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Question about cutting coils off recoil springs


proraptor

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I found the spring would go into coil bind at full length.

That was my next question. Bind would address the desire that seems to be out there to chop these springs down. I haven't tried any ISMI springs as of late.

Can you expand a bit on what you found?

Thought I'd bump this up...I find this whole thread/discussion interesting and was hoping Flex would get answer!

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I've been flipping through "The Glock In Competition" again, and I found this on page 40:

"I change out both the recoil and striker springs," says Dave Sevigny. "I run a 15-pound spring in .40, and about a 12-pound spring for the 9mm."

For IDPA shooting in particular, Sevigny starts with a 13-pound ISMI recoil spring and clips off three coils. He says this gives him more positive ejection and seems to give him more predictable sight tracking.

"It's probably the equivalent of a 12-pound spring," he says. "If you leave all the coils on, the slide doesn't travel back as far, especially if someone is running a light IDPA load."

I've only started to experiment with the ISMI 13-pound spring. In my very limited experience, it works uncut with a 9mm load at about 135pf, and seems to be reduce felt recoil and muzzle flip, compared to the stock 17-pound spring. To be honest, I really can't wrap my brain around why a lighter recoil spring would reduce recoil and flip, but I'm not complaining.

Before shooting, I checked to make sure that I had full slide travel, and there definately wasn't a problem in my G17.

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I just use a Wolf 12 lb with a large diameter plastic rod. No need to clip coils. Last time I shot one of Dave's guns was at the Georgia match. Seems like he had a 14 lb. Wolf in his G21 SF. Not sure of the weight, but the spring was a Wolf. On a side note - his trigger was not particularly good. Guess I will have to fix that one day.

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HI.... here is dave sevignys winning set up for 2007... wolf 14lb conventional recoil spring...wolf 4lb firing pin spring...wolf trigger spring some polishing by him and a wolf guide rod ..his trigger pull he said was 4.0 to 4.5 lbs.. g 34 glock ..This is from a e-mail he sent me good luck. :rolleyes:

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  • 1 year later...

Just to liven up an old thread. I was using the ISMI 13lb recoil spring for a while. Today I found the flange broke. After some checking it looks like the coil had been binding!! Not good.

I'm either clipping or switching springs.

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I found the spring would go into coil bind at full length.

That was my next question. Bind would address the desire that seems to be out there to chop these springs down. I haven't tried any ISMI springs as of late.

Can you expand a bit on what you found?

Not a glock but on my 1911s I typically have to cut 1-2 coils off ISMI spring to keep from stacking the spring up.

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I found the spring would go into coil bind at full length.

That was my next question. Bind would address the desire that seems to be out there to chop these springs down. I haven't tried any ISMI springs as of late.

Can you expand a bit on what you found?

I'll tell you what I've found, I think the ISMI springs in 13 # and 15 # are a tad too long. I have not tested all spring weights yet. When using my captured guide rod (or any other aftermarket brand captured guide rod) it spring binds: the slide is not recoiling on the frame as intended, the slide is impacting the fully compressed spring and guide rod head.

So for anyone using an aftermarket captured guide rod (pick your brand), I would recommend trimming an ISMI spring. The stock spring is fine.

It's easy enough to test, install a stock recoil assembly and fully retract slide rearward. Looking down into the ejection port, mark the top of the ejector housing where the breech face meets. Also, cycle the gun and listen to the sound that the slide makes when contacting the frame. Now do the same with any brand aftermarket captured guide rod and a 15# ISMI spring installed, and see if your mark on the ejector housing is visible when you fully draw back the slide - and listen to the sound.

There should be enough shooters reading this that have this setup installed now, anyone care to perform this test and reply please?

Thanks, jager

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Folks... used to be that every time somebody would come on here with problems with their Glock, we'd find they had put an after-market spring in their gun.

I would preach...you gotta check the gun for spring bind.

I got tired of preaching it. Jager posted the method that I preached. Use it. If you have spring bind...you are inviting trouble.

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...but I will shooting high with #11 and low with #13 on the same gun and load(G34).

Ask the question...how is that possible?

If it is happening in slow fire (benched, rested), then the barrel must not be going into mechanical lock-up. The recoil spring holds the gun in lock up. This sounds like the case with your gun.

With a tilt-barrel (browning) based design, if the gun isn't in mechanical lock-up, then the back fo the barrel will be tilted up.

Also, with the Glock...pulling the trigger puts backward pressure on the slide. If you have a light recoil spring, and a standard striker spring...you can unlock the gun simply by pulling the trigger.

If it's happening in rapid fire, then it's the operator...and, you just need to get timed to the change. (I also used to preach to do Burkett's Timing Drills any time you made a change to the gun...gear...load...etc.)

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Folks... used to be that every time somebody would come on here with problems with their Glock, we'd find they had put an after-market spring in their gun.

I would preach...you gotta check the gun for spring bind.

I got tired of preaching it. Jager posted the method that I preached. Use it. If you have spring bind...you are inviting trouble.

Thanks Flex.

Anybody to report back??

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