Recoil springs in 1911

[buffalo chip jed]

What weight spring to you all use, example 9 pound 11 pound? Thank you

[Burt the Undertaker]

45acp, both 200/230gr bullets, 162 power factor: 14lb recoil spring, 18lb main spring.

 

[KingSnake]

15 recoil. 
17 main. 

[Garrison Joe]

Mine run 15 recoil, 19 main.   You can easily tell if you're sprung correctly.  Fire a couple mags of your match ammo from one spot.   Look for the center of the pattern of ejected cases.  Step that off from your shooting position.  If closer than 5 feet, you are sprung stronger than needed. (results in harder slide pull than needed, and can get to where you get a failure to eject) If pattern is more than 10 feet away, you are too lightly sprung (can batter the frame and slide).  And the recoil and main springs usually "balance with each other" best with the recoil being about 3-4 pounds lighter than the main.  The mainspring bore in the grip housing often needs honing to remove the roughness from factory machining. 

good luck, GJ

Edited March 24 by Garrison Joe

[Flying W Ramrod]

5 hours ago, KingSnake said:

15 recoil. 
17 main. 

Kingsnake has done both my 1911's with these. They're great

[El Chapo]

For 45 ACP, I use a 14 pound recoil and 19 pound main.  For 9mm and 40, I drop the main to 17 pounds and the recoil to 10 and 12.5, respectively.  I use ISMI springs.  Main spring should last a good long time.  Recoil change it out every few years or more if you shoot a lot.  I've heard people say 5,000 rounds and I'd say that sounds about right.  I shoot almost all CCI primers and so I want the extra power to pop the large pistol primer. 

Edited March 24 by El Chapo

[Artemus]

15lb variable power recoil, 19lb main