SIG P220 Recoil Spring

[d sauce]

The factory recoil spring just seems like over kill. It is the most rigid and stiff spring I have ever used.

So I have been looking at Midway and found some Wolff recoil springs (which I have heard good things about) and was wondering if anyone has changed out their P220 recoil spring and what brand and what lb. they went to?

The factory recoil spring is 20 lb. so if I went with a Wolff 14 lb. reduced power spring for example, would I expect to be getting a lot of failures to feed or eject.

Thanks for the help.

[8200rpm]

In theory, an excessively light recoil spring may result in failures to feed and excessive battering against your locking insert and ultimately your frame.

Lighter recoil springs are typically used for low-powered, hand-loaded, target ammunition.

[GartenZwerge]

If it runs 100% with the "the most rigid and stiff spring" ever... Don't mess with it

[1nsanity]

Are you serious? What issues are you running into with the stock recoil spring? If you really need to, go with a 18lb for low powered target ammo if necessary, going lower, unless using powder puff reloads, can result in your slide battering into the frame causing excessive damage and wear. A recoil spring should be changed out every 5k rounds if not sooner. I rarely go over 3k without a change although I am a stickler when it comes to maintenance since my brother was a Sig/ Glock armoerer and drilled that into my head…

Btw stock Sig recoil springs may look overkill but I bet they would have a longer life span then other manufacturers' recoil springs...

[d sauce]

Since the feedback I am getting is pointing to not replacing the recoil spring, I guess I will just shoot my other guns more.

[jeffrice6]

If it runs 100% with the "the most rigid and stiff spring" ever... Don't mess with it

This!!!!!

[1nsanity]

What issues do you have with the oem recoil spring to begin with? Perhaps if you explained in detail, there may be another possible solution...

[8200rpm]

or

[Jonathan Doe]

I usually run my guns within the factory spec.

[9mmepiphany]

Even if you went with a lighter spring, I would highly recommend that you not go with a single strand spring like a Wolff. While I've had great luck with Wolff springs in other guns and also in various magazines, to not replace the factory 3 strand twisted spring with another twisted spring is a very bad idea...their compression characteristics are different

[Bullwinkle]

You're talking about the braided piano wire type of recoil spring, right? Don't mess with that. Sig pistols are designed to coil-bind on the recoil spring. That is, it's not the frame that stops the slide from moving rearward in a Sig, but the recoil spring, which is why they have that special heavy-duty braided style. I probably didn't explain it well, but trust me. Get the AGI Sig Auