Ruger SR1911 Recoil Spring question

[dakota1911]

Ruger was for sure running a stronger than 16lb recoil spring in their SR1911s they put out about a year ago. I have a couple and could compare them new to a new Colt GCNM with a 16lb spring. I do notice the replacement spring on their website is listed at 16lb.

 

[w5lx]

Walt Kuleck did an excellent review of the SR1911 and reported the recoil spring weight was verified by Ruger at 18.5 lbs.

http://ezine.m1911.org/showthread.php?p=366

If I ever need to change the springs in mine, I'll probably go with the standard 16 lb. spring.

 

[XDM4545]

My SR1911 purchased in May, 2011 functions perfectly with the stock 18.5 pound spring and my 200 gr LSWC loads. However, I have opted for a 14 pound spring for better control. With the lighter spring the muzzle rises less during recoil. The gun functions perfectly.

BTW, I use this gun in USPSA and IDPA matches. Many serious competitors use even lighter springs. There's a lot of information on this topic in Brian Enos' Forum (http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?)

Same here. I dropped to a wolf #14 variable for my reloads. It has a much smoother cycle imo.

 

[k8vf]

I have no way of measuring, but my new unfired SR1911 is WAY harder to cycle than my Springield G.I. model.(low round count)

 

[modrifle3]

So you think the only reason a recoil spring has is to return the gun to battery. Now that is plain false. The weight of a recoil spring is a balance and it controls the slide motion as well as returns the gun to battery. To light of a spring will beat a gun to death. The original gun and spring were created for one round as is most military weapons. Todays ammo is much hotter than the original ball round.

 

[Precision32]

Modrifle3, unless you're shooting +p ammo modern ammo is loaded just the same as it always was; A 230 grain pill pushed at 830 fps. And yes, the main function of the return spring (the original term of what most call the recoil spring) is to return the slide to battery.

Springs work both ways. If you use too strong of return spring you batter the lower lugs of your barrel and the slide stop. Most manufactures use the 18# spring to reduce the failures to return to battery complaints. Browning's original spring rate calculates at just under 14#. The man knew what he was doing.

 

[modrifle3]

I fully agree, but as I stated weapon and ammo designed together. 1911 tuner stated that the spring had no other intended purpose. That simply isn't true as that engineering is never one sided.

 

[Precision32]

I happen to agree with 1911tuner and so does the school I got my training from. The VIS at the rear of the tunnel and the lower lugs of the barrel are intended to stop the rearward travel of the barrel. The slide is also stopped by the frame. Do a search and find the Patent Office drawings and read how JMB intended the firearm to function. It's many times much different than people assume.

 

[mohavesam]

Sooooo... if/when your spring wears out... How do you notice it?

I mean, does the slide just stop picking up a new round? Constant stovepipe/FTE? Or what?

Maybe just add a shok-buff and get on with your day?

 

[Precision32]

Google "elastic solids" and see what it says about springs. Spring fail through fatigue; in other words they break.

Ever use a beam type of torque wrench? It's nothing but a spring. It will be as accurate the day it fails by breaking as it was the day it was made.

Do you routinely change the springs under your car?

 

[modrifle3]

This is not exactly true. Elastic fatigue causes springs to loose their tension and yes if you measure a set of car springs after 10 years on the road they will have less resistence than when new. Having rebuilt many car suspensions from the 50s and 60s and 70s they do wear out.

 

[modrifle3]

You also have to realize that a recoil spring is subject to much higher shock loading than a car spring in relation to material mass.

 

[Precision32]

The springs under your car are subject to overloading. I used to work with a watch maker and we had watches come in that were over 100 years old. When the main spring failed it was because it broke. The watch ran fine right up until that point.

If you push a spring beyond the elastic limit of the material it's made from it will have permanent deformation. Springs are made long and after they take the set they will retain their length for the life of the spring.

Believe what you want.

 

[dlidster]

I'll probably be told I should have kept my mouth shut, but I've got to say that worrying about recoil springs isn't particularly high on my concern list.

I didn't measure (weigh?) the spring weight on my SR1911 when it was brand new, but after 8K or 9K rounds it was still over 18 pounds. At that point I made a transition to a 14-pound spring. This was not to solve a problem but to lessen "muzzle flip." The gun functions flawlessly with the 14-pound spring. So, I'm guessing I could have gone almost a lifetime with the 18½-pound spring before it "weakened" to the 14 pounds that works so well.

There are some people on the CZ forum who spend a lot of time worrying about their recoil springs, too. They try all kinds of substitutions with Wolff and other springs intended for the Browning. And they run into all kinds of problems with these substitutions. When you consider the CZ 75 (and its siblings) is one of the most-used handguns in the world and that perhaps millions are functioning just fine for people who didn't realize they should be concerned with the recoil spring, you have trouble believing there's a problem. At least I do. And, if one really needs a replacement, CZ-USA has the same springs that go into the gun when it's made.

You can improve any mechanical device till it won't work. But, if it ain't broke . . .

 

[modrifle3]

I personally don't worry about recoil springs as I have not put 10,000 plus rounds through any one gun. This had turned into an argument about the life cycle of springs. The ultimate realization a spring has reached its life cycle is it breaking, but springs weaken through cycling.

Most will never see the end of a recoil springs life cycle....

 

[anachronism]

For 45 ACP 1911s, 16 lb is basic stock. 18 lb is what many people replace their 16 lb springs with. If you shoot light target loads, consider 14 lb, if you shoot powder puff, consider 12 lb. If you have a Commander slide or shorter, start at 20 lb, I ended up with 21 lb in my shorty. Recoil springs shorten over time. Replace yours when it has lost 1/2 inch of it's original length. That's right, measure them before you install 'em. Make certain you replace your firing pin spring at the same time. You do not have to buy springs from Ruger, both Wolff and ISMI make superb springs, and most suppliers buy their springs from one of these two companies. Untold millions of words have been written over 1911 springs.