New 1911

[beemer]

I ended up with a Springfield Mil-Spec in 45 acp. I have had a lot of guns over the years but never a 1911, why did I wait so long, I have had a blast with this thing.

I don't plan changing anything but would like to have a few extra springs and such. What is the standard weight for the recoil spring ,I understand they need replaced ocasionally.

Dave

[Walt]

The generally accepted standard is 16#. Many new guns come with 18 or 18 1/2 (some use variable rate springs). If you are shooting target loads a 16 will work with all but very soft loads. The mainspring and firing pin stop play a roll in that too. I'll change recoil springs in 5" range guns maybe every 4000 rounds. Defense guns are dealt with on an individual basis. Have fun!

[375RUGER]

It depends on the boolit or bullet weight you want to shoot. Generally factory guns are set up and will shoot a variety of ammo with the stock spring. The manufacturers know that not everyone is going to be shooting the same ammo. First see what your 1911 will digest, then decide if you need different spring rates.
Wolff makes a spring kit with 10-12 springs but most of them you would never use so it would be a waste of money.
I use Nowlin springs in mine, I would recommend Wilson also.
16# is the generally accepted stock spring rate. My first 1911 would digest anything from the factory but when I built/rebuilt it, it is pretty tight I had to go to a 18.5# to feed properly overcoming friction, and I only use 230g in it cause that is what I built it for.
If you are going to shoot softball loads then you likely will have to go to a light spring.
If you are going to change ammo a lot and springs when you do, keep a notebook handy so you remember which spring is in the gun.

[waksupi]

I have a variety of spring weights, so I can shoot different levels of loads.

[gray wolf]

recoil spring = 16#
Sear spring = standard 3 leave spring, without knowledge do not mess with it.
Hammer spring = 23#
Your stock pistol should function with those. If it does not, fix the problem and don't try to do it with different springs.
If your knowledge base at this time does not include at least what the standard spring weights are----leave them alone.
The 1911 45 ACP is a wonderful platform to shoot. Simple in it's construction,
and if made and put together correctly should run fine.
Unless your pistols slide to frame fit is exceptionally tight, your set up should work with factory ball, and some reasonably soft loads.
Watch your primer hits, they should be one nice even dent. If the firing pin shows an elongated hit with a drag mark on the primer, your pistol is out of time.
The slide is opening to soon ( out of time ) could break a pin.
Many over sprung pistols show this because springs were changed without knowing why. Over springing a 1911 to fix problems other than a tite gun or soft ammo is a band aid.

but would like to have a few extra springs and such.
Why ? and what is an such.
Leave the F P S alone your pistol has a one with a rounded bottom, the original had a square bottom with a very slight bevel.
To go back to a square bottom is a nice modification but I don't think your ready to get into that now.
Shoot your pistol with a load equal to ball or a little less, break in the gun.
Brake in is needed today cause parts are mass produced and the gun makers want us to do the final fitting,( read as breaking in.)
If soft loads are what you are after, you will find that as you keep dropping the power of your load you will reach a point that the slide will be sluggish and may not cycle.
AT that point you may want to drop the recoil spring weight ONLY.
Most times a reduction from 16# to 14# will fix the problem.
The old standard bulls eye shooting load was 3.5 grains of B/E powder with a 200 grain WC bullet. Pistols seem to do well with a 12# spring using this load.

[bigboredad]

I bought one of those for my birthday last Feb. and I have had so much fun with it. I ended getting a rcbs 230rn mold but if I had to do it different I would opt for the mihec 4cavity copy of the lyman 225 or a 5 cavity aluminum 45-230m from tom at accuratemolds.com There are soo many powders that work and work well just find one that suits your needs. One of my faves is 5.4 of universal or unique that way I can use the same powder for the .45 colt. Don't worry about springs just yet just shoot and shoot and of course enjoy. JMHO

[captaint]

beemer - I have 2 fairly new 1911's that I have put about 3000 rounds through, combined in the last year or so. I have shot all manner of 200 and 185 grain boolits in that time. All I have done to the guns is clean them & lube them up. I think Les Baer recommends a spring change at 2000 rounds. I'll let it go for a while. enjoy and go shoot that 1911 and smile... Mike
I should have mentioned that nearly all my loads have been of the "softball" variety with WW231, Red Dot, Titegroup and Clays. The accuracy is certainly there with the lighter loads and that's my main area of interest. Now, if I could just learn to hold the front sight still ......

[beemer]

Thanks for the replys, I don't plan on changing anything for now as the pistol runs perfect. I have fired about 5 or 6 hundred rounds so far with one failure to feed due to playing with seating depth. I had heard that the springs needed replacing ocassionally and didn't know what the standard weight was.

So far I have used a Lyman round nose and the Lee 452-230-TC, I cut the bevel base off the Lee and ended up with a 218gr. boolit. Several powders, 231,Red Dot, AA#5,Bullseye and Unique were tried and I kept going back to Unique. The best load ended up being 5 gr. of unique and the 218 gr. boolit sized to .452. The load piles on top of the front sight at 35' when I can hold the sight still. I'm going to have to learn to shoot like a neighbor we had years ago,you could see the barrel on his 22 wobble around. I ask how he hit anything and he said he just shot when he went by.

Dave