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2011 Maintenance Schedule


cheby

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I just switched to a 2011 gun this season (Atlas Titan, 40SW). What is the maintenance routine if any for these guns in general? Recoil spring/FP spring/ main spring etc? I came here from the CZ world and used to carry a box of parts with me all the time. 

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I just switched to a 2011 gun this season (Atlas Titan, 40SW). What is the maintenance routine if any for these guns in general? Recoil spring/FP spring/ main spring etc? I came here from the CZ world and used to carry a box of parts with me all the time. 
the FP and Main springs you can take out and just eyeball really. they shouldn't need replacement. The recoil spring you can replace but ive been running mine for about 25k now. no issues

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Recoil spring depends on what you started with. I run a variable rate 15, some folks run 12, or even 11. I replace mine whenever the timing of the slide cycling feels wonky. at ~80k rounds I think I'm on my third I doubt I ever got them fatigued enough to be mean to the gun, and certainly never enough to affect reliability. 

 

My firing pin spring still seems about the same length and same squishyness as the umpteen of them in the parts box because they came with every recoil spring I ever purchased. 

 

I'm debating if I need to replace the mainspring. 

 

I keep spare fiber for my sight, a spare pin set, spare recoil spring, spare pin for bomar-style hinges and all the hex keys and punches I need to disassemble and adjust. Things I've actually needed at a match - spare fiber, a spare front sight, and a pin for the hinge on my bomar style sight. Things I've used at a match, but didn't actually need - spare recoil spring. 

 

A well built 2011 should only really consume springs, and fairly slowly at that. Muzzle blast will dull fiber. External objects may eat your sights. That's about it.  

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I change the recoil and FP springs every 5K. I run a light spring in an open gun. I change the Main every 10K. 

 

Does it require that, probably not, but springs are cheap. waiting to long can cause the cyclic speed to change and cause bigger problems like cracked slides etc. 

 

As for Magazines I change them out every season, for same reason as above, don't want to them to fail in a match. I check the feed lips twice a year and touch them up (if needed). 

Only check them more often if I shoot a lot of indoor matches or dropping them a lot on gravel bays etc during the season.  

 

I keep spare pre-cut and tuned springs for recoil, FP and main, and a spare 140 and 170 mag spring in my bag

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I would change your recoil spring . The firing spring I would look at it and compare with new one . I have never changed my firing spring never felt the need to .

The main spring only if it needs it IE there is a problem. If it's not  broke don't fix it . 

I would keep an eye on my mag springs also. I change those regularly . 

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The 1911 firing pin spring has a very easy job and, unless you're a dry-firing fiend or firing lots of hot ammo, you'll likely wear out your gun before the spring has an issue. And I've seen exactly one broken fp spring in way too many years of working on 1911's. Shorter barreled guns have more issues because of higher slide velocity and should replace the fp spring every so often.

 

As to the mainspring, those really aren't an issue either unless you're running a lighter than stock spring to get a super light trigger. In that case, any weakening could result in problems and should be replaced every so often - the lighter your mainspring, the more often you should replace. Even with a stupidly light spring, you're talking in the 10k+ round range. A stock spring will last 40k+ easily with standard ammo. Side note: if you drop mainspring weight, you may need to go up in recoil spring weight as the mainspring helps control slide velocity.

 

Recoil springs however are definitely a wear item and should be replaced on schedule. What schedule you ask? Well, it depends. There are too many variables to give a specific number or even number range. It depends on many, many things (quality, length, progressive or not, material, shape, slide length and weight, ammo power factor, etc.) but the two biggest things are round count and how finicky your gun is. You can either replace on a round count schedule, replace when the gun acts up, buy a recoil spring tester or measure the length of the spring the first time you clean your gun after firing, then replace when the spring measures noticeably shorter.

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I've seen them bend during a match before. They can go through the primer, get stuck in the flash hole then they bend when the case hits the extractor with the pin stuck in it as you try to clear the malfunction. 

 

You will probably lose your firing pin stop in the dirt at this point too.

 

 

 

 

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I replace recoil springs every 6 months or so if we are shooting alot. that's around 10k rounds. I notice no difference in the gun after doing so, but it makes me feel better. I replace the shock buffer if it looks like it's getting old before a major match, so probably also every 6 months.

 

I've never replaced a firing pin spring. I'll probably replace the main springs this winter (20k rounds or so), but not for any good reason.

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