.38 super spring

[amateur]

Im a 1st time owner of .38 super. I dont know the specs of this gun. I am enjoying this caliber so in the near future I will replace the recoil spring. There are two springs on the gun right now. Is it factory stock? If I replace it with single spring only, what  poundage is correct on this caliber. What brand is good? (ISMI, Wolff, etc). Buffer? Im planning to use this on steel match.

Thanks!  

[Detlef]

you'll have to tell us a little more about your gun. What brand, what type?

Two springs??? Every gun I own has many more than two springs.... Or do you mean two recoil springs? Some large caliber pocket pistols have two recoil springs, but in a 38 for competition I've never seen that. There are so-called *recoil reducers* (Sprinco etc) that of course don't reduce recoil, but they have one more spring.

Let's hear...

--Detlef

[amateur]

Detlef,

Its a Colt 1911 series 80 Enhanced .38 super with an extra barrel for 9x23.

Yes its a dual spring. One small and short and the other one is larger in diameter and regular lenght. The smaller diameter spring is sandwiched between the short recoil rod and the larger diameter spring.

In the near future I am going to use this for steel match.

Thanks!

[38supPat]

Ahhh must be for the 9x23..similar setup was used in the Delta Elite 10mm. In a steel match you will want to shoot a lighter load..no sense beating yourself up with heavy loads just to ring steel, so you will want a lighter spring. and that depends on how light a load you use but anywhere from 12# to 14# in a stock super should work. For major probably the factory is heavy, like a 18#

Pat

[jmc9x23]

In my 9x23's I use a 12.5lb for my target loads. 130 gr@1050fps and for factory 9x23@1500fps winchester I use a 24lb spring. The dual spring is the standard colt 10mm set-up but the super should be be running a 16lb single spring.

I never had a problem with Wolff springs,in fact on the plane home from Nationals I sat next to the Pres of Wolff. Hell of a nice guy, if you have a question about springs just call him,he'll be glad to answer any questions.

[Duane Thomas]

Back when I put a few thousand rounds through a 5" 9x23 I just ran the Wolff 16.5 pound variable with no problems.

[ASTIG]

so Pat, what would be a good recoil spring for an open 38 super?

[38supPat]

That really depends on the set up of the gun, give me a description of barrel length, type (bull or standard) comp length, material and make and slide length, and any lightening cuts in it (describe) and I could probably come pretty close, but in general you want to go as light as you can and still have it function somewhere between 8# to 13# depending on gun.

Pat

[Philip Dedmon]

I have three 38 Super Comp gun. I use them for three different shooting events. They are, ring a piece of steel,knock over a piece of steel & major loads (USPSA). All three pistol fire different loads and have different recoil springs in them. IMO spring the pistol to work the best for you. Get the pistol and the dot or sight to do what you want it to do. What works for me and my pistol might not work for you. So gather info for a starting point (spring) and go out and do you own testing.

(Edited by Philip Dedmon at 9:27 pm on Jan. 5, 2002)