STI Executive Recoil Spring

[barney88pdc]

I have a new Executive that I had Dawson do the enhancement package on. I absolutely LOVE the gun and it shoots Extremely accurate. I was just seeing how many people will change springs to better fit their shooting technique. I have the Recoil Master guide rod in the gun and have no idea what # sping it is. It would be the factory setup I would assume unless Dawson would have changed it out. Can anyone tell me what # spring I have and what other # springs would you try? Also where can a get some and what is the going price?

#2. What would be some good spare parts to have. I am planning on shooting in the Mississippi Classic and would like to get a few "good to haves" incase I run into some trouble.

[Steve J]

The recoil master only comes in heavy and light. I'm pretty sure if you want to experiment with different weight recoil springs, you'll have to get a guide rod and plug assembly.

[G-ManBart]

Your gun should have a heavy RM in it (it'll have orange paint on the spring). The light RM has green paint and comes on Open guns typically. The heavy RM is the equivalent of a standard 14lb spring. You can replace the outer spring on an RM to change it's weight, but I'm not sure what the actual rated weight is of the stock spring. A lot of folks like a standard 14lb spring on a steel guide rod, but I'd be there are more running a 12.5lb spring based upon comments I've read here. A few go even lighter than that, but not a whole lot lighter (normally). I don't think I'd want to try anything lighter than a 10lb spring, but a 12.5lb ISMI gives me just the right sight tracking I want in both Limited and Single Stack guns in .40 with 170PF ammo.

As far as spares, if you're going to stick with an RM, get another one....they had some failure problems in the past and anything with multiple parts can break. I'd get a spare reverse plug, spare mainspring (19lb), spare elevation adjustment screw for the rear sight (these break regularly), and have a set of ambi safeties fit to the gun since they also have a habit of breaking (MIM part) where the pin goes through the frame to connect to the right side lever.

[barney88pdc]

Yes it must be a heavy RM because it does have some orange paint residue. Also I am shooting 180gr MG JHP how often do you clean your barrel and what do you use. I use Barrett Big Bore cleaner in my rifles and that will remove copper fouling but not sure about brass fouling. Is there a good cleaner for brass fouling or does the copper solvents work equally as well for brass jacketed bullets?

[G-ManBart]

Yes it must be a heavy RM because it does have some orange paint residue. Also I am shooting 180gr MG JHP how often do you clean your barrel and what do you use. I use Barrett Big Bore cleaner in my rifles and that will remove copper fouling but not sure about brass fouling. Is there a good cleaner for brass fouling or does the copper solvents work equally as well for brass jacketed bullets?

MG's bullets are actually copper, not brass. They are colored a little differently, but that's misleading. I pretty much never clean my barrel, based on advice from Wil Schuemann (of Schuemann barrel fame). I clean the chamber with a bore brush every thousand rounds or so and run a couple of wet patches soaked in Shooter's Choice down the tube, let it soak for a few minutes and then run clean patches through it. That's it....and the accuracy hasn't fallen off.

[Josh Biondi]

Your gun should have a heavy RM in it (it'll have orange paint on the spring). The light RM has green paint and comes on Open guns typically. The heavy RM is the equivalent of a standard 14lb spring. You can replace the outer spring on an RM to change it's weight, but I'm not sure what the actual rated weight is of the stock spring. A lot of folks like a standard 14lb spring on a steel guide rod, but I'd be there are more running a 12.5lb spring based upon comments I've read here. A few go even lighter than that, but not a whole lot lighter (normally). I don't think I'd want to try anything lighter than a 10lb spring, but a 12.5lb ISMI gives me just the right sight tracking I want in both Limited and Single Stack guns in .40 with 170PF ammo.

If you're going to continue to use the RM you can try a 10lbs Wolff variable power on it. I have used this combination for a while with 180 grs bullets pf major with a good feeling.

I think that with 170 bullets and pf major the best is a 13 lbs Wolff or a 14 ISMI if you use a regolar guide rod. No experience with RM.

[gmantwo]

I've never used a RM but I shoot a 14lb in major and a 10lb in minor. With a shok buff, always.

You can make a spring gauge pretty easy.

Buy; A bolt long enough and small enough to go through your spring and a nut. Drill a hole in the end opposite the head.

Buy; A fish weigh scale.

Buy; A large fender washer to pull against.

Buy; A smaller washer for the spring to rest against.

Measure from the small washer to the compressed length of the spring(I think it's usually considered 1&7/8" but you might check that), mark a line there.

Put the small washer against the head of the bolt for the spring to rest against, then the spring and then the fender washer on top of the spring, put the nut on to hold it all together. Hook the fish scale into the hole in the bolt, pull the spring down until it is compressed to the line, read the measurement on the fish scale. It's not exact, but it's not rocket science either, it'll get you close enough that you should know at that point what the spring is.

I PASSED MY TEST, I'M NOW AN RO! WOOHOO!!

[Jaxshooter]

I never clean the barrel also on the advise of Wil. Just clean the chamber and keep shooting. I would ditch the RM and go with a full length guide rod. Try different springs until you get the recoil impulse you like and that returns the front sight into the rear notch.