If you buy an antique pistol...

[rintinglen]

you should seriously consider replacing the springs. Take a look at these springs from my elderly H&R 32 ACP. Notice how much shorter the 105 year old OEM springs are compared to the new ones from Wolff. I have just finished installing the new springs and I can really feel the difference. Oh, and I want to point out that I had already stretched the larger, recoil spring a 1/2" previously to make things work better. On a gun this old, a 9 dollar set of springs is cheap to assure better operation.

318030

[Outpost75]

Replace magazine springs also!

[HWooldridge]

They do take a set over time.

[rintinglen]

Replace magazine springs also!
+1, If available, I strongly recommend this. My Mauser HSc was a jammatic until I bought and replaced the magazine spring.

[shooting on a shoestring]

Aww c’mon.
The springs are cute.
How about pics of the rest of the pistol!

[Mk42gunner]

Especially on anything that is blowback operated, .22's included. In a locked breech pistol it may not be as important.

I replaced the recoil spring in a High Standard Model B and it was noticeably stiffer than the ancient stock one.

Stretching a coil spring doesn't really improve it from what I have read over the years. It also never lasted when we tried it on 1911A1's in the Navy. IIRC the PMS card stated the recoil spring had to be 6 5/16" long when out of the pistol.

After checking the supply system recoil springs only cost four cents apiece, so I ordered enough to do all the ships .45's at once.

Robert

I meant blowback last evening when my fingers typed recoil. I realized what they did when I went to bed, had to sit and stew over making a rookie mistake all day...

R

[missionary5155]

Title might be better to read..."Older pistols".....
We bought several Walther P1 pistols years back that were made with new frames (about 1950) and old WW2 parts for the West German Polizie then turned in in 1980. So roughly only 30 years old. One cracked the slide as the NOS WW2 recoil springs were not up to the job.
Navy Arms replaced the slide and we replaced the recoil springs on all of them.

[rintinglen]

Just to affirm what Robert said, stretching the spring is only a short term, temporary fix that may allow you to test the function of a pistol, but will quickly wear out. I only do it when I can't find a new replacement. I was surprised to find these at Wolff--It's not like the H&R pistol was made in huge numbers or is in wide use today.
For Shoestring
318053

[shooting on a shoestring]

Well thank you Sir!
That is one I haven’t seen before.
Hmmm…grip safety.
Seems to me that’s a good thing for a pocket pistol.

[Gobeyond]

I don’t think I ever would buy a antique revolver, pre 1898. Some look strong some don’t. Like a s&W no. 1 1/2 look like the have life left. Many are no longer for shooting. The price for a pistol has always been too high. Then you find the few like you picture that is strong and able.

[Battis]

I usually replace the recoil springs in my vintage (not antique) handguns. But, sometimes that causes problems. I replaced the springs in a 1907 Dreyse .32, but put the original recoil spring back in when the cases wouldn't eject. Same thing with an Ortgies .25 - cases wouldn't eject with the new springs.
As far as pre-1898 antiques - I have many, and I shoot them all with black powder, usually FFG.

[Hick]

All good points above, but I would not automatically replace the springs on an old pistol-- See how it performs first. I have a WWII Walther P38 and a post WWII Walther P1 (which is the post-war version of the P38). The WWII pistol was designed for 9mm ammo with a 124 grain bullet at about 1050 fps, while the Post WWII pistol was upgraded for much hotter 9mm ammo. Modern ammo with modern springs tends to crack the slides on P38's. I kept the old springs and load the ammo to what the P38 was designed for and it functions just like it should.