1911 springs

[RussB]

Current Dan Wesson's use an ISMI 18# recoil spring, and an 18# mainspring. Earlier Valors used an 18.5# Wolff recoil spring.

That said, I have a recent Specialist, and I run a 23# mainspring along with a 14# recoil spring for factory hardball and my 200gr LSWC reloads. I like how the 23# mainspring absorbs recoil energy, and I like how a lighter recoil spring stops the front sight from dipping down when returning to battery

When I have feed issues with any gun, the first thing I look at is the ammo

[eternal24k]

Yeah, this ammo is a tried abd true load, both rounds were retained and exhibited no abnormalities.

[samuse]

Then it's probably your mags. Or you just got a bad recoil spring. Or maybe you need a Glock.

A 22 or 23 lb main and a 14lb recoil spring is way softer shooting than the light mainspring and heavy recoil spring.

I have a 22lb main, small radius FPS and wore out 16lb recoil spring in my Springfield and it's very soft shooting. Especially with Wolff.

[JiminAZ]

Normally feedway problems are reflective of something robbing energy from the cycle as the slide moves forward. If your gun develops a FTF problem after extended running trouble free, like the OP's, likely something has changed (barring a defective recoil spring) that is absorbing energy.

I own a Valor, and can tell you that my example had a few problems that, if not corrected, could result in FTF problems developing with use.

1) Mine had a barrel bump. This is commonly felt as that "hitch" in the cycle about 3/16-1/8" before the gun goes into battery. Les Baer guns are famous for this. Still barrel bump is not likely since you've run 6K trouble free and barrel bump usually wears itself away. If you do have it, is easily fixed with a file.

2) Mine also had a recoil spring guide that had not been relieved to clear the barrel lugs. This can impact the lugs enough to peen metal into the slot where the barrel link runs. When this hangs up it robs energy and fouls up the feed cycle. This problem is consistent with a 6K round gun. See this thread for a picture of what this looks like. Easily fixed.

3) My chamber was on the tight side of spec. Combine a tight chamber with 6K rounds of shooting and you may just need to really clean up your chamber. I reamed mine. However, if yours has run great until now, reaming is likely unnecessary. But I'd give that chamber a full "Mr Clean" treatment. Before cleaning you might want to try a plunk test with some of your ammo (and the two rounds that FTF'd) in the barrel and see if they all go in easily.

The Valor is a very nice gun, but like many 1911's, often they need a few things addressed.

Couple of other thoughts - I have seen lots of Wolff springs take such a set (maybe up to 1" - I never measured it) and on a well set up gun its not a problem. Also, I have assumed that your stoppage happened with the round in the chamber but hung up somehow. May not be true. So on your FTF's, were the rounds part way in or did the stoppage occur on the feed ramp? Was the cartridge rim under the extractor when the stoppage happened?

If your gun is running great with a new spring, rock on. But one of the above things may be a contributing factor.

[eternal24k]

This pistol sports a barsto and has had the relief on the guide rod. The rounds were almost complely chambered, a smack to the rear of slide chambered the round.
Test fired today and it ran perfect with the rest of that batch. I guess I will just replace Wolff more frequently from here on.
And Samuse, this 1911 has a much better track record than my Glock 17

[samuse]

I don't doubt it. My 1911s run better than most Glocks too, but this is M4C.

That last little bit into battery is right where a variable spring is at it's weakest.

From years of diagnosing that same exact stoppage..... 99% of the time bad reload.

Damn near every 1911 I see has a way too hard recoil spring, too soft mainspring, too long hammer strut, JACKED UP sear spring, too tight extractor, too long ejector, and weak mag springs. But a mirror polished feedramp that's too steep. And that's why I've gravitated back to Colts.

[SPDGG]

Fwiw;

Most recoil springs need to be changed every 1-3k, platform & ammo dependant.
Considerations: Slide Mass, ammunition Power Factor/pressure, spring weight +/- from std. OE, Recoil/operational parts configuration, etc. Basically, "personal preference" in setup will determine life of certain components.

I will never compare a polymer platform with a steel gun , really apples to oranges for me. They absorb/take recoil differently when fired and this may also contributes to this/that for parts changed during PM. On my light sprung Glocks, slide going into battery will tell you visually of it's at the end of its service life, or safe operation. Of course striker spring weight plays a part in this as well. 1911, I use the usual signs to tell me to swap, but it's mainly visual for me: when I clean if the spring is short it gets tossed.

Springs are cheap, even if you changed them out every 1K for Major PF & 2-3k for Minor PF. Not worth the headache for me & I chalk it up as routine PM.

Glock: ISMI flat recoil
1911: Wolff, Sprinco

+1 with what you said, I run my 1911 handguns the same as anything else. Setup/mags/ammo are right, makes no difference. I run everything Wet

^ again, IMHO.

[Jason Burton]

I just had a bad night with my Valor at an IDPA practice night, a couple FTFs, which is very uncommon for this piece so I checked the log, saw I only had 1600 rounds on the current 18.5lb Wolff recoil spring, but not being happy I decided to take a look at a new one I had, the one in the gun had taken a set back over an inch compared to a new one , the difference once installed was night and day.

That being said, I am not happy with the short life, looking at Wilson and ISMI. What do M4C members run? I will me shooting mostly ball and 185 JHP.

FWIW... in a 45ACP Government Model I use and recommend 18.5# recoil springs and 23# main springs. A properly set-up Government Model shooting standard 230gr FMJ @ 850FPS will run on both a heavier and/or lighter springs as well as the standard weight 16# recoil spring. The biggest advantage I have found to an 18.5# recoil spring is that it has a longer service life.

Flat-wire recoil springs can present many advantages in smaller pistols but, other than a longer service life, I have not noticed any significant advantage in a 45ACP Government Model shooting the aforementioned 230gr loads. Basically put, my already working Government Model didn’t work any better because I changed to a flat wire spring. But again, that is not to diminish their significant advantage in shorter guns as well as 1911s in other calibers.

All that being said, springs will take a ‘set’ just by being compressed/installed in a gun and 1600 rounds on an 18.5# recoil spring doesn’t typically rate as worn out yet... but stranger things have happened. In a 45ACP Government Model there is no “magic” spring... or at least none that I have found... the design is forgiving enough of spring rates and in the vast majority of instances the gun either works with a (insert your favorite spring rate here) or it doesn’t.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

Jason,

Do you find the flat springs to have longer service lives? I changed mine out in my Wilson a long time ago and I believe I have runs bout 5k since without bothering to replace. Do you think it is time or should I just keep on trucking'?

[Jason Burton]

Jason,

Do you find the flat springs to have longer service lives? I changed mine out in my Wilson a long time ago and I believe I have runs bout 5k since without bothering to replace. Do you think it is time or should I just keep on trucking'?

They certainly seem to have a longer service life... that's the main benefit to running one in a 45ACP Government Model.

If I was running one I would probably change once a year, at 10K rounds, or when the slide was no longer being driven forward efficiently/effectively, or whichever came first.