XDm recoil spring help

[fayetteflash]

Newbie question... be gentle...

I purchased a new guide rod from Springer Precision for my Springfield XDm 9mm. I got the one that uses 1911 springs:

Guide rod at Springer Precision

I got all 3 springs, too (16, 18 and 19 lbs):

1911 Springs

My question is how do I best know which one to use? When would I want a lighter versus heavier spring? I believe the factory spring was 18 lbs, so that's the one I have on now. I'm loading 147gr TCJ bullets with 3.2gr of Titegroup and Winchester Small Magnum primers. Racking the slide by hand is a little strong, but it feeds and extracts fine. Never had an issue.

Thanks,

Randy

[CHA-LEE]

fayetteflash> Check out the gun springs section on this forum. All of your spring questions can be answered there.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5006

Edited April 2, 2009 by CHA-LEE

[fayetteflash]

fayetteflash> Check out the gun springs section on this forum. All of your spring questions can be answered there.

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5006

Many thanks. That was great info. I'm going to try starting with the 18lb and then moving down to the 16lb and see if I can tell any difference.

[MemphisMechanic]

You'll want to wind up lighter than 16.

The sights on a 9mm Glock track beautifully with a 12-13 pound spring. Go as light as you can.

[CHA-LEE]

Which slide spring you end up with really depends on the load you are shooting and your grip pressure. Your goal is to have the slide cycle and then return the sights exactly back to perfect alignment. The front sight should track up then right back down to being perfectly aligned. If the front sight remains high after the shot then you have too soft of a slide spring. If the front sight dips down then back up to level when the slide slams forward the slide spring is too heavy. I have an XDm-40 that I shoot factory ammo in and a 20lb slide spring is balanced to my grip and the factory ammo. I have a really strong grip so I usually use a stiffer slide spring than most. Do some testing on your own and get the slide cycle balanced to your load and grip. Don't just hop on the "I need the lightest slide spring possible" band wagon. Sure a lighter slide spring makes the recoil "Feel" softer but most of the time it ruins the sight alignment for the follow up shot. To shoot fast you need the gun balanced to you and your loads regardless of how much or little the recoil "feels". I will take a gun balanced to my grip and load regardless of magnitude of felt recoil ANY DAY over a soft shooting gun that won't return to the correct sight alignment after every shot. If you are shooting bullseye with 3 - 4 seconds between each shot then it does not really matter because you have the time to optimize and adjust your sight alignment for every shot. If you are shooting an IPSC/USPSA/IDPA match you need to crank out the rounds quickly with .15 - .20 tenths of a second splits. The only way to shoot that fast and continue to be accurate is to have your pistol balanced to you. If you are fighting the pistol to retain sight alignment on every shot you will shoot slow and accurate or fast and not accurate. No one will be able to tell you the exact slide spring you need. You will need to figure it out on your own because we are all unique and are shooting unique loads. Its as simple as that.

[Catfish]

Which slide spring you end up with really depends on the load you are shooting and your grip pressure. Your goal is to have the slide cycle and then return the sights exactly back to perfect alignment. The front sight should track up then right back down to being perfectly aligned. If the front sight remains high after the shot then you have too soft of a slide spring. If the front sight dips down then back up to level when the slide slams forward the slide spring is too heavy. I have an XDm-40 that I shoot factory ammo in and a 20lb slide spring is balanced to my grip and the factory ammo. I have a really strong grip so I usually use a stiffer slide spring than most. Do some testing on your own and get the slide cycle balanced to your load and grip. Don't just hop on the "I need the lightest slide spring possible" band wagon. Sure a lighter slide spring makes the recoil "Feel" softer but most of the time it ruins the sight alignment for the follow up shot. To shoot fast you need the gun balanced to you and your loads regardless of how much or little the recoil "feels". I will take a gun balanced to my grip and load regardless of magnitude of felt recoil ANY DAY over a soft shooting gun that won't return to the correct sight alignment after every shot. If you are shooting bullseye with 3 - 4 seconds between each shot then it does not really matter because you have the time to optimize and adjust your sight alignment for every shot. If you are shooting an IPSC/USPSA/IDPA match you need to crank out the rounds quickly with .15 - .20 tenths of a second splits. The only way to shoot that fast and continue to be accurate is to have your pistol balanced to you. If you are fighting the pistol to retain sight alignment on every shot you will shoot slow and accurate or fast and not accurate. No one will be able to tell you the exact slide spring you need. You will need to figure it out on your own because we are all unique and are shooting unique loads. Its as simple as that.

+1!

Go too light and you start having feeding problems when your pistol gets dirty. Too heavy and the gun nose dives as the slide falls forward. It's a balancing act, and it takes some experimentation to find the right combo for you, your pistol and your loads that you are shooting.

I like to do bill drills, watch the sight and see which combo works best for you.

[G+16]

that's one thing tht I've always like about this forum, there's NEVER a dumb question and your never too old to learn a new trick

[Loves2Shoot]

You'll want to wind up lighter than 16.

The sights on a 9mm Glock track beautifully with a 12-13 pound spring. Go as light as you can.

NO not with the XD. You have the striker spring that wants to push it out of battery. A 12-13# spring won't work well at all.

[steel1212]

You'll want to wind up lighter than 16.

The sights on a 9mm Glock track beautifully with a 12-13 pound spring. Go as light as you can.

NO not with the XD. You have the striker spring that wants to push it out of battery. A 12-13# spring won't work well at all.

Yeah, go to low on a XD, or I guess XDM and you can point the gun up and rack it lol. Scott...PM in bound.

[MemphisMechanic]

You'll want to wind up lighter than 16.

The sights on a 9mm Glock track beautifully with a 12-13 pound spring. Go as light as you can.

NO not with the XD. You have the striker spring that wants to push it out of battery. A 12-13# spring won't work well at all.

Damn. That must be one hell of a spring. I suppose since it's nearly fully-cocked, it can be heavier without killing the trigger pull as compared to a Glock.

Considering the source of the information, I'm DEFINITELY not going to argue, because you know a bit more about XDs than your average shooter.

And I usually find out that my 13lb ISMI spring in my Glock is dead, when I start getting slightly off-center firing pin hits because the gun isn't fully in battery. Us Glockers are well aware of the striker-vs-recoil spring tug o' war.

Edited April 8, 2009 by MemphisMechanic

[fayetteflash]

Thanks for the helpful info. I have settled on the 16 lb spring for now as it seems to track the best and feel the best. I took about 6 coils out of the 1911 spring I got from Springer. Amazing gun.