14lb 1911 recoil spring load question

[robpete]

I picked up a 14lb spring for my 1911 and need a load for it. My standard load is an H&G 68 w/ 5grs of green dot. Is there a short cut that I can take(a formula) to figure out a lighter charge for the 14lb spring....or am I going to have to start at square one and work one up? Thanks

[pal82]

I can't comment on green dot. I load 3.5 grains of Trail Boss over a H&G 68 for my wife's 1911 with a 14 lb spring. That pistol has a reduced hammer spring, which also reduces the effort of the slide. She can't rack the slide with stock springs. They run about 635 f/s. Very low recoil and the brass doesn't fly very far. With stock springs, the brass falls at your feet.

[MtGun44]

Just drop it about 20% and see if it ejects, if so try again dropping it until you find the
limit with that spring, then move back up a touch. Should be able to hit it with three or
four different 5 round test loads.

If it was me - I'd load 3.5 gr of BE or TG and see if it functions (it will) and if so, you
are done. This is the most common target loading under a 200 SWC.

Bill

[DRNurse1]

It seems odd to develop a load for a spring...but you can do whatever you choose. I would probably develop a load that my firearm likes based on the use I plan rather than trying a load for a particular part. The process, however, is the same, start light but with enough powder to function the gun but I am not sure how to pick a boolit that works with the lighter spring. Wouldn't a heavier boolit need a heavier spring, ergo select the lightest boolit that you can to reduce the spring power needed? No real experience with this technique, so just sayin'.

[robpete]

It seems odd to develop a load a spring...but you can do whatever you choose. I would probably develop a load that my firearm likes based on the use I plan rather than trying a load for a particular part. The process, however, is the same, start light but with enough powder to function the gun but I am not sure how to pick a boolit that works with the lighter spring. Wouldn't a heavier boolit need a heavier spring, ergo select the lightest boolit that you can to reduce the spring power needed? No real experience with this technique, so just sayin'.

Just working on recoil management for competion. I understand where you are coming from. It's just something to try.

[2shot]

It seems odd to develop a load for a spring...but you can do whatever you choose. I would probably develop a load that my firearm likes based on the use I plan rather than trying a load for a particular part. The process, however, is the same, start light but with enough powder to function the gun but I am not sure how to pick a boolit that works with the lighter spring. Wouldn't a heavier boolit need a heavier spring, ergo select the lightest boolit that you can to reduce the spring power needed? No real experience with this technique, so just sayin'.



That I have found is the lighter boolits needs a heavier spring because with lighter boolits will need to have a higher velosity to function the action. I shoot 3.5 of BE with a 12# spring w/ slide mounted Ultra Dot. If I limp wrist it I will get FTE. If I step up to 3.8 of BE then I can limp wrist and still have perfect function however I hold the 1911.

rodpete. I have found that for me the 200 grain load of 3.5 or 3.8 of BE is a much softer recoiling load than any of the 185 grain boolit loads I have tried. With my guns set up for competition w/12 springs I need at least 4.2 of BE under any 185 grain boolit to get proper function and that load feels sharper with the recoil than the 200 grain/ 3.5or 3.8 of BE. It does seem odd to develop a load for the spring but like DR says, you can do whatever you choose.

YMMV

2shot

[Outpost75]

14 pounds was the standard .45 Colt Gold Cup spring. A 10% reduction in charge from a full load should be fine, about 4.5 grains of Green Dot with the H&G68 approximates factory wadcutter ammo, or about 4.2 of Bullseye.

[scattershot]

Most accurate light load I have found in the 200 grain H&G SWC over 4.0 Red Dot. About 800 fps, and it functions well with the stock 16# spring in my .45s, and should work well with the 14#er.

[375RUGER]

Why not develop a light load first then change the spring? Why a 14# spring and not a 12#? Do you even know if light loads will work with the stock spring? Sometimes we don't need to develop solutions for problems that don't exist.
If you insist on doing it this way, work your way down from 4g GD until you stick one in the barrel or the action doesn't cycle.

[Lloyd Smale]

I run a 14 lbs spring and 3.2 grains of bullseye and a 200 swc in my comp gun. Ive had others run this load but some will take up to 3.7 to run reliably. Only way to find out is to try some.

[ole 5 hole group]

My comp 1911's with either 12# or 14# recoil springs liked 3.2 grains of BE with the HG 130 mold turning out plain base 185 grain bullets. Some shooters went up to 3.5 grains BE if they would occasionally experience a stove-pipe, as you couldn't afford to save a round if you wanted to be competitive.

[gatekeeper]

I run 4.2gr of WST behind a 230gr coated lead TC bullet at a col of 1.210 in my 1911's for Uspsa. Makes 170power factor and 100% reliable out of every 1911 I've tried it in, accurate, little smoke and clean burning.
After load development to make power factor, I experimented with springs. It worked with everything from 12-18 recoil and mainsprings from 17-23 using a small radius firing pin stop. Changing firing stop radius and mainspring weight can change the feel of the recoil from a quick flip to more of a straight back push, depending on your preferences.
I settled on a 20lb main because I liked more push with a little less flip and then fine tuned the recoil spring to bring sight immediately back to point of aim after recoil.
For me I settled with 14lbs because 15lb pushed the front sight down to far and 13lb left it a little high.
Every gun is different, so enjoy experimenting!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZLwkzj1mxc

[C.F.Plinker]

My suggestion is to find the most accurate load first then work with different springs until you find one that allows the pistol to function reliably but is not so light that the slide batters the frame when recoiling. The above suggestions to start with known accurate loads for bullseye shooting are right on.

[bhn22]

Outpost75 is right on the mark again. I actually found Green Dot data in one of my older Lyman manuals, and their listed starting load for a 200 gr SWC with Green Dot is indeed... 4.5 gr.

[Moonie]

I have an 11lb progressive that I shoot a very light load of clays behind a 200gr SWC