can see why polishing will help.

 

With all that being said, you either polish it or shoot it and you will get the same results. surfaces will mat to each other over time and my first one is way smoother now than what it was 3K ago.

 

Also, yes, the WOLFF springs for long slide are shorter than factory. Its ok.

 

Cheers

 

[johnbu]

3 hours ago, Avenida said:

With all that being said, you either polish it or shoot it and you will get the same results. surfaces will mat to each other over time and my first one is way smoother now than what it was 3K ago.

 

Also, yes, the WOLFF springs for long slide are shorter than factory. Its ok.

 

Correct!  but not posessing even a scintilla of patience, i polish first and enjoy silky smooth action from the start.

 

Sometimes a light wolff "long slide" spring can be directly substituted for a std spring about 2# heavier. HOWEVER, the spring may coil bind and result in short stroking and ejection/feeding problems.

 

I think i cut 2 coils off the LS6# in my stock 2 and put the cut end in the front cup.

[willywil]

Try it without the buffer, Henning told me not to use it in matches. Not reliable.

[IHAVEGAS]

On 3/21/2018 at 10:05 PM, johnbu said:

Use the wolff long slide spring and trim to the same length as the regular spring.

 

Tried today, feels very good.  Appreciated.