1911 Spring Job

[wboggs]

I'm contemplating the replacement of the springs in my 1911's, this seems to be a job you can do yourself. Anybody out there ever do it? I just got an Ed Brown's 1911 Bench Reference and looked over the process and short of getting a couple of appropriate tools, it doesn't seem there is any fitting or anything that would mandate a gunsmith. Since keeping a 1911 in tip top operating order requires a fairly frequent replacement of those springs, doing it myself would sure be a treat to my pocketbook.

[Lycanthrope]

OK...well....there is a WHOLE subforum over at the Brian Enos forum dedicated just to springs!


Generally, Wolff springs fit without modification....ISMI....maybe not.

Spring rates, however, are not so simple. Really.....you probably shouldn't just slap in stock spring rates and expect perfection.

You need to springs to (a) keep the frame from being battered and (b) chamber a new round.

They also effect trigger pull and perceived recoil....these we will consider somewhat secondary.

So...the mainspring bleeds off most for the slide speed and effects trigger pull quite a bit. Recoil spring matters more in chambering.

Don't even make me go into the geometry of firing pin stop shape and how this can change everything.

Lycantruecanofwormsandtechnicalstuffthrope

[wboggs]

Well I really didn't intend to reinvent the wheel, I'm thinking that if I buy the replacement springs for a 5" 1911 from Kimber, the people who made my guns, I will probably not have any problems I might otherwise have just picking up springs from Brand X. So assuming I have original equipment replacement parts, is this a job that can be done by someone with instructions and is mechanically savvy?

Has anyone replaced their 1911 springs with original equipment springs?

[Lycanthrope]

Sigh. If you can set the clock on your VCR you should be fine.

Fine...... throw a Wolff 16lb recoil spring and 22lb mainspring in your Kimber....without any mods and sleep well.

Or an 18lb recoil and 19lb mainspring if you want to shave a pound off the trigger pull.

Did I not allude that Wolff springs are drop in and ISMI may not be?

Lycanjustaskthrope

[wboggs]

Originally Posted by Lycanthrope

Sigh. If you can set the clock on your VCR you should be fine.

Thank you, that's the answer I'm looking for. It appears that's true reading about it and the worst thing that can likely happen is to have to search for a spring that launched into orbit. But you never know and the last thing I want to have to do is take a basket of parts to the gunsmith with my tail between my legs.

Know what I mean?

[Lycanthrope]

There is very little risk of embarrassment. Sorry if I made it harder than it seems.

[BUCKMARK]

You really dont gain anything by changing out your springs unless you have 2000+ rounds down range and are worried about damage or malfs.

Buy factory spec springs from Wolff and install them.

As Lycan said, going with non spec springs will do wonders for the reliability and trigger of the gun....but it is also very simple to mess a gun up by springing it wrong.

In a nut shell, I go a little heavier than factory on the recoil spring...and lighter on the main spring. I also set the sear spring weight in the frame, tweaking it as I install the sear, hammer, disconnector and FP safety if equipped.

I also run a Wolff XP firing pin spring as a rule.

Just as Lycan said....I would go one up on the recoil spring, one down on the mainspring and use the XP firing pin spring. DONE.

[wboggs]

I'm just a "do it yourself" kinda guy and dont want to pay a gunsmith for a job I can do with little risk. Since my Kimber flawlessly feeds anything I load in it, I will be purchasing a spring kit from them and continue to fire a flawless gun. Why fix if if it ain't broke? How much better can you make it than perfect? I fire quite a few rounds through the 1911's (I'm 400 through my second thousand primers since December for 2 1911's) so I figure annually will probably be long enough to put as many miles on it as a spring kit requires.

[BUCKMARK]

Originally Posted by wboggs

I'm just a "do it yourself" kinda guy and dont want to pay a gunsmith for a job I can do with little risk. Since my Kimber flawlessly feeds anything I load in it, I will be purchasing a spring kit from them and continue to fire a flawless gun. Why fix if if it ain't broke? How much better can you make it than perfect? I fire quite a few rounds through the 1911's (I'm 400 through my second thousand primers since December for 2 1911's) so I figure annually will probably be long enough to put as many miles on it as a spring kit requires.

Nothing wrong with the KISS method.

Keep in mind that Wolff makes the best gunsprings in the world and are used by 99% of the high end manufactures. They are direct replacements for your Kimber if you simply order the stock spring rates. Odds are that you will pay less for Wolff springs if you order through Brownells.

I wouldnt bet you a five dollar bill that Kimber dosent use Wolff springs in their guns from the factory....but they prolly wont tell ya.

[wboggs]

So then the odds are I'll be getting a Wolff spring set anyway for a lot less money than ordering it at Brownells; if not I will still be getting a set of replacement springs that have worked flawlessly. Not to mention I can call Kimber and tell them which hand fitted, custom gun I have and be absolutely sure I will get the exact same flawless springs I already have.

Why would I ever take a chance of ordering an unknown spring so I can say I have Wolff springs in my gun?