recoil spring replacement

How often do you replace the recoil spring on an SR 1911 CMD. I seemed to have a problem of the slide contacting the frame, peened over the edges. Sent it back they replaced the slide, nothing about the recoil spring. What weight spring is recommended? Also if I sent it to Ruger as dirty as they sent it back, I am sure they would have charged me to clean it before repair. :roll: :roll:

I don't replace springs until they break. Springs will take an initial "set" when new, where their length will shorted when first used. This "set" will only establish the minimum elastic length of the spring. The spring will continue to run the same until it breaks.

The slide is designed to contact the frame.

Where do your empties end up?

I had a 10mm in 1911 that placed the empties about 25 feet (yes, that far)
over my right shoulder, out of the box. Replaced the recoil spring and
everything has been fine since.

http://shopruger.com/SR1911-Recoil-Spring/productinfo/64012/

Recoil springs are rather inexpensive and if you shoot a 1911 a lot l would consider replacing the spring every 1500/2000 rounds. The standard recoil spring weight for a 5'' barreled 1911 is 16 lb or 18.5 lb if shooter heavy loads. Every 1911 shooter has an opinion on when or if to change recoil springs. It's like cheap insurance to change frequently. Thinking out of the box, just how often to you change your car's oil? Same thing!

loaded round said:

Thinking out of the box, just how often to you change your car's oil? Same thing!

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No sir. The question is how often do you change the springs in your car? How is a spring in your car any different than the springs in your gun?

Tell me, how is a spring remotely analogous to oil?

I just made an analogy to how often people change oil in their car versus how often people change recoil springs in their 1911. My Car manual states every 6000 miles, but I change every 3000. As far as recoil springs go, my son and I own 8 various makes of 1911's between us and I replace recoil springs after the 1000 round mark. Shouldn't be rocket science to you.

Precision32 said:

loaded round said:

Thinking out of the box, just how often to you change your car's oil? Same thing!

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No sir. The question is how often do you change the springs in your car? How is a spring in your car any different than the springs in your gun?

Tell me, how is a spring remotely analogous to oil?

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buttsm said:

How often do you replace the recoil spring on an SR 1911 CMD. I seemed to have a problem of the slide contacting the frame, peened over the edges. Sent it back they replaced the slide, nothing about the recoil spring. What weight spring is recommended? Also if I sent it to Ruger as dirty as they sent it back, I am sure they would have charged me to clean it before repair. :roll: :roll:

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- Peened over the edges of what exactly? This is the second thread in which you've mentioned this, and we have yet to see any pics or description of this supposed damage. Can you explain exactly what areas of the slide and/or frame were damaged?

Yeah, coil springs take a set.
They also get weaker with use...and shorter....and they'll develop flat areas from rubbing on stuff as the gun operates, which BTW, makes 'em weaker too, and more prone to breakage....and, it aint a big secret that in some cases a weak/worn spring can lead to timing issues and malfunctions.

You can change springs as part of a maintenance routine, or you can change them when they no longer perform up to spec, or you can wait untill one actualy breaks and/or the gun quits working.......

.....your gun, your choice.

DGW

I am usually mindful of how the pistol shoots and where it is tossing the brass.

in my post of slide damage I managed to post urls to the pictures of the slide damage. You can scroll thru them.

easy,simple fix, get a plastic (fiber) washer ,they call them 'Shok Buff' (Wilson) and slip onto the recoil spring guide, absorbs any harsh impact, slamming of metal to metal..................

Buttsm, thanks for posting the pics. So it looks like you're getting a bit of displaced metal right where the slide impacts the guide rod head. Are you running the gun with its stock recoil and mainsprings?

the pistol is stock as it comes from the factory, I use my reloads, and I like then light.

Interesting. I have marks like that on all my slides, but they're just bright spots in the finish, not really displaced metal like that. No idea; perhaps one of the more knowledgeable posters here can explain what's happening. My guide rod heads sometimes get peened up a little bit after many years of use, but they're supposed to.

I called Ruger twice and got two different answers. They told me the springs should be changed but the frequency varied in the answers. The first time they told me every 1-2,000 rounds. The second time every 5-6,000 rounds with normal (non +P) ammo.

If it were my decision, I'd go with the 1-2000 round change. That's the formula that I follow.

loaded round said:

If it were my decision, I'd go wit the 1-2000 round change. That's the formula that I follow.

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I agree.

Precision32 said:

No sir. The question is how often do you change the springs in your car?
How is a spring in your car any different than the springs in your gun?

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A (suspension) spring in a car should last at least 250,000 miles. Does that
mean a recoil spring in a 1911 should last 250,000 rounds? NO
it does not. :roll:

Since when does your car shoot 45 ACP's at 850 fps?

I change action/recoil springs in my pistols whenever the return to battery starts to feel a little sluggish when the gun is dirty and dry. That's averaged somewhere between 8500-10,000 rounds.

The only pistols that I use 16 pound springs in are the beater twins...because the ammo is dirty...my home cast 200-grain SWCs with soft lube and 6 grains of Unique. The ones in my carry rotation get 14-pound springs, and so far, I haven't had to change'em. I don't shoot my carry guns all that much.

The beaters have seen nearly 400,000 rounds collectively, about evenly split. I don't shoot "softball" ammunition. The 200-grain bullets and the cast 230s get the same 6 grains of Unique for 870 and 820 fps respectively.

The impact abutments in both pistols...slide and frame...are fine.

it aint a big secret that in some cases a weak/worn spring can lead to timing issues and malfunctions.

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Nah. The spring doesn't have any effect on the timing at all. The pistol can be fired without a spring, and aside from having to send the slide back to battery by hand, nothing at all changes.

One caveat.

If you want to try firing one without a spring, you need to use a FLGR system. The short GI type guide rod will get cattywampus and tie up the slide.