You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Recoil Spring Use (a visual comparison)
- Thread starter Rob228
- Start date
Aguila Blanca
Staff
Are they the exact same number of coils, and the exact same wire diameter?
Bill DeShivs
New member
Springs take an initial set.
That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them.
That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them.
Nothing at all was malfunctioning with my pistol, but I've taken to changing recoil springs between 3 and 5 thousand rounds. It was still working but I would rather have a spring running at full strength than one that has been beaten down a bit.
Shadow Systems also recommends changing springs at 5k (yeah, probably a way to make eleven bucks every couple of months) but also advertises them going past 10k. For the price of half a box of ammo? I'm going to keep swapping springs every 3-5k. And I do that with all my pistols.
Shadow Systems also recommends changing springs at 5k (yeah, probably a way to make eleven bucks every couple of months) but also advertises them going past 10k. For the price of half a box of ammo? I'm going to keep swapping springs every 3-5k. And I do that with all my pistols.
If you can afford to shoot 5k rounds every couple months I would think $11 for a recoil spring would be insignificant.
FWIW, the US Army replacement standard for the 1911A1 recoil spring was its LENGTH. When not kinked, cracked, rusted, burnt, or othewise physically damaged, if the spring did not measure a set length (which was shorter than a new spring) it got replaced. Working, (or not).
Round count was NOT a consideration and was not listed anywhere in the manuals.
I don't know the standards for what they use today, but I expect the same thing, absent damage, it is the spring's length that is used to determine its replacement.
The service doesn't keep track of round count in small arms. Actual measurement, against a standard value is what they use. This is why the Repariman's tool kit includes several gauges, and the manuals have the specs.
FWIW, the US Army replacement standard for the 1911A1 recoil spring was its LENGTH. When not kinked, cracked, rusted, burnt, or othewise physically damaged, if the spring did not measure a set length (which was shorter than a new spring) it got replaced. Working, (or not).
Round count was NOT a consideration and was not listed anywhere in the manuals.
I don't know the standards for what they use today, but I expect the same thing, absent damage, it is the spring's length that is used to determine its replacement.
The service doesn't keep track of round count in small arms. Actual measurement, against a standard value is what they use. This is why the Repariman's tool kit includes several gauges, and the manuals have the specs.
Correct. Taking an initial set isn't evidence of a problem, but any time a spring shortens, its overall compression force will be reduced since compression force is a direct function of the amount of compression.That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with them.
Reduce the length and that reduces the amount of compression which reduces the force the spring provides.
At some point, if the length continues to reduce, the overall compression force could get low enough to cause a problem.
FWIW, the US Army replacement standard for the 1911A1 recoil spring was its LENGTH. When not kinked, cracked, rusted, burnt, or othewise physically damaged, if the spring did not measure a set length (which was shorter than a new spring) it got replaced. Working, (or not).
Round count was NOT a consideration and was not listed anywhere in the manuals.
Tell you what, I wish we had access to that information back in the early 2000's. When I was in Okinawa 2006-2008 we had MEUSOC .45 1911s and not a single armorer on the island had any clue how to service them. These pistols saw very heavy use (about 100 pistols rotated through deploying platoons who would routinely put down 600 rounds a day for about 5 weeks straight during workups). The most common thing to happen was the slide stop shearing off, and we were always lucky enough to have a few guys in each company that knew enough to open purchase replacement springs.
I know it shouldn't matter as springs don't weaken just through compression but through constant cycling between expanded and compressed..... but the armory stored these pistols cocked and locked on an empty chamber. And when typhoons hit and the power went out so the de-humidifiers stopped working -typhoons only hit on weekends- the rust was unbelievable.
When I was in Okinawa 2006-2008 we had MEUSOC .45 1911s and not a single armorer on the island had any clue how to service them.
Actually, this doesn't surprise me a bit. The military phased out the 1911A1 in the 80s (1984 on. I think) and since it was no longer the standard service arm, I'm pretty sure very few people were trained to service them.
Certainly company level armorers were not trained unless the unit had their own 1911s and even if they were, company level armorers are quite limited in the work they are authorized to do.
I went through the USAOC&S Small Arms Repairman school in 1975. Graduated 2nd in my class, and the classes were 50/50 Army and Marines.
This was back when the 1911A1 was still the primary service pistol.
and, FWIW, Army TM 9-1005-211-35 says the recoil spring must be 6.5 inches free length. (longer was fine, shorter got replaced)