recoil spring

[m700m]

i have a colt combat commander, my recoil ''?'' is,:confused: i purchased some 230 gr +p ammo. i don't have more than a 100 round count. so should i leave the standard recoil spring alone, or change to a 20lb spring? i am not running a shock buff. Don.......

[bspring]

If you were to put a constant diet of +P+ down the pipe, a 18 to 20 lbs recoil spring would be advisable. I have read positive things about shock buffers, some do short stroke slide movement 1/8 to 1/4", which may cause cycling issues.

Bill

[John_Wayne777]

i have a colt combat commander, my recoil ''?'' is,:confused: i purchased some 230 gr +p ammo. i don't have more than a 100 round count. so should i leave the standard recoil spring alone, or change to a 20lb spring? i am not running a shock buff. Don.......

If you only have 100 rounds through the weapon there's no need to change the spring.

If you are looking at testing and evaluating the effect of new springs, go ahead...just don't carry the weapon for serious purposes until you have all the bugs worked out.

On my full sized 1911 I run a 20 pound spring, but all I shoot is 230 grain or better ammo. I've never had an issue.

When you shorten the slide, however, the weapon gets increasingly sensitive to spring tensions.

I'd skip the shock-buffs if I were you. I've found that they can interfere with the function of the slide lock on some pistols. If you keep a good recoil spring in the weapon it should last a lifetime with hardball or the equivalent.

[toddackerman]

Shock Buffs can definitely interfere with operations on the shorter guns. They don't seem to bother the 5" guns.

[Robb Jensen]

i have a colt combat commander, my recoil ''?'' is,:confused: i purchased some 230 gr +p ammo. i don't have more than a 100 round count. so should i leave the standard recoil spring alone, or change to a 20lb spring? i am not running a shock buff. Don.......

For 1911s I recommend new recoil springs every 2K rounds.

[m700m]

thank you guys, i carry this colt more than i shoot it. but i do self train with it once a month and will use this +p ammo on the range for a while to be sure it is reliable in this colt. BTW it is a factory McCormick custom/Colt. the only combat commander my dealer had at the time. i was skeptical at first, but it has :) been a great pistol so far, although the round count is only 97.

[TraderJack]

The stock Commander recoil spring should be 18#. The MCM versions may have a different spring in them - I'm not familiar with them.

The stock spring should last you a good while even while shooting the +p rounds.
Many shooters change out the recoil spring to experiment with various loads and timing sequences.

But, if this is going to be a carry gun, my advice would be to keep it strictly stock. You don't want some eager atty telling a jury you were carrying gun modified for effecient killing.

Here's a site you may find useful. (http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review/colt_combat_commander.htm) Lots of good reading there.
Regards,
TraderJack

[m700m]

yes TraderJack, stock 18lb factory spring, and yes i do carry this colt always, so i will take your advice and keep it stock, as i only shoot this gun twice a month for my on proficiency, i don't see why this +p ammo would be a problem. so far this ammo is shooting well with no issues. thanks. D............

[TraderJack]

m700m, I carry Commanders and a LB C7(one at a time of course) and shoot the Federal HST 230gr round. Nary a problem from any of the Commander sized pistols. I think you should be fine.
Good Luck.

[toddackerman]

The stock Commander recoil spring should be 18#. The MCM versions may have a different spring in them - I'm not familiar with them.

The stock spring should last you a good while even while shooting the +p rounds.
Many shooters change out the recoil spring to experiment with various loads and timing sequences.

But, if this is going to be a carry gun, my advice would be to keep it strictly stock. You don't want some eager atty telling a jury you were carrying gun modified for effecient killing.

Here's a site you may find useful. (http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review/colt_combat_commander.htm) Lots of good reading there.
Regards,
TraderJack

"Strictly Stock????? Uh-huh...Right...and we'll not use high visibility sights, trigger jobs, mag wells, relieved ejection ports, ramp and throat jobs, accuracy jobs, checkering, and hollow points in/ on our CCW pieces because we wouldn't want anyone to think this is a self defense piece designed for stopping a lethal confrontation immediately would we? And you think that "Springs" would set off some type of alarm? Who on earth carries a "Strictly Stock" CCW???

