When To Replace The Recoil Spring?

[Rob Bartley]

I shoot a Kimber 1911 and was wondering when I need to start thinking about replacing the recoil spring. What signs should I look for? I have shot about 2500 rounds with no observed problems yet. Thanks

[lndshrk]

Every 800 rounds.

[MichiganShootist]

Sorry-- But I'm not buying 800 rounds..... That would have me replacing springs at least every week during the Summer.

Try this------Buy a new spring (more like 5).... when you clean your gun.. see how the recoil spring measures up wth a new one (16 - 17 lb for 45s).

If your spring is out of line on length... it's time to replace. (They compress over time.)

B T W-- With 170 PF .45 loads I do it every 3,000 rounds.... or if the spring is a 1/2 inch short.....It's a lot cheaper than a frame:).... but I know shooters who do it every 7,000 rounds or whenever it fails to operate.

Edited March 27, 2007 by MichiganShootist

[Lee Bell]

I shoot a Kimber 1911 and was wondering when I need to start thinking about replacing the recoil spring. What signs should I look for? I have shot about 2500 rounds with no observed problems yet. Thanks

Which Kimber 1911? I replaced the recoil spring in my .40 Kimber 1911 the day I brought it home. I expect to replace it about once a year, more often if I have problems.

Lee

[lynn jones]

I shoot a Kimber 1911 and was wondering when I need to start thinking about replacing the recoil spring. What signs should I look for? I have shot about 2500 rounds with no observed problems yet. Thanks

Which Kimber 1911? I replaced the recoil spring in my .40 Kimber 1911 the day I brought it home. I expect to replace it about once a year, more often if I have problems.

Lee

+1

i was told every 2000 rounds...but usually i change once a year.

lynn

[zhunter]

Are ya supposed to change those things?

Edited March 28, 2007 by zhunter

[hitman]

1911s have recoil springs?

Next you will tell me they have firing pin springs.

[Merlin Orr]

With Wolff springs every 2500 - 3000. With ISMI springs ever long long long while....... I have more than 10 K on my Caspian/STI .45 and it MIGHT be 1/2" shorter.... Don't be afraid to change them as it is cheap and easy.

My .02

[shadetree]

I change mine every 2000 to 3000.

[Joe4d]

When you are changing back and forth weights and getem mixed up, Yep time for a new one.

[XD Niner]

Every 3000 or so for me. If I let it go longer than that, I begin to have problems. These never start during practic, of course, it is always during a match.

[HSMITH]

When they show 3 coils or so shorter than a new trimmed-to-length spring I change them. With Wolf springs that was every 500-3000 rounds. With ISMI springs I don't know, 10K plus is my guess since I haven't had one set enough to replace yet. I am fairly new to ISMI springs, and aside from one firing pin spring I abused the snot out of they have been incredibly tough. Benny told me it was a better spring, and by George he was right.

[Josh Biondi]

I use ISMI recoil spring in both my edge. I replace it usually after 13.000/15.000 rounds but i use a 9lbs spring. I think that a recoil spring harder need to be replace longer than mine.

However if you dont get problems and the gun shoot without jam ..... why replace the spring?

[robb315]

Here's the FAQ from ISMI's website about changing springs.

http://www.ismi-gunsprings.com/faq.html

[JFD]

Companies that make springs "might" just have an ulterior motive for providing very low round counts between changes Using their recommended intervals I'd be changing springs anywhere from weekly to monthly....

I use ISMI springs and change them roughly every 10K rounds whether they need it or not Joe4d's comment was pretty accurate for me when I first started shooting USPSA and couldn't decide on what weight I liked. I run a 12 lb spring in my Major .40 guns and 14 lb springs in my .45s (I need to try a lighter spring in these).

Back in the stone age I probably put 100K rounds through a .38 Super (not quite major loads) before I ever heard the springs needed to be replaced. Of course IMHO factory guns are way oversprung, so this is probably why I never had a jam in the gun or any other problem.

The thought of running a 16 - 17 lb spring in a .45 makes me cringe

Bob Londrigan from Brazos says every 3000 rounds. While this is too soon for me, I don't think you could go wrong following his advice. Recoil springs are cheap enough that going with the "better safe than sorry" approach won't hurt anything. The "3 coils shorter than a new spring" rule is pretty widely accepted school of thought as well.

[Rob Bartley]

Companies that make springs "might" just have an ulterior motive for providing very low round counts between changes Using their recommended intervals I'd be changing springs anywhere from weekly to monthly....

I use ISMI springs and change them roughly every 10K rounds whether they need it or not Joe4d's comment was pretty accurate for me when I first started shooting USPSA and couldn't decide on what weight I liked. I run a 12 lb spring in my Major .40 guns and 14 lb springs in my .45s (I need to try a lighter spring in these).

Back in the stone age I probably put 100K rounds through a .38 Super (not quite major loads) before I ever heard the springs needed to be replaced. Of course IMHO factory guns are way oversprung, so this is probably why I never had a jam in the gun or any other problem.

