Springin the 1911

R

rc

New member
What is your preferred spring weights in 1911s for the various calibers

9mm
38 super
40 S&W
10mm
and of course
45 ACP

It seems most are sprung for light plinkin loads and take a beating with the hot stuff. I put my 18.5 pound 10mm spring in my 9mm and it worked fine with hot nato spec IZQ 9mm and +P ammo but not target loads. 18.5 pounds in the 10 might be right for FBI spec ammo at 1030fps but is too light for 180 grains at 1300fps.......
 
The only 1911 I own is a full size .45 and I'm running a Wolff 18.5 lb spring in it. I went with slightly heavier than factory-spec because my .45 Auto defensive ammo is +P (Federal 230 gr +P HST to be exact) and the slightly heavier spring seems to improve feeding reliability slightly.
 
The recoil spring weights vary depending on the barrel (and slide) length. Are you asking about a 5" Government model size pistol?

The factory rating for standard-power .45 Auto is 16-pounds.

9mm and .38 Super is 14-pounds.

.40 S&W is 19 pounds.

I don't know what Colt uses in the 10mm pistols. Maybe around 21 or 22 pounds? 18.5 seems awfully light for 10mm, considering that many custom makers use 18.5 for .45 ACP and 19 pounds is considered "standard" for .40 S&W.
 
It also sometimes depends on what ammo you're using. My Gold Cup Trophy came with two springs, one for FMJ and one for wadcutters. My other two 1911's, both 45's, I've shot several different kinds of ammo without thinking about it and never had an issue.
 
You can adjust the recoil spring power ratings based on the type of load you are shooting, but you are way over-sprung for 9mm.

I always try to stick with factory recoil spring ratings, and I would never vary the factory ratings by more than one or two pounds plus or minus, which for a full size 1911 in .38 Super & 9mm is 14 Lbs., and for .45 ACP it is 16 Lbs.
 
9mm 5" - 11lb recoil, 18lb hammer, Square FPS, standard 9mm ammo
.45 5" - 16lb recoil, 21lb hammer, Square FPS, standard 230gr .45acp
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I have tried many spring combinations with my 9s from 10lb to 13lb recoil and 17lb to 21lb hammer spring and settled on above.
I try to keep the 45 factory but I am tempted to try a 15lb recoil --- I have not bothered, yet, because I do no shoot the 45 often.
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Of course, you match the springs to the ammo you use.
My guess based on internet information is that a standard spring (12-13lb) + recoil buffer is a better system than an 18lb recoil spring in a 1911 to handle the hot 9mm NATO rounds. 16lbs would probably be the highest I would go If I really want to use only recoil spring.
 
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It's not just the recoil spring that's involved.
Like pilpens sez, the mainspring has to be considered, too.
Even the firing pin stop has an effect on the hammer.
Concentrating on just one element of any gun modification ignores the important interaction of the parts of the design.
 
Most people have a tendency to over spring their 1911 pistols by going with heavy weight recoil springs, that's the wrong direction to take folks.
This creates more problems then it's thought to cure.

In my opinion if the recoil spring was called a return spring which is it's main function this would be better understood.

The Army TM at one time had information on correcting the battering of the slide stop pin hole in the frame caused by forward battering.

Considering the hardness of all the parts involved in stopping the forward momentum of the slide when it goes to battery and the frame being the softest part ( RC 24 to 28) it's easy to understand forward battering.

If one wants to slow the slide speed in a 1911 pistol there's better ways to do it then going with heavy weight recoil springs.

During my pistolsmithing career I've done numerous 10mm conversions on Para P-16 pistols, the pistols were set up with 18.5 recoil springs.
The pistols were test fired with full power 10mm ammo, as I figured that's what my clients would be using.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
 
The return spring is about the bullet weight, not the chambering.
This is according to Wolff Springs.
COLT 1911 FACTORY RECOIL SPRING NOTES
1. Factory rating for super .38 & 9mm is 14 Lbs.
2. Factory rating in .40 S&W is 19 Lbs.
3. Factory rating for the Colt .38 Spl. Midrange is 14 Lbs.
4. Factory rating for the Colt Ace .22 conversion is 14 Lbs.
5. Factory Standard for .45 ACP is 16 Lbs.
 
The 1911 (meaning real 5" .45 ACP) is a very flexible design. They have been delivered with recoil springs from 13.75 to 18.5 lbs that I know of offhand, and if otherwise to spec, they shoot just fine. Likewise mainsprings from 23 lb GI down to the least that will pop a primer.

If you find yourself making small changes in springs to try to correct some functional fault, you are probably looking in the wrong place.
 
9mm - The non-fat/sugar-free/caffeine-free latte of 1911s.

38 super - 23# main, 11# recoil

40 S&W - You're shooting WHAT out of that 1911?

10mm - 25# main, 20#-23# recoil depending on load


45 ACP - 23# main, 14# recoil
 
I'm with Pilpens except I use a 12# recoil spring in my 9mm, unless I'm shooting extremely weak loads and then I change it out to a 9#. 14# is as high as I would ever go and that would be if it was mainly using defensive loads.
 
In general, if you're trying to reduce slide velocity I would look at changing your firing pin geometry or even mainspring weight before increasing recoil spring weight.
 
For my full sized 1911s I found that increasing the recoil spring weight tended to force the muzzle down when it went into battery, so I went with a standard 16 pound spring, a flat bottomed firing pin stop and a 23 pound main spring which really did the trick for heavy loads in the 45 ACP. For normal pressure loads I swap the main spring to 20 pounds and leave everything else alone.
 
In my full sized 5" 1911's...

in 9mm ...I run a 13 # spring / I tried 12# and went back to 13# / this gun is now my primary carry gun - and it runs 100%.

in .45 acp ...I run a 16 # spring ( I think 13# or 14# is too light )

but like others said ...it will vary on bullet weight and velocity you're loading.
 
SPRINGS

The spring used is determined by the velocity of the load your using.
You determine this by buying springs and trying them.
For the range, your certainly not going to use combat loads,are you.
Using a number, a 15, what does it mean, when fired, the slide must go back to eject empty case,come forward, strip a round off the magazine and seat the cartridge in the barrel firmly. You will also pick the spring that reduces somewhat the force of the slide against the frame. Thats how you pick it.
 
Some people choose the spring based on how the gun reacts in their hands to firing.
You're going to get muzzle flip in recoil, and muzzle dip as the slide closes, and you can alter the effects via spring tuning.
Some people like the "soft" feel of a relatively heavy spring, but it results in more muzzle flip and more muzzle dip, making follow-up shots slower.
A lighter spring will result in the gun shooting "flatter", but some have the subjective sense of "more recoil".
Competition shooters generally go for lighter springs, 12#-14" in .45, in the interest of speed.
Plinkers or hunters might prefer the heavy springs, 18# or more, as it's more comfortable for a long shooting session or heavy loads.
 
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