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Thread: Springfield Recoil Spring Question

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  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Springfield Recoil Spring Question

    I want to replace the recoil spring in my stock full size 45 cal 1911 Springfield Mil Spec. Does any one know what pound spring I need?

    Brownells shows a 16 pound for the Mil Spec. Just want to make sure that is the right one.

    Thank You,
    Silent Rock

  2. #2
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    16 pound is correct.
    Hawkmoon
    On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside

  3. #3
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    Thank You.I have ordered some spare springs.
    Silent Rock

  4. #4
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    22nd February 2009
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    Are you replacing due to round count or does something feel off?

  5. #5
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    My Mil Spec runs fine. I probably have 4-5,000 rounds thru it. Just thought it might be time to replace the spring. Would appreciate any recommendations on how many rounds others fire before replacing the recoil spring.
    Silent Rock

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Silent Rock View Post
    My Mil Spec runs fine. I probably have 4-5,000 rounds thru it. Just thought it might be time to replace the spring. Would appreciate any recommendations on how many rounds others fire before replacing the recoil spring.
    Silent Rock
    Replace it if you wish but try this: leave the old spring alone in a drawer, for a week or so, then compare its free length with the new spring, i.e. after the new spring has taken a set in the gun, for said week. You might be surprised.

    IMHO your old spring is still fine. I've lost track of how many rounds I've fired in my Para (9mm, though) but I know it's no less than 8-9 thousand. The stock spring was a 12 pounder. A couple of times I put a new spring of the same rating in the gun, tried racking the slide, couldn't tell the difference, then put the original back on. It's still there and the gun runs fine.

    Still, it's not exactly a high-cost item (especially if you buy a pack of 10) so...
    Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
    M. Setter

  7. #7
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    Nonte's theory was to have a new recoil spring on hand, and when the existing spring was visibly three coils shorter than the new one, replace it.
    Ken
    "I like Colts and will die that way"
    "It seems to me that I have forgotten more than I remember"
    Likes (1) :
    MuyModesto (10th November 2019)


  8. #8
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    Watch where your shell casings get thrown. With a new spring mine eject in the 2:00 o'clock position, as the spring weakens the will fly more to the right. When the casings are ejecting in the 4:00 o'clock position the gun gets a new spring.

  9. #9
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    I think your old spring still worked, in any case you should change the recoil sring as son as you start getting failures to return to battery while feeding. Especially compact pistols require more frequent length recoil spring changes than standard pistols. Then if you like me use a shock buffer, if it has become torn a few hundred rounds after installation, that means that your recoil spring should be replaced.
    Originality can't be restored, so put "originality" at the top of a priority list. If JMB didn't put it on the 1911 you don't need it.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    28th December 2007
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    Springs are "elastic solids" and behave per Hooke's law. Look both up on Google to learn more. As long as you don't push (or pull) the spring beyond it's elastic limit it will return to it's original length until it fails by breaking. A beam type torque wrench is nothing but a spring and will be as accurate the day it fails by breaking as the day it was made.

    Say you bend the spring 10% and we call that the elastic limit. You can bend it 10% repeatedly and it will always return to it's original shape. Now, if you bend it one time to 11%, 1% beyond it's elastic limit, the spring will not return 11%, it will return only 10%. It will stay that way, bent 1%, when the load is removed.

    About the only way a spring will weaken is if you reduce the cross section area of the spring and thus the spring rate. New springs are purposely wound a little long, or short, so the first time you compress or stretch it, the elastic solid will shorten or lengthen to the springs elastic limits and remain that length until it fails.

    When was the last time you changed the springs on your car?

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