HI5-O Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 On a new/used open gun I bought, I recently changed my arched mainspring housing for a flat one. When I took out the mainspring, I saw it was cut and about 3/8" shorter than a new 17lb ms. Other than easier to pull the slide back, what other reasons for cutting a mainspring? thanks, b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mda Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 On a new/used open gun I bought, I recently changed my arched mainspring housing for a flat one. When I took out the mainspring, I saw it was cut and about 3/8" shorter than a new 17lb ms. Other than easier to pull the slide back, what other reasons for cutting a mainspring? thanks, b Are you sure it was cut. It is common for a spring under compression to take a set less then the original length. As for a reason to cut the main spring is as you indicated. It will also lower the hammer sear pressure and trigger pull force. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HI5-O Posted January 24, 2010 Author Share Posted January 24, 2010 Yes, it was cut, as one end did not have the double wrap like a new one. When I changed to a new mainspring, the trigger pull felt a little heavier but was crisper. With the shorter cut spring, the trigger pull was a little lighter but felt 'mushier' like a glock Tested it out today and it works fine and felt better shooting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BSeevers Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 I see guys with "weak wrists" do this to make the gun easier to cock. Don't do it as reliability suffers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 Given the fact that, if you want a lighter mainspring weight, you can simply buy a lighter weight mainspring, I don't see any reason these days to cut on a mainspring. In decades past, when stock mainsprings were all that was available, sure, but not today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HI5-O Posted January 25, 2010 Author Share Posted January 25, 2010 All that makes sense to me. I like the way the trigger breaks now with the new spring in it anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Biondi Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 On a new/used open gun I bought, I recently changed my arched mainspring housing for a flat one. When I took out the mainspring, I saw it was cut and about 3/8" shorter than a new 17lb ms. Other than easier to pull the slide back, what other reasons for cutting a mainspring? thanks, b The only reason, over to lighting the hammer wheigt, that i can imagine is that they cut the mainspring to adapt it to the mainspring housing i dont find it too abnormal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Changing the mainspring weight has the same effect as lightening the recoil spring weight, it gives less resistance as the gun cycles which translates into less felt recoil and muzzle flip. Actually Pat Harrison has said he sees more effect from changing the mainspring weight than he does from changing the recoil spring weight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HI5-O Posted January 27, 2010 Author Share Posted January 27, 2010 So...a little drift...does changing the contact point (moving it higher) of the firing pin stop to the hammer... 1. make it easier to pull the slide back? and/or 2. let the slide unlock earlier/quicker? In other words, would it have similar effect as going to a lighter mainspring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Biondi Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 So...a little drift...does changing the contact point (moving it higher) of the firing pin stop to the hammer... 1. make it easier to pull the slide back? and/or 2. let the slide unlock earlier/quicker? In other words, would it have similar effect as going to a lighter mainspring? both (1&2)... but they are a little bit imperceptible lightening the mainspring your perceived feeling will be higher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boz1911 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 The good news mainsprings are cheap. I use 17#ers in my guns but for the price you can experiment a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaGunner Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I also think some pistol manufacturers cut mainsprings as a way to tune the trigger pull weight in and save money by not having a lot of different poundage of mainsprings. My Para came with a cut mainspring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Interesting. It amazes me they would do that in a factory gun. What Para did you get that had a cut mainspring from the factory? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaGunner Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 The one in my avatar, a P-14 Limited. One end of the coil was very sharp and crooked,it also was a very short mainspring. Pretty obvious it was cut, of course I replaced it to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 The one in my avatar, a P-14 Limited. One end of the coil was very sharp and crooked,it also was a very short mainspring. Pretty obvious it was cut, of course I replaced it to. Did you buy this gun new or was it pre-owned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 My smith took a brand new 17# spring and cut 2 coils off it to get the trigger under 2#. It is a common practice to reduce the main spring to help with the trigger pull. If the gun is running,feeling good, and setting off all the primers and you are happy with the trigger, shoot it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaGunner Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 The one in my avatar, a P-14 Limited. One end of the coil was very sharp and crooked,it also was a very short mainspring. Pretty obvious it was cut, of course I replaced it to. Did you buy this gun new or was it pre-owned? Brand new,in fact my FFl ordered it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Wow. I have to say, I'm amazed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan550 Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 some people seem to think that cutting springs somehow makes them better instead of buying the correct spring for the application. And sometimes the "correct spring for the application" isn't made. I buy a pack of 17# springs, put one in the gun after cutting off a coil. Fire it for function, then cut off another coil. Keep this up until it ceases to run. Then get a new one from the pack and cut it 1/2 coil longer than the one I just ruined. Makes for a lighter trigger-pull and runs reliably. I also cut the rest of the new ones to the same length for future replacements. Works great! Alan~^~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaGunner Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 some people seem to think that cutting springs somehow makes them better instead of buying the correct spring for the application. And sometimes the "correct spring for the application" isn't made. I buy a pack of 17# springs, put one in the gun after cutting off a coil. Fire it for function, then cut off another coil. Keep this up until it ceases to run. Then get a new one from the pack and cut it 1/2 coil longer than the one I just ruined. Makes for a lighter trigger-pull and runs reliably. I also cut the rest of the new ones to the same length for future replacements. Works great! Alan~^~ Interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Having springs that are "right on the edge" of working properly, means the gun could conceivably fail at any time. Most likely it would only go to half cock, but I don't like to play on the edge of reliability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParaGunner Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Having springs that are "right on the edge" of working properly, means the gun could conceivably fail at any time. Most likely it would only go to half cock, but I don't like to play on the edge of reliability. Good point Chris,spoken like a true master! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan O Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Not an auto, but I have a Taurus Tracker .22 that has to be one of the roughest, ugliest-feeling guns ever made. Ugh. Finally got tired of the horrible trigger that takes the force of a winch to pull so I took off the side plate (OMG, were the internals made with a chisel and a heavy rock by candlelight?!) and removed the mainspring, then cut 1.5 coils off and just barely touched the cut end to a belt sander. Re-installed and the trigger went from intolerable to "Ok, I can now shoot minute-of-pepsi at 15 yards." Overall, it did help but if you are going to be doing any competition or carry with the gun, your best bet is to get replacement springs if you can. Just my .02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkemxr Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 I found the same thing when detail stripping a NIB STI Spartan I recently acquired. ~4 coils cut off compared to a new mainspring I had laying around. The trigger feels pretty good actually and the gun shoots great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HI5-O Posted February 17, 2010 Author Share Posted February 17, 2010 Hmmm....sounds like it happens more than I thought. Gives me an idea for all the 19 lb mainsprings I have.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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