You have got to be kidding. This is about defending lives, and after that, if you've made the right decisions (through a lot of training) you will have little to be concerned about if the self defense act was justified. As long as "Ability, Opportunity and Jeopardy" are present you will have nothing to worry about.

Your CCW piece needs every advantage possible! Everything!!!

[TraderJack]

I believe you are misrepresenting what I said. Reliability adjustments are of course something every person who carries should consider and undertake.

My advice was to keep the pistol strictly stock - by my way of thinking that means not having the pistol modified from the way the pistol was designed to function, or special parts added or removed, or especially tuned by a gunsmith to become an efficient killing machine. I said that as a precaution to consider. Many trial lawyers make the payments on their mansions by painting a law abiding CW holder as a ruthless criminal. I feel that's a reasonable consideration. Evidently you do not.

The pistols I carry are strictly stock, with no modifications whatsoever. So you can count me as the first person on earth to do so.

My pistols are very reliable. I have fired several thousand rounds thru each of them without fail. I trust my life to them every day.

You, sir are welcome to do whatever you want.

[Gunfighter13]

i have a colt combat commander, my recoil ''?'' is,:confused: i purchased some 230 gr +p ammo. i don't have more than a 100 round count. so should i leave the standard recoil spring alone, or change to a 20lb spring? i am not running a shock buff. Don.......

Here’s an easy way to tell. If the brass is landing 5’ to 10’ away from you, you are most likely OK. If the brass is hitting your head or landing less than 5’ from you, you need a lighter recoil spring. If the brass is landing further than 10’ away you need a heavier recoil spring.

[m700m]

well TraderJack, i have for years carried a stock MKIV series 70 COM, CAM, but it is only 100% reliable with FMJ. that is why i decided to put this Colt McCormick to use as it has most of the modern upgrades for ccw, + it seems to feed all the 230 hp that i have thus far tried. although the series 80 firing pin block (plunger) is showing slight strike marks from the firing pin. my guess is that it is a little out of time. what do you think? anyone? i have purchased Colt replacement parts for future replacement, as i don't want to send the gun in at this time as the marks are so light. i have gone through the test for series 80 safety that C&S offers on there web site. thanks Don.............

[TraderJack]

Don, if I read your post correctly the new CMC Colt runs OK, but you're noticing wear on the Series 80 plunger? Is that correct?
Personally, I have never heard of a Series 80 safety system wearing out, but I suspect it could over time.

The usual complaint about the system is that it is a solution for a problem that doesn't exist.

This picture shows the Series 80 System components.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f372/highdesert/series80safety.jpg

Many purists install a replacement shim(available from Brownells) and remove the system altogether. I cannot find a reason to do that on my S80 guns, but it's your gun so you can do what you wish.

Unless you can find severe wear on a component of the system, I feel replacing it at this time would just be an added expense. But, as I say, if it makes you feel safer, more comfortable or better prepared, then by all means do what you feel necessary. If you're seriously concerned about it, just take it to a competent gunsmith in your area and ask him to inspect it.

As for carry ammo, I try several brands, loads, and configurations to determine which ammo runs EVERY time. It doesn't matter to me if it is hardball, hollowpoint or wadcutter. If it runs, I will carry it. Fortunately for me my pistols all handle Federal's HST 230gr , so that's what I feed them. It's a proven high expanding round that LEOs like to carry. That's good enough for me.
Hope this helps.

[wichaka]

Most recoil springs I've tested over the years in stock 1911's, have always fell short of the listed lb weight that was specified.

Most 5" 1911's were in the high 14-15lb range. And the Commander's were in the low 17 to high 16lb range.

I wouldn't recommend a steady diet of +P stuff in any 1911, but if you're going to do it run the higher spring and a buff if it will take it.

Some Commanders won't take them, just need to check for reliability. And make sure you treat them like every other part of the gun when cleaning/maintenance comes around. Check for cracks etc., and change them out at the first sign of such.

[m700m]

that is correct TraderJack, every thing runs fine, just the slight marks on the plunger. looking at a picture of a severely marked plunger on another web sight i believe my series 80 system to be OK. also i do not want to remove the 80 system as this is a carry for when i retire the series 70 to range fun. thanks. (good point wichaka), i will only use +p until i can confirm reliability with this ammunition.