Recoil spring question.

[g.willikers]

Do recoil springs (or any coil spring) actually ever wear out?
Or do they only need replacing when they get saggy and the distances between the coils shrink enough to cause an obvious problem.
Are the recommendations for regular replacement mostly of benefit to the spring makers, kind of like oil changes in our cars?
The reason for the question is how long the recoil springs seem to last in my pistols.

[Jim Watson]

What would you call worn out?
I would consider that when "they get saggy and the distances between the coils shrink enough to cause an obvious problem" they are worn out.

A competitive shooter here brought his gun into FLG for an upgrade. He had not changed springs since the gun was new. His recoil spring was about 1/3 shorter than new and the wire was worn flat on the inside and outside of the coils from rubbing against the guide rod and spring tunnel. But he had no "obvious problem" because the gun was so straight and smooth that it had continued to operate normally.

[P5 Guy]

The operating spring on my SuperMatic Citation had wear that made all the coils have a flat spot, I replaced that spring.
The op-rod spring on the M1 gets replaced when it is shorter than spec or has flat spots on the coils.
I replaced the springs on my Walther P5c after a few thousand rounds because they were different lengths. The replacements were the same length.

[JoeSixpack]

Do recoil springs (or any coil spring) actually ever wear out?
Or do they only need replacing when they get saggy and the distances between the coils shrink enough to cause an obvious problem.
Are the recommendations for regular replacement mostly of benefit to the spring makers, kind of like oil changes in our cars?
The reason for the question is how long the recoil springs seem to last in my pistols.

Oh gawd here we go again.. another spring topic.

I personally think they do wear out yes.
On my 92's I replace the recoil about every 5k rounds.
Other semi auto's I own have not been shot enough to require a spring change so YMMV based on gun.

Recoil spring is the only spring I change on a schedule, The rest generally stay in service until I notice a problem which is rare.


When do you know it's time to change a recoil spring?

1. gun is noticeable easier to cycle. I mean a lot easier not just a broke in spring.
2. gun is malfunctioning, a lot, for no apparent reason and it has enough rounds that the spring could be worn out.
3. compare it with a new spring and is significantly shorter (the word "significantly" is subjective, use best judgment)

Unless It's difficult to find/get spring no big deal error on the side of caution most recoil springs are 5 or 6 bucks at most, hardly bank breaking expense when it rarely needs to be changed in the first place.. unless you're a comp shooter, in which case you're probably spending 1k's a year on ammo anyway.

[T. O'Heir]

Springs do not lose temper from being compressed. Even repeatedly. Neither do flat springs. The mattress on your bed has coil springs. Your vehicle's suspension uses flat springs. How often do you change either?

[B-Shot]

More on the subject https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=460410

[FITASC]

Springs weaken and fail from "work" - which is a full cycle of compression and release. Some may taker longer than others, but a good rule of thumb for most is typically ~5000 rounds.

[g.willikers]

My 2 cents:
How often to change any part in a shooter would probably depend on the usage.
A set schedule could be too conservative for many guns and situations.
Preventive maintenance can be carried too far and I've been guilty of it, too.
But it can be needlessly wasteful.

[std7mag]

I change the springs in the 1911 about 1500 rounds, roughly.

Mattress every 3-5 years.

Vehicle springs are supposed to be changed every 50-80 thousand miles.

Springs are wear out items.

[Sevens]

Here is a question that may have been asked but I've never seen it asked before:

What do you do with the spring that you have replaced?

Us gun guys are often frugal by nature, it seems out of character for me to just throw out something that seems like a useful item. But it is probably the best answer.

[Jim Watson]

Beats me. Seems like there ought to be SOME use for a squashed spring.
Send a batch to Forged In Fire to make knives out of.

[JoeSixpack]

I always keep my springs, not just from guns but from anything I junk, unless they're broke in such a way they can't be used.
worn out springs for the gun might be just the ticket for something else.

Don't replace them enough for space to be an issue.
also having a worn out spring as reference could be useful.

[Bill DeShivs]

Damned if I'm not going into the gun spring business!

[Bayou]

For my SR1911, the recoil spring gets replaced at around each 2K rounds. Telltale signs of the need to replace: a failure to return to battery and the old recoil spring being a full 3 coils shorter than a new one.

New springs are cheap - $2 apiece from shopRuger.com. No big deal...

I have a shooter friend who uses different criteria as to when to change recoil springs - when the calendar turns to Jan. 1, he replaces the spring...

Bayou

[g.willikers]

Recoil springs aren't the only ones to save.
I save just about every one I come across.
Before throwing broken stuff in the trash, save the springs that might be in them.
They can come in real useful at times.
I have bins full that have come in real handy.
Like for repairing guns even.
Some of those repairs with discarded springs have worked so well that the new replacements are still unused in their shipping bags.

