Mojo58
03-14-08, 03:41
Educate me about recoil springs, please. I am using a Kimber Compact Stainless II and found my stock 22 lbs. spring to be rather weak. I experienced 4 failure to return to battery incidents during my last range session. I attributed it to the stock spring. The slide would "stick" back about 2-3 millimeters. So I installed a Wilson Combat 24 lbs. spring and now the problem is gone. Looking at the spec sheet in the Kimber brochure made me realize that the 5" full size pistols were using 16-18 lbs. springs and the 4" pistols were using 22 lbs. springs. Then I dug up the article of Mark Twight's Hard Use Gun (THUG) by Darryl Bolke in a Guns & Ammo publication and noticed that an 18 lbs spring was used in the pistol. I like the felt recoil of the 24 lbs spring in my 4" Kimber Compact but am rather confused about combat pistols such as the THUG using such a lighter spring. Would it not make sense to use a spring rate that is heavier in a "combat" pistol rather than use a lighter spring? I really want to understand how spring rates affect the pistol's performance and would greatly appreciate someone either answering my post or directing me to the appropriate source. Thanks guys!:)