Replace LCP stock spring with wolf 13lb?

Will replacing the stock spring with a Wolf 13lb help reduce the recoil snap? This is my wife's pistol. Thanks!

I don't have the answer but have thought about same issue you are posing about...and then my new LCp custom this weekend had me rethinking this... I had shot a friends older Lcp, prior.

I don't have any thing scientific to back up my feelings on the new gun but I kind of thought the fatter new trigger on the custom was easier on my hand pulling the trigger and during the shot.. I went into the range expecting the same feeling and found it to be less. anyone else feel more control and less snap for that reason?? not trying to take away from spring question.. I think I read wolf has several different rated springs rated less then 13,, if you didn't want to go that high. If any one adds any input on the trigger helping , I know I've seen them also as a orderable part.

I also tried a few different brands of ammo,, I noticed a difference with American eagle feeling less of a recoil.. maybe for range shooting look for the underpowered round?


good shooting.

Probably not. For the same ammunition, too light a spring will beat the gun to death from slide impact. Too heavy a spring will reduce reliability and cause extraction and feed failures. If you want less recoil, use lighter loads and then a lighter spring is useful.

If you replace recoil spring with a more powerful one, racking the slide will be more difficult. My experience is that hand strength is an issue for many women.

I have the 13# in mine. The slide is definitely more difficult to rack and for me it made very little difference in felt recoil. I have fairly large hands though. It seems the recoil is less severe for those with smaller hands. The 13# also wont let the slide pull back quite far enough to lock it open. I also have the 11 and 12 lb springs but havent tried them yet.

Perhaps shoot less rounds with the LCP to reduce the recoil effect would be most cost effective solution.

22/45 Fan said:

Probably not. For the same ammunition, too light a spring will beat the gun to death from slide impact. Too heavy a spring will reduce reliability and cause extraction and feed failures. If you want less recoil, use lighter loads and then a lighter spring is useful.

Click to expand...

This exactly - for a target pistol it's fine to change to a heavier recoil spring and doing so does tend to reduce the felt recoil some by slowing down the slide timing. However, a target pistol doesn't get you killed if it jams...

Extraction and feeding are both affected by slide timing, and changing the spring changes the timing. The really dangerous part in a defensive weapon is that the gun may still seem to function well when you are calmly slow-firing at the practice range with a good hold, etc. but then malfunction under the rigors of a real defensive situation. At the extremes POI can also be affected by the recoil spring.

For a critical application one has to assume that the gun designer took all of the factors into consideration and chose spring weights appropriately (something that recent experience has me questioning). Still, one should only change something as crucial as the recoil spring on a defensive weapon if one is prepared to test the bejabbers out of the gun under bad conditions...something that many folks don't have the means or opportunity to do.

Of course, recoil springs are easily changed so one could go to a heavier recoil spring for range sessions but install the factory spring for carry...this might be the best solution for many folks. Even if one does this, though, one should shoot their defensive ammo using the stock spring enough to be satisfied that it is working well.

John

In my case it actually helped the function. Mine didnt like Wolf/Tula ammo and wouldnt go fully into battery. With the heavier spring it will now run anything I put in it.

In my opinion, the best way to take the snap out of the LCP is not to replace the spring but to install a Hogue Handall sleeve. It sure makes mine comfortable to shoot.

I changed mp LCP spring to a heavier one but can't attest to any difference because I changed it early so I could function test it. It may be harder to rack the slide but I can do it either way. A few hundred rounds through my little friend tells me reliability is 100%

You should be putting rounds through any carry gun to build proficiency and test reliability. People complaing about the harsh recoil. I have meat club hands and it's kinda funny with a two handed grip but I actually like shooting it. I also practice one hand, off hand and from my wallet holster.

It realy is a great gun. Not so crazy about 9mm Kurz but it's a pocket pistol.

I also had return to battery issues and installed a 13lb. spring.
Seemed to make the difference. Mine when warmed up in a range
session with cheap ammo would "stick" with about 1/4 in of slide
travel left before fully closed. The heavier spring helped this, still happens
sometimes but never with good ammo or if not almost too hot to hold.
Takes a little more pull to rack the slide.
Never noticed any difference in recoil.
Dave

Nano65 said:

In my opinion, the best way to take the snap out of the LCP is not to replace the spring but to install a Hogue Handall sleeve. It sure makes mine comfortable to shoot.

Click to expand...

+1 the Hogue grip did soften the recoil feel. If I could soften it a little more it would be nice too.

Seriously ? All this talk about reducing the recoil ... OF A 380 ?? LOL.

If you want less recoil ... Buy a smaller caliber or a heavier gun. There's no evading PHYSICS ... period.

You buy a 9 ounce pistol and expect it to be fun and/or comfortable to shoot ? Really ?

In my opinion ... Most non-gun enthusiast females would be far better off with a .22 like the little Beretta or Taurus. Most times these non-gun savvy carrying females are being pushed into carrying by their significant other anyway .... If that weren't the case ... There'd be no complaining about recoil ... Because they'd be aware that recoil is part of owning and carrying a gun for self defense.

And don't go changing springs from the factory spring either ... First ... It will have no or negligible effect ... And second ... It will likely cause malfunctions which is the last thing you want in a SD gun.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wYsrE8wpuEw


REV

Agreed .... I love my P3AT ... but I know its limitations and realize what it is.

Its totally reliable ... but like the Ruger LC whatevers ... from a firearms perspective ... all these lightweight cheap Pistols are junky and no fun to shoot.

REV

I don't find the LCP recoil to be much.
To me nasty recoil is a little Ti. frame Smith
with full power 357 mag loads. Those seem
worse the the big calibers in larger guns.
As for function my LCP is more reliable with
the stronger 13 lb. spring.
I really believe Ruger compromised on the stock spring
to make it easier to rack the slide....engineering a
product always involves a trade-off. My wife has a
slightly tough time with the 13 lb spring, never
complains about the recoil. Usually only shoots
25-30 rounds at a time with it though.
Dave

I installed a Hogue grip( $8.75 @ midway--Less than buying direct from Hogue). It makes shooting a box or more more comfortable = more fun.

Yes, I would advise giving it a try. I carry .380 level loads (76 grain LFP at 915 fps) in my Kel-Tec P32 and upgraded to the Wolff 11 pound spring. It makes a noticeable difference in recoil and muzzle jump, also keeps the brass from flying as far. I think the pistol will live longer too without the slide slamming into the frame as hard. Just fired it yesterday in fact. At ten feet it will make all seven rounds touch.