[dahermit]

New springs are cheap - $2 apiece from shopRuger.com. No big deal...I went to the Ruger site and only found a single spring listed. That surprised me inasmuch as Ruger makes both a Commander size gun as well as a standard full size 1911. According to Brownell's (at least I think that is where I got my last 1911 recoil springs), the Commander length 1911's use a different recoil spring than the full-size guns. Or, did I miss something and Ruger does sell two different weights of 1911 springs?

[g.willikers]

If Ruger makes their 1911s in the various calibers that others do, they all take their own recoil springs, too.
Plus the different springs that can work with all the varieties of loads we reloaders can come up with.
Even with the standard, full sized version, lots of folks on the reloading forums report using non standard recoil springs, for various reasons.
If Ruger doesn't offer enough versions to suit, best get them from the spring makers who do.
They're probably making all of them anyway, no matter who is actually selling them.

[dahermit]

If Ruger makes their 1911s in the various calibers that others do, they all take their own recoil springs, too.
Plus the different springs that can work with all the varieties of loads we reloaders can come up with.
Even with the standard, full sized version, lots of folks on the reloading forums report using non standard recoil springs, for various reasons.
If Ruger doesn't offer enough versions to suit, best get them from the spring makers who do.
They're probably making all of them anyway, no matter who is actually selling them.It is difficult to make sense out of what you posted. Again, my point is this: Ruger makes both a full size 1911 and a Commander size gun. Commanders and Full size 1911 do not take the same weight of recoil spring. The Ruger site, unless I missed it, only lists a single recoil spring. So, did I miss their listing for the Command's recoil spring, or do they use the same one in both the full size and the Commander length guns? I am not so much looking to be dazzled with someone's knowledge, only looking for a straight answer.:)

[g.willikers]

The simple answer as I recall, is recoil springs are made in lengths relative to the size of the frames they are used with.
And the strength/weight is dependent on the caliber.
Have you invested in Kuhnhausen's 1911 books?
They provide better information than you can expect from a forum.
As for your question, "So, did I miss their listing for the Command's recoil spring?"
Sorry can't answer that one for you, as I wasn't there.
The point I was trying to make previously is the recommended spring isn't always correct.
And they aren't always to the advertised specs anyway.
The ammo being used is another contribution to the confusion.
As is the recoil effect.
As inexpensive as springs are, buy a variety and see what they do.
Just hope they arrive in separate packages and don't mix them up.
The voice of experience.
More dazzling with my vast knowledge of the universe. :)

[James K]

I think some folks may be missing the point. The main purpose of a recoil spring is not to resist recoil, but to return the slide to battery. The 1911, as an example, will work fine without the spring as long as the shooter manually returns the slide to battery.

As long as the spring does that, reliably, and fits properly, it is OK.

Jim

[Sevens]

^I have read exactly that before, but only rarely does someone post it (seems to start a storm of discussion...) and I also believe that having too HEAVY a recoil spring is hard on the handgun in the other, forward direction.

[JoeSixpack]

That's the recoil springs primary job but that's not to say it does not resist rearward movement also.

A worn out spring is not going to assist in that regard as well as a fresh one.
In such cases the slide is going to hit it's full rearward movement with more momentum then usual.

[Don P]

I change the springs in the 1911 about 1500 rounds, roughly.
I'll send you my address. I'll gladly take those changed out springs off your hands:rolleyes:

Damned if I'm not going into the gun spring business
I'm with you Bill

What do you do with the spring that you have replaced?

Us gun guys are often frugal by nature, it seems out of character for me to just throw out something that seems like a useful item. But it is probably the best answer.

To answer the question, why in the hell would you keep a "supposedly bad spring" that you changed out:confused:????? You changed it because its out lived its usefulness.
Guess I'll go and change "all the bad used springs" in my 1911's and waste more money and make the spring maker happy:eek:

[g.willikers]

I also believe that having too HEAVY a recoil spring is hard on the handgun in the other, forward direction.
Some 1911 owners use recoil springs on 5" .45 versions that are as light as 12 lbs for softer shooting.
But it does depend on the ammo, too.
To add to the confusion the hammer/main spring and the recoil spring act in unison and that relationship must be considered.
There's a lot to recommend staying with stock components, without really knowing what's going on.
There's quite a lot of variety in what is considered stock, too.
The last recoil springs I bought were advertised to be "original spec".
One was 16 lb and another was 18 lb as measured on my trusty spring checker tool.
Shows to go ya'.

[JoeSixpack]

To answer the question, why in the hell would you keep a "supposedly bad spring" that you changed out:confused:????? You changed it because its out lived its usefulness.
Guess I'll go and change "all the bad used springs" in my 1911's and waste more money and make the spring maker happy:eek:
Couple reasons

1. Never know when a worn spring is better then no spring
2. Can compare past springs
3. The spring maybe useful in other projects, I keep all springs gun or otherwise unless they're rusty, broken, etc.
If the spring was originally say 12lb, and is now shorter and only 7lb, it could still be useful elsewhere.
4. Im a pack rat, that's why :p

It's not like they take up much room in the parts bin.