M1911 recoil spring weight

[Seamarine57]

Greetings: The current recoil spring I have on a M1911 .45ACP is 18.5 pounds. It takes quite a bit to pull the slide back to charge the pistol. Any recommendations on a replacement? 12-14 pound Wolff spring as a replacement.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Magyars]

16 pounds would be my minimum for factory 230 gr.
If your shooting lite reloads or liter bullets you might get by with12-14

 

[Squirt239]

Greetings: The current recoil spring I have on a M1911 .45ACP is 18.5 pounds. It takes quite a bit to pull the slide back to charge the pistol. Any recommendations on a replacement? 12-14 pound Wolff spring as a replacement.
Thanks in advance.

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[Seamarine57]

16 pounds would be my minimum for factory 230 gr.
If your shooting lite reloads or literbullers you might get by with12-14

Thank you sir! Sure appreciate the reply.

 

[gassprint1]

Lighter the spring, the heavier recoil will be. Grab the slide and pull back faster. A slow rack will feel harder to pull slide back

 

[R3p1lc3]

How many rounds does your handgun have through it? more rounds = more easy to rack.
I had a very tight to rack 1911 it got a lot easier after 5-6 hundred rounds.
Is it SUBSTANTIALLY easier to rack if you cock the hammer?

 

[VERT]

Try thumbing the hammer back before racking the slide. With the hammer down you are working against the recoil spring and the main spring. Going from an 18 lb spring to a 16 lb spring won’t change much.

 

[Seamarine57]

Thanks for all the advice. Right now less than 100 rds though this pistol. So perhaps more trips to the range will lighten things up.

 

[russc2542]

The recoil spring is there to make the gun work, not to make your life hard racking the slide. It's the weight it is for a reason.

How are you racking the slide? Ever taken a pistol class? Technique is 9/10 of it.

 

[Seamarine57]

Thanks for all the advice. I guess I am comparing apples to oranges. A buddy has a Series 70 Colt, and it is butter smooth. So with some rounds going through my pistol, things will improve.

 

[VERT]

What brand of 1911 are we concerned about? I have seen all sorts of crazy spring setups in factory 1911s.

 

[Seamarine57]

What brand of 1911 are we concerned about? I have seen all sorts of crazy spring setups in factory 1911s.

This is a Cimarron M1911. To be used in the "Wild Bunch" SASS competitions. Contacting the factory I was advised that the stock recoil spring was 18.5 Lbs.

 

[crewchief888]

i run a 10lb in my springfield 1911 45acp. the gun was originally built and tuned for a 155gr LSWC ammo @ ( old) USPSA major power factor.

 

[CCPLuvr]

What ammo are you shooting out of it? Is that the only ammo you'll use?
Like a couple others have said, 1911 recoil springs need to be tailored to the load. In my 1911s I run between 11 and 22 lbs springs depending on the gun and load combination.

 

[Seamarine57]

What ammo are you shooting out of it? Is that the only ammo you'll use?
Like a couple others have said, 1911 recoil springs need to be tailored to the load. In my 1911s I run between 11 and 22 lbs springs depending on the gun and load combination.

I shoot standard G.I. round ball.

 

[triggerhammer]

Are you using the push-pull technique? If not, simultaneously push forward on the grip while pulling back on the slide. I also recommend "palm-racking" the slide (palm and four fingertips contact) rather than merely the tips of thumb and index finger.

 

[triggerhammer]

Also, especially on a new gun, be sure the slide rails are properly lubricated. Doing so will tend to lighten slide racking. Brian Enos Slide-Glide light grease and Wilson Universal are excellent lubricants for the break-in period.

 

[Seamarine57]

Are you using the push-pull technique? If not, simultaneously push forward on the grip while pulling back on the slide. I also recommend "palm-racking" the slide (palm and four fingertips contact) rather than merely the tips of thumb and index finger.

Affirmative, I use the palm/4 finger method.

 

[Robert B.]

Might want to look at Wilson Combat flat wire recoil kit in 17#, It's good for standard 230 gr.835 fps hardball, comes with spring, guide rod and recoil buffer.