Advice please: Glock recoil spring life span?

spacepiggy · Feb 1, 2013

I have a Glock 21 Gen 3 with about 4K rounds fired over the past 15 months. No problems at this time, however I was wondering about the life expectancy of the recoil spring. A site I found recommend replacement after 2500 rounds.

http://theglockdoc.com/Glock_Maintenance.html

How often do you think should it be replaced?

indi · Feb 1, 2013

James Yeagar just made a video on this. He thinks after 5k rounds that it should be replaced. I have 3k in my g26 with no problems.

Z71 · Feb 1, 2013

They do need replaced on occasion!

I dredged up a beat-up first gen G17 that dates to approx. 1986....the thing worked great as I got it...but I thought the spring felt weak...barely enough 'poop' to get the slide closed..and if you let the slide home slowly..couldn't push the slide back into battery. Also had a broken guide-rod and the old original style two piece recoil system spring and guide-rod.

I put a new one piece spring/rod assembly in it and it felt about twice as springy as the worn-out original parts. Old Glock 17 still worked perfect..

I really wish I knew how many rounds had been through this old Glock with it's original spring...but I would say the original spring went well beyond it's intended life-cycle!

Drebin · Feb 1, 2013

indi said:
James Yeagar just made a video on this. He thinks after 5k rounds that it should be replaced. I have 3k in my g26 with no problems.

Buzzdraw · Feb 2, 2013

I've made a few 10,000's springs for handguns in the past. The answer to replacing any handgun spring is "it depends". It depends on the quality of the original spring, how it was used (il.e. ammo to which it was subjected), as well as if has been worked beyond its design limits (even once).

We are talking about recoil springs here only. Most other springs in a handgun will last the life of the gun in general service. In the case of a Glock, I'd add the trigger spring to the "needs replacement" list. The other springs, like the magazine catch spring, do fail, but usually only in heavily used pistols.

It is cheap insurance to replace one a little early. It is too late when, in the case of a Glock, you've battered the heck out of the frame, due to a worn out spring.

If you notice that the spring seems a tad weak, replace it. It's a good idea to keep a new spring around as a reference specimen to determine what "new" feels like.

Dr_Mitch · Feb 2, 2013

Replace it every 12,000 rounds. Should be about once every year to 18 months. James Yeager is a dipstick retard who can't even conceal carry any longer.

okla1911 · Feb 2, 2013

I'd say when it stops cycling properly, just seems the most logical.

Drebin · Feb 3, 2013

Dr_Mitch said:
James Yeager is a dipstick retard who can't even conceal carry any longer.

I can agree with dipstick but retard is bit harsh to retards. I bet he still carrys.

Advice please: Glock recoil spring life span?

spacepiggy

Marksman

indi

Sharpshooter

Z71

Marksman

Drebin

Sharpshooter

Buzzdraw

Sharpshooter

Dr_Mitch

Sharpshooter

okla1911

Sharpshooter

Drebin

Sharpshooter

Similar threads

Latest posts

Advice please: Glock recoil spring life span?

Marksman

Sharpshooter

Marksman

Sharpshooter

Sharpshooter

Sharpshooter

Sharpshooter

Sharpshooter

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!