Byron Simpson Posted November 7, 2001 Share Posted November 7, 2001 I've been wanting to try a lighter recoil spring in a single stack 1911 for IPSC Limited 10. However the lightest spring that I can use and still get all the rounds to feed is 16#. When I move to 15# or lighter I start seeing rounds nose-dive into the feedramp. I've duplicated this on two guns, and using both RN and LSWC bullet profiles. What are the tricks to making a gun feed reliably with these light recoil springs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe D Posted November 7, 2001 Share Posted November 7, 2001 Byron, sounds like a heavy spring has been masking a feed problem. A few things to check are magazine, extractor and breechface. I am assuming you have the correct OAL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detlef Posted November 7, 2001 Share Posted November 7, 2001 my 1911 ran flawlessly with an 11# spring. On the other hand, look at some of the (MANY!) postings here on spring weights. The consensus is pretty much that it does not make much difference. So the solution for you may be to just stick with the 16# spring and get on with life... --Detlef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2alpha Posted November 8, 2001 Share Posted November 8, 2001 Make sure the mag catch is not letting the mag hang too low in the gun. JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted November 8, 2001 Share Posted November 8, 2001 Byron, A 14 or 15 lb spring should not cause nosedives; like Joe D said, there must be some other problem. What kind of mags are you using? be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Simpson Posted November 8, 2001 Author Share Posted November 8, 2001 Thanks for the replies. My Wilson 8 round mags work pretty well with the lighter spring. It's the CMC 10 round Powermags that don't work when filled to capacity + 1 round in the chamber for a total of 11. If I load 8 rounds or so in the CMC mags, then they work. Those 10 round mags are nice for Limited 10, but there seems to be more of a tendency for rounds to nose-dive. Perhaps they need some feed-lip tuning? Or perhaps I should stick with my 16# springs since everything runs like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Schwab Posted November 8, 2001 Share Posted November 8, 2001 Byron, The long 10 round 45 mags seem to point out a less than perfect OAL and bullet style. When working up a new load for my 45 I test the load in the 10 round mags, which I used for Lim-10, and after I have 100% reliability I go make sure it'll work in my Wilson 8 rounders, which I used for IDPA. So far, if the load works in the 10's it always works in the 8's. Hope this helps. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted November 24, 2001 Share Posted November 24, 2001 This sounds to me like a magazine problem. Frankly I haven't been super-impressed with the CMC 10-rounders. And I've talked to people using these mags who've complained about feeding qualities, and the magazines just flat coming apart after any sort of extended use. On a personal note, I've never cared for the folded metal follower in the CMCs. It's very prone to popping over the slide stop inside the gun; thus the mag will not fall free when you punch the mag release button; you've got to physically hold the mag button down and RIP the magazine out of the gun. If your Wilson 8-rounders are working great (and I've certainly had the same experience there), why not get some Wilson 10-rounders as well? I've never had a problem with my Wilson 10-round .45 mags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Simpson Posted December 26, 2001 Author Share Posted December 26, 2001 Thanks for all the tips and advice. I read a post from George Smith from EGW on another forum that adressed nose-dive problems. He raised the point that some .45 frames feedramps don't extend low enough in the frame. I did some measurements and mine was on the borderline. I lowered the feedramp in the frame by a few thousandths, and the feeding problem is gone, especially if I use a round nose bullet. I was able to hand cycle dummy rounds no problem with a 10lb recoil spring! I am very excited. So, I am ordering several springs from 11lb to 14lb and some shock buffs and will get to the range and figure out which spring weight works best. Thanks again for the advice and the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted December 26, 2001 Share Posted December 26, 2001 Byron, Can you post a link to the thread in the other forum in which George adrresses the feedramp problem??? It sounds like very valuable information to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Simpson Posted December 26, 2001 Author Share Posted December 26, 2001 http://www.1911forum.com/forums/showthread...;highlight=ramp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Simpson Posted January 21, 2002 Author Share Posted January 21, 2002 Just a quick update for anyone who is interested. I've settled on a 12.5 lb ISMI variable recoil spring and a 15 lb mainspring. Muzzle flip is greatly diminished and I can shoot "aimed pairs" instead of "doubletaps". It is a night/day difference with these new springs! Thanks to everyone for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMyers Posted January 22, 2002 Share Posted January 22, 2002 Byron, What bullet weight and powder load are you shooting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Simpson Posted January 22, 2002 Author Share Posted January 22, 2002 Bullet is 230gr LRN and I'm using 4.0 gr of WST to make major. This load feels very soft to me, softer than the 200 LSWC with w231 or HP38 that I was shooting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Watne Posted January 22, 2002 Share Posted January 22, 2002 Do you notice any frame battering with the lighter springs? How about shock buffers? My gunsmith might have a cow if he finds out I'm using a 12.5 pound recoil spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Simpson Posted January 22, 2002 Author Share Posted January 22, 2002 I do use a .090 Hiett red buff on the guiderod (tungsten). No battering is evident at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMyers Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 Thanks Byron, I am waiting on my 230's to show up, probably next week sometime. I have a 12lb conventional Wolff spring that I can hardly wait to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malmon Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 Hi Byron, I've been lurking for a couple of weeks but your post and that of others concerning light springs on singlestacks really intrigued me. Its something I really want to experiment with. I currently have a 16.5 Wollf variable recoil spring and a Wilson (made by wolff?) 19lb mainspring. My question is, how far are the brass being tossed by the lighter springs? I currently have a hard time finding my brass as it is. The lighter springs might even make it worse. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malmon Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 I almost forgot. What about ignition problems? Do you have primer misfires with the lighter springs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byron Simpson Posted January 23, 2002 Author Share Posted January 23, 2002 Hi Malmon... No problems with light primer strikes. I'm using Federal primers. Brass goes about 3-4'. I did try a 10lb recoil spring in a practice session, and the brass was going way farther, so it was too light. Springs weights are only part of the equation, along with the load you are using and how the gun feeds, etc.. These worked for me, but YMMV. Also, be careful with your trigger pull with lighter mainsprings. Mine went from 3lbs to 2 1/4lbs, but is holding fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2alpha Posted January 24, 2002 Share Posted January 24, 2002 Do most people use the variable recoil springs for a light spring 45? It seems like that would be the opposite of what you want in a limited gun. JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecutts Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 I am using a 14 lbs wolff variable. I haven't tried anything lighter and the only sraight weight spring I've used was the 18lbs. spring that came with the gun. I just bought a 16 15 and 14 and shot a match and week of practice with each and found I liked the 14 the best. I think some one sugested I souldn't try to go much lower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Schwab Posted January 26, 2002 Share Posted January 26, 2002 I'm using a 12.5 lb ISMI recoil spring and a 17 lb mainspring. No battering (using the frame saver guide rod) and brass goes about 4'. Load is 220 grain roundnose pushed by 4.3 grains of WST. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2alpha Posted January 27, 2002 Share Posted January 27, 2002 It's not the lighter weight I'm wondering about it's the variable coil part. These were made for guns with comps to get them to unlock quicker, seems like you'd want an uncompensated gun to stay locked longer. ? JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe D Posted January 27, 2002 Share Posted January 27, 2002 2, if you use the search function you will find a good discussion of straight vs. variable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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