The thought of running a 16 - 17 lb spring in a .45 makes me cringe

Bob Londrigan from Brazos says every 3000 rounds. While this is too soon for me, I don't think you could go wrong following his advice. Recoil springs are cheap enough that going with the "better safe than sorry" approach won't hurt anything. The "3 coils shorter than a new spring" rule is pretty widely accepted school of thought as well.

Thanks for all of the information. My Kimber is a Stainless Steel Target II in .45. I guess it is time to change the spring, but I am new to this. I know how to change it, but "trim to length"? Do I need to trim it, or just install it. If a stock spring, 18 lbs. on a Kimber I think, is over sprung what weight should I change to? What are the benifits of lighter springs? To my way of thinking, the lighter the spring the shorter the lifespan of the spring and protection to the gun??? Like I said, I am new to this so if I am all wet tell me so. I guess I should also add that I shoot a 230gr. Rainer ahead of 4.0 gr. of Clays. Thanks.

Edited March 28, 2007 by Rob Bartley

[HSMITH]

Rob, you need to make sure the spring isn't too long. If it is too long the coils will go solid at full compression and whatever force is left in the slide will be put into the guide rod, guide rod plug and bushing. This is called 'coil bind'.

Put your gun together with NO spring but everything else, retract the slide FULLY. Put a piece of masking tape from the slide to the dustcover, cut the tape so the pieces can move without tearing the tape. You just made a line that is perfectly aligned when the slide is fully retracted. Put the new spring in, retract the slide FULLY, if the tape doesn't line up EXACTLY like it did you need to start trimming the spring one coil at time until it does, then cut another coil off. This ensures you don't have 'coil bind" and tear up your gun.

[Chuck Merriam]

+1 on the above.....

I also had a smith tell me to put it on the rod and the plug. Compress it till the plug touches the head of the rod...if it does not then you need to trim until it does. This made more sense to me than doing it in the gun....but it is far more dangerous so wear glasses. My guide rod has never been free of lube....I changed a spring at a safe area one time and you guessed it...lucky I found it 30ft away!

[CenTX]

Usually when I clean the slide I check the spring weight, both open or closed if it is less than I like I change it. The spring gauge also allows me to check for coil bind. If you use shok buffs be sure you use them when you check the spring.

[Duane Thomas]

The late George Nonte had what I've always felt was an excellent rule on when to replace your recoil spring. Have a brand new spring set aside for use - and when I say "new" I mean it's never even been in the gun. Every time you clean the piece, compare the length of the new spring to the old. When the old spring's become so compressed it's three coils shorter than the brand-new spring, toss the old one and replace with the new. Therefore you don't have to worry about counting rounds between spring changes. And some gun/spring combos get worn out a lot faster than others. Simply comparing the length of old to new will stop you from continuing to run a worn-out spring, even though it's been so compressed the gun is battering itself on every shot, until you reach the magic number. It also stops you from throwing away a spring that might still be perfectly good.

[Rob Bartley]

I called Kimber today. They told me that the recoil springs were 16 lbs. and needed to be replaced every 1500 rounds. I like the idea of comparing spring length and will probably base replacement on this. They also indicated that the main spring and firing pin spring need replacement every 5000 rounds. Does this sound right?

[MichiganShootist]

If you buy Wolfe recoil springs a new firing pin comes with each recoil spring... then you can change them at the same time.

BTW--- wolfe makes a 16.5 lb. variable rate recoil spring that I've been using for several years with VERY good results.... in several different single stacks including a Kimber Custom Target II

[miyamoto]

Over time I found changing all springs on my working guns once a quarter has eliminated any spring problems.

I do shoot alot and have had spring problems in the past with glocks, so this worked for me.

I remember ISMI had a bad run of springs for a while, brownells had a bunch of baddies. By what people are saying regarding ismi, I might go that route again when I build up an S_I.

Will

[MichiganShootist]

Josh (from Italy)..... and some of the other posters have mentioned 9 -12 pound springs for 1911s.

Lets be clear..

Depending on which company you ask--- A factory rated spring for a 9 mm 1911 is 9 - 11 pounds.

The factory rating for .45 ACP (with a 5" barrel) is 16 - 18 pounds depending on the company you ask.

AN AVERAGE COMPETITON .45 LOAD WITH A 9 POUND SPRING WILL RUIN THE PISTOL "AT BEST" - - - at worst it will give you unwanted tatttos and body metal.

IMO---- any spring WAY outside these factory ranges is only justified if you are shooting specialty loads.. like powder puff PPC loads or killer + P + loads.

[Duane Thomas]

They also indicated that the main spring and firing pin spring need replacement every 5000 rounds. Does this sound right?

No. I've been running the same 17-pound mainspring (factory standard is 23 pounds) for 30,000 rounds with zero problems.

AN AVERAGE COMPETITON .45 LOAD WITH A 9 POUND SPRING WILL RUIN THE PISTOL "AT BEST" - - - at worst it will give you unwanted tatttos and body metal.

Have you ever tried it?