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Recoil Springs Help


RickyH

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What is the best way to find out what recoil spring to use?

I'd bet that 98% of the Open guns out there (talking 2011-based guns) are running either an 8lb or 9lb recoil spring. 7 is a little light and 10 is a little heavy for most. I'd put a 9lb spring in it and see how it runs/feels. Then try an 8lb and compare. If it runs with both, go with the one that gives you better dot tracking. R,

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For reference, I've been running a Light Recoil Master in my Brazos Pro Series 5" gun... that's the equivalent of a 6# spring. I don't think 6-7# is too light, if the gun runs with them. I lose a little bit of tolerance for the gun being dirty (I have to clean it before 1000 rounds with a medium-dirty powder, instead of 1500+), but it feeds everything out of my mags. Of course, the gun is built right, its .38 Supercomp, it has a lightened slide, and I'm running a wickedly effective powder in this setup.

I've run everything from 6-12 in my Open guns. It depends on the gun, the load as to what will work best. The heavier springs will tend to feel softer in the hand, but flip more. Lighter springs will tend to result in a little more "feel in the palm" (the gun tends to track straight rearward until the spring plug connects with the guiderod head), but flip less. (ETA - note, all of that is noticeable after you adjust to the new timing on the gun).

Edited by XRe
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I was running an 8lb on my SV factory gun and had a few incomplete feeds. Went to a 9lb and haven't had any issues but I am also going to try a 10lb just to see how it feels.

Neal in AZ

I had similiar results in both of my bedell built open guns. 9lb springs allow the guns to feed reliably but 7 or 8 cause some feed issues. Because of this I build in a little margin for wear and use 10lb springs. I don't notice any difference in feel or dot tracking between the 9lb and 10lb springs.

Edited by larry cazes
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shoot some fast pairs without aiming and as fast as you can. See where the holes are in the target.

second shot is high, you need more recoil spring . if the second shot is low, less spring.

conduct this test at 10yds and see.

the gun needs to be reliable....but not to an extent that you hold it to a fictional level of reliability.

no mechanical system operates at 100 percent 100 percent of the time. if this were true, we wouldn't have mechanics.

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shoot some fast pairs without aiming and as fast as you can. See where the holes are in the target.

second shot is high, you need more recoil spring . if the second shot is low, less spring.

All that actually shows you is how your current internalized muscling of the gun differs from how the gun is sprung. This is as effective as using a timing drill to evaluate new equipment... that is, its not ;)

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shoot some fast pairs without aiming and as fast as you can. See where the holes are in the target.

second shot is high, you need more recoil spring . if the second shot is low, less spring.

Well I have heard this many times but I have found this relationship to be false for me. What is more important to dot tracking and handling than the spring rate is grip, stance, etc. Given enough practice I can adjust. As to 100% reliability that depends on the standard :) I have achieved 100% reliability on my Bedell open guns at matches for 2 years now. With the right setup and habits, It's really not hard to do.

All that actually shows you is how your current internalized muscling of the gun differs from how the gun is sprung. This is as effective as using a timing drill to evaluate new equipment... that is, its not ;)

Beat me to it, Dave....

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