Tanfoglio slide lengths

[StanJ]

Hi I have two tanfoglio pistols, an elite match 38 super and a limited pro 9mm.  I have a couple of questions. 
 

The 38 super really slings the empty brass when I shoot real 38 super through it.  I’m talking between 20-25 feet.  The 9mm is way less maybe 5-10 feet. They feel like they have the same weight recoil springs.  
 

I’d like to replace the recoil spring in the 38 with a heavier one more appropriate to its chambering.  
 

With the pistols assembled, both barrels measure about 4.9” measuring from the breechface to the end of the muzzle. 

 

First question, do these pistols use the recoil springs designated for the long slide pistols, or the standard pistols? 
 

I’m assuming the 6” barrel tanfoglio hunter is a long slide. The 4.5” pistols are specifically mentioned for the standard length springs.  I’m not exactly sure where that puts my approximately 5” barrel pistols for springs. 

Second question.  Which spring weight  would you guys recommend for the

non-comped 38 super shooting major loads? 
 

Thanks 

[haiedras]

Limpro uses the long slide recoil springs.

[FALAR]

Both of your guns are considered "longslide" when ordering from Wolff.  The 6" guns do have an even longer slide but they use the same recoil spring because of the spacer/plug they have in them.

 

However, the recoil spring will only do so much In regards to the forceful ejection as the downside to the "one size fits all" approach with the large frame Tanfoglios is that the ejector is long enough to work with 9mm and .40 S&W, the shortest cases that the platform is chambered for.

 

With 10mm and .38 Super and their much longer cases this long ejector will apply a lot of force and sling them pretty hard.

 

How much to trim off?  I couldn't tell you, maybe check with PD.  I just deal with it as I'm not a gunsmith.

Edited April 5, 2020 by FALAR

[Ronemus]

I was in the same boat with my 10 mm Hunter.  I ground down the ejector so it only protrudes ~1/16" from the bolt face and had some heavy custom recoil springs made; in tandem that cut the ejection distance from 30+ feet to 8-10'.  You won't have to take such extreme measures with .38 Super, but I would start with the ejector.  Use the heaviest springs you can find.  I had the slide battering the frame, so I also installed a shock buffer; you may not need one if the heavier spring is sufficient.

[StanJ]

Thank you guys.  This is exactly the information I needed.  I’ll give it a try 

[HesedTech]

This may be a dumb question, but as long as the brass ejects every time why does how far it flies matter?

 

My only complaint about the way some guns eject is when I'm at an indoor range and it bounces off the barrier between the lanes. I especially hate it when my neighbor's brass goes up and over the barrier into my lane. 

[StanJ]

8 hours ago, HesedTech said:

This may be a dumb question, but as long as the brass ejects every time why does how far it flies matter?

 

My only complaint about the way some guns eject is when I'm at an indoor range and it bounces off the barrier between the lanes. I especially hate it when my neighbor's brass goes up and over the barrier into my lane. 

it’s an indicator that the gun is undersprung.  The problem that you can run into with an undersprung recoil system is battering of the slide and frame like Ronemus was seeing with his gun and talked about in his post earlier.  As far as my gun goes, I think that it’s sprung properly for the typical factory whimp  loaded 38 super that you find on store shelves today. 

[HesedTech]

1 hour ago, StanJ said:

it’s an indicator that the gun is undersprung.  

Stan, thanks for the info. 
 

I never considered the ejection of the brass as a measure of recoil spring before. In my 40 TF Limited Pro I run a 11lb Henning recoil spring and looked for minimum dipping of the barrel so I can see the sights sooner after the shot. In addition I use Henning’s guide rod with the built in extra “frame saver” edge on it. It’s only 40 major (170 PF) and shoots quite nice. 
 

I would be hesitant though to modify the ejector just to lessen the ejection distance. 

[Ronemus]

If you reload, you want to pick up your brass - that's difficult if it's thrown into the weeds 30' away.  Shortening the ejector causes it to hit the brass later in the cycle when the slide is moving slower.  There are limits to how strong you can make the recoil spring, and in 10 mm with full power loads my brass still goes 8-10' with the ejector bobbed so it only protrudes ~1/8" from the bolt face.  Any more and my brass ends up in the weeds.   This is a personal defense gun, so I need reliability and have it with this setup.  I always shoot full power handloads, so I'm not concerned with making powder puff loads work.

[FALAR]

Unfortunately the hole in the Xtreme shock buffers is too small to work with Henning guide rods.

[gnappi]

EAA calls 4.75" slides a "long slide" I disagree but I didn't get a vote when they setup the parts nomenclature.

 

https://eaacorp.com/store/shop-full-width/parts/conversion-kit/10mm-conversion-kit-longslide-w-super-sight-wonder/

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