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So many spring choices, please give your thoughts. A lot of questions…

3K views 30 replies 18 participants last post by  taurn7 
#1 ·
As you may well know, I’m learning the hard way:


Since I have to replace the sear spring I broke, I figured now is as good of time as any to get whatever other springs I need. @Steve in Allentown provided a helpful link to Wolf’s website, which raised more questions. Thanks, Steve, that’s a good resource to have bookmarked.

I have two 1911’s I am trying to have things on hand for.

The first is the SACS Professional I’ve managed to break the sear spring on. From my research, I believe it came with an 18.5 pounds recoil spring. I have no idea about any others.

The second is a twenty year old Ed Brown commander with a two-piece full length guide rod. From my research, it appears the recoil spring is a 20 pounds one. If the place I order from has the necessary parts, I would like to replace the FLGR with a traditional setup.
Let’s start with that. All I need is a new plug and a standard guide rod, correct? Then, I can use the same recoil spring and have it set up either way, by changing a couple of parts. If this is wrong, please fI’ll me in. How important is it to use Ed Brown parts? I will still have the parts that came with it, if I want to go back to all EB and can’t find an EB stainless guide rod. It’s a stainless frame and steel slide, I’m assuming I need a stainless guide rod. Does it matter?

Now, to springs. I see conventional and variable. The Pro came with a conventional. I don’t know about the EB, I’m not taking it apart until I get the Pro back together. Does it matter?

As far as recoil springs, I also see there is regular and chrome silicone. The chrome silicone is less expensive, barely. What is the difference and does it matter?

If your choices were Wolff, Wilson Combat, or Ed Brown, all the “same”, which would you choose?

In regard to sear springs, several people have recommended Colt brand. The places that have Colt brand, in stock, don’t have much else I was planning to get. Finding it all at one store is looking a bit sketchy, but I think I can do it, if some of my questions get the stars to align with the answers given.

I see Wilson Combat has a regular one and a Bulletproof one. The Bulletproof is $0.50 more. Around the same price point, I can get Wolff or Ed Brown. The EB looks silver, instead of black. Could just be the picture. Any thoughts on best one?

What other springs or wear parts are good to have on hand?
 
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#2 ·
Personally, guide rods or any other parts - EGW guns

Springs - conventional & Wolff

Worked for over 20 years for me.

End of story.


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#15 ·
Wolff springs. Plastic garbage like shock buffs are just that. Throw em away.


Interesting! How so? I run one on all my government 5” 1911s. I lost one once when a spring went flying across the room. Put it all back together again without it and shot the gun for the first time without one. Huge difference. Tore the room apart when I got back home until I found it and had it back on the gun again. Cycles so much smoother with it on there?
 
#20 ·
Interesting! How so? I run one on all my government 5” 1911s. I lost one once when a spring went flying across the room. Put it all back together again without it and shot the gun for the first time without one. Huge difference. Tore the room apart when I got back home until I found it and had it back on the gun again. Cycles so much smoother with it on there?
I’ve used shock buffs on all my Wilson’s for years. Both conventional and flat wire springs. Never an issue in thousands of rounds across many different guns.

But some people just don’t trust them. I say if a gun was built with one incorporated, continue to use it.
Im with @FWoo45 never, ever use shock buffs. If you have the proper spring in your gun they are unnecessary and that is the best one can say about them. They have been known to get chewed up, entangled with the springs, jam up guns. They were created way back when by Armand Swenson when so many other refinements and offerings, like different strength springs weren't readily available like they are today. Back then, people would put them in their gun for range use and take them out afterwards when they carried their gun - Ive heard these stories from John Jardine, who helped his uncle make and distribute them. First time I showed him a wilson I had picked up with a shock buff installed by the prior owner he had some choice words and sent that thing flying through the air (shock buff that is).
 
#10 ·
Wolf springs are good to go.
16.5 lbs in govt
18 in commander
Unless you're shooting plus p stuff
Then maybe 18 and 20
One man's opinion
Variable cause they close softer and have less frt. Sight bounce for next shot.
FWIW
 
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#12 ·
Wolff springs are ok. My gunsmith uses Colt sear springs, though.
NOTE: True Commander recoil springs are different, recoil spring guides and plugs are different, shorter to fit the reduced space.

Wolff listings are 16 lbs GM,18 lbs Commander, but real Colts are somewhat less.
I figure the heavier springs in Pro, Brown, Baer, etc, are meant to drive tight slides closed and cram rounds into undersize chambers.

Flat wire springs are a great advantage in the 4" "compact" guns but I have seen accounts of funny behavior in GMs.
 
#14 ·
begin with stock spec springs. 16 maybe 17 recoil, 23 main in govt 45
20 maybe 22 recoil and 23 main in commander 45
colt or C&S sear springs
always works for me. once you become familiar you can "tune" pistol with varying # recoil springs. Once read that the lightest recoil spring that will function the 1911 while shooting weak hand with a light grip is advised. could be, I just stick with Brownings specs , at least in a gov't 45
 
#17 ·
Depending on spring rate, shockbuffs limit travel. Case in point, friends 10mm govt. He swapped in a wilson flat spring and guide rod, comes with a shock buffer. After that swap there wasn't enough slide travel to slingshot. Slide wouldn't move far enough back to push slide stop down, no mag in pistol. If it's sprung proper, you won't be battering anything. I prefer 18.5lb in govt with 45acp hardball/ defense ammo, 20-22lb in a commander with same ammo. Obviously 38 and 9 will be different. I prefer full power main springs, colt or wc for sear springs. Honestly, how a pistol is fit will determine as much what recoil spring you need. With a flat bottom fp plate and full power mainspring, I like my chosen ammo brass to land 4-6' away. Too stiff a spring and ejection pattern seems erratic, too soft and gun gets battered.

I'd stick to ed brown parts in your ed brown, for no other reason than it remains all ed brown.
 
#24 ·
If Wilson or Springco recoil springs measured consistently or true to their rating, I'd run them. Why would I want a 8 pound spring that says 11 on the package?

Instead, I buy Wolff, becuase they do. Keep them on hand in weights you use. Cheap convenience.

I keep mag catch springs and mainsprings on hand too. Mostly since I often have new guns in my inventory so it helps set them up with known springs rather than what randomness they come in with.
 
#26 ·
If Wilson or Springco recoil springs measured consistently or true to their rating, I'd run them. Why would I want a 8 pound spring that says 11 on the package?

Instead, I buy Wolff, becuase they do. Keep them on hand in weights you use. Cheap convenience.

I keep mag catch springs and mainsprings on hand too. Mostly since I often have new guns in my inventory so it helps set them up with known springs rather than what randomness they come in with.
Strange, my experience with Sprinco has been quite the opposite.
Granted I have used only .45 Auto springs but when I started with them about five years ago I did compression and weight measurements on all the springs from 14 to 22 pounds both in Government and Commander length and they always were within + or - 5%.
At the 10,000 round mark a retest was done and no spring had dropped below 8%. My results with Wolf had not been nearly so good when new and at the 3000 round mark.
Just one persons experience but I do shoot nearly daily and they have worked well for me.
 
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