The change rate for Officer and shorter is at 500 rounds.
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The change rate for Officer and shorter is at 500 rounds.
3-5k on full size. Every 1-2k on Officers
3500 rounds...
I do the 5" guns at 2k and only use Wolff 18# springs.
Assuming the 1911 is chambered in 45ACP I would recommend changing the recoil spring every 2000-2500 rounds in Government and Commander Models. This may be sooner than what is actually needed but fresh recoil springs are cheap insurance for pistol longevity.
If you're talking about the recoil spring, I try to change mine out around 2500 or so.
Here's some good reading on 1911's as well:
http://www.10-8performance.com/id9.html
http://www.10-8performance.com/id8.html
http://www.10-8performance.com/id32.html
The third referenced article goes pretty indepth into maintenance and longevity.
Not sure if you've seen this: http://www.gunsprings.com/faq#Faq6 I've had good experience using Wolff gunsprings in my Kimber 4" Compact.
For 5" models:
Change the recoil spring every 2,000 rounds
Change the firing pin spring every 5,000 rounds
Change the main spring every 25,000 rounds
is this why my 1911 commander 70 series .45acp is starting to short stroke on the last shot? probably has the original spring in it and maybe 5-6k rounds since 1982 ( or so) thru it.
When you say short stroke, do you mean failure to return to battery, or failure to pickup a round off the magazine?
Springs are cheap. I would go ahead and replace the recoil, mainspring, and firing pin spring just because of the age.
If it is failing to pickup a round off the magazine then it is probably a weak mag spring.