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View Full Version : are you using the correct recoil spring?


olyeller
11-25-2006, 10:05 AM
a old copy and paste from be's board:


there is a simple method to tell if you're running the appropriate recoil spring in your gun.

Set up a target a coupla feet in front of you, then shoot 2 shots the fastest you can pull the trigger (and never mind the aiming of them).

Try and notice where the second hit goes compared to the first one: if the second hit is lower than the first one, you definitely have a too strong recoil spring, which is pushing so hard the slide in battery that the muzzle dips at the end of each cycle; if your second hit is still above the first one, then you have a too light recoil spring, thus the gun is already in battery but is still recoiling.

In the second case, rather than switching to a stronger recoil spring, you might want to experiment with different combinations of main and recoil springs, since part of the muzzle rise can be traced to a strong mainspring that is hard to overcome by the slide: the slide actually pushing back against the mainspring might be causing too much momentum on your wrists and too high muzzle rise.

FYI, in my .40 SVI 5" competition (where I shoot 185grs bullets @ 175 PF) I use a combination of 14# recoil spring and 17# main spring: with the above test both 1st and 2nd shots are at the same height level

thats all.:thumb:

Helmut
11-25-2006, 11:03 AM
my 40 sti edge combo is 11# recoil (2 coils clipped) and 17# main.....200gr bullet/N310

my 45acp sti edge....16# recoil (2 coils clipped) and 17# main....200gr bullet/N310

my G17......15# recoil (non captured), harts mercury rod, 124gr MG, N320.....

my G34......same as g17 but 17# recoil

both of these for me, lay flat and no vertical stringing of rounds....there are all kinds of combos.....depending on bullet, weight powder, slide weight (moving mass), etc, etc, etc.......just play with your pistol (no pun intented) and find the right combo....

the same principles can apply to semi-shotgun and AR base rifles, in the gas regulation, comps, and moving mass areas.....

good luck

J.P.
11-25-2006, 12:56 PM
My ESP G17 uses a 13lb ISMI spring (minus 3 coils) on a T.H.E. captive Stainless guiderod.
It runs well using a 147gr MasterBlaster TC bullet over 3.3gr of Titegroup.
You can take the charge down to 3.0gr but it appears a little sluggish for my taste.
From reading the competition reloading data,I'm pretty sure those will make power factor but I'm actually going to chrono them today.