Heavier hammer spring require any other tuning?

[LmtdOne]

So like the title implies, if I change the hammer spring out for a heavier one, is there any additional tuning required? This is for a 2011 open gun. I am currently getting light primer strikes. I have considered an extended firing pin but want to start with the heavier spring as the one in this gun feels very light compared to all of my other 2011's.

[ltdmstr]

If you're only going up a pound or two, it should be fine.  More than that and you may want to try a lighter recoil spring, as the heavier mainspring will add resistance to slide cycling.

[LmtdOne]

9 minutes ago, ltdmstr said:

If you're only going up a pound or two, it should be fine.  More than that and you may want to try a lighter recoil spring, as the heavier mainspring will add resistance to slide cycling.

Okay got it. Do you think it would be a solid plan to go ahead and add an extended firing pin at the same time or just one modification at a time? I want to make ignition bulletproof so I do not mind doing both if it will help my cause.

[ltdmstr]

I'm not in favor of extended firing pins, although a lot of people use them.  But I do favor an incremental approach.  So, I'd just do the spring to start and see how that goes.  Btw, a competent smith should be able to produce a 2lb trigger with a 19 lb mainspring and 100% reliability if he knows what he's doing.

[IHAVEGAS]

13 hours ago, LmtdOne said:

So like the title implies, if I change the hammer spring out for a heavier one, is there any additional tuning required?

 

It is not tuning, but for what it is worth any time I fiddle with the firing bits I will start testing with 1 bullet in the gun and no mag in the gun. When something is not right and they go full auto that is exciting. 

[twodownzero]

Replacing your likely worn out hammer spring is not going to require any other changes.  I use a 17 pound ISMI in my small primer guns and a 19 pound in the large primer gun.  If that won't light off your primers, you may have other issues.

[LmtdOne]

1 hour ago, ltdmstr said:

I'm not in favor of extended firing pins, although a lot of people use them.  But I do favor an incremental approach.  So, I'd just do the spring to start and see how that goes.  Btw, a competent smith should be able to produce a 2lb trigger with a 19 lb mainspring and 100% reliability if he knows what he's doing.

I will just  change the spring initially then. I plan on doing this work myself. I am no gunsmith but I am fairly mechanically competent so I believe I can get it all figured out. Thanks for the advice.

[LmtdOne]

56 minutes ago, IHAVEGAS said:

 

It is not tuning, but for what it is worth any time I fiddle with the firing bits I will start testing with 1 bullet in the gun and no mag in the gun. When something is not right and they go full auto that is exciting. 

Where's the excitement in that? A little accidental full auto sounds like the spice of life. All joking aside this sounds like good advice and I believe I will implement your single round initial test. This is a good safety measure.

[LmtdOne]

12 minutes ago, twodownzero said:

Replacing your likely worn out hammer spring is not going to require any other changes.  I use a 17 pound ISMI in my small primer guns and a 19 pound in the large primer gun.  If that won't light off your primers, you may have other issues.

Thank you for the input. The hammer spring is CONSIDERABLY lighter on this gun than my other 2011's so I think swapping the spring out will make a good improvement.

[loubob]

you did not say if your problems were with factory or reloaded ammo?

[LmtdOne]

11 minutes ago, loubob said:

you did not say if your problems were with factory or 

I use my reloads exclusively. I do not believe primers being seated improperly in the pocket to be the culprit though. I ended up ordering an extended firing pin as well but have yet to test it. I installed a 19lb spring which did help, but did not eliminate my light primer-strike problem.

[loubob]

i just started having that problem because i am using small magnum pistol primers So now because the primers are harder they are not as easy to seat so now that i know to be more carefull when seating the primers feeling them seat problem whet away. i use socalled once fired range brass i do not clean primer pockets. Why are the light primer hits intermittant?

[LmtdOne]

8 hours ago, loubob said:

i just started having that problem because i am using small magnum pistol primers So now because the primers are harder they are not as easy to seat so now that i know to be more carefull when seating the primers feeling them seat problem whet away. i use socalled once fired range brass i do not clean primer pockets. Why are the light primer hits intermittant?

The extended firing pin ended up solving my problem. As far as your question about the intermittent ignition, primers not being seated could definitely be the culprit. I wonder if an extended firing pin will ignite the rounds with improper primer seating depth as well? Maybe somebody with more experience with extended firing pins will chime in.

[loubob]

for all i know i have an extended firing pin it is different its a gold color. how can i tell.

Edited December 16, 2021 by loubob

[LmtdOne]

1 hour ago, loubob said:

for all i know i have an extended firing pin it is different its a gold color. how can i tell.

You can always pop it out and measure it. Compare your measurement to extended firing pins on the market. That should give you your answer.

[loubob]

wow measured my firing pin 2.238 egw says there pins are not extended at 2.260 my other slide has a pin2.280  

[LmtdOne]

12 hours ago, loubob said:

wow measured my firing pin 2.238 egw says there pins are not extended at 2.260 my other slide has a pin2.280  

I think you may have found your culprit!

[BoyGlock]

If springs and fpins dont work try checking the fpin channel for any roughness. Smoothen it with rolled sanding paper. 
Years ago I had same problem with a used gun. Apparently the previous owners had the same problem with reliability w/c was not disclosed to me. Whatever spring and fpin combi I used did not solve the problem. Until I checked the fpin channel. I still have the gun and its my main match gun now. 

[loubob]

if my 2.38 firing pin was a problem for me why has it worked the 3000 rounds before this and why would CK arms use it in the 1st place? I think the main question now is does a extended firing pin help with bad primer seating? Lmtdone is the person wanting to know if an extended firing pin would help with his light strikes. I think my light strikes are from not seating my magnum rifle primers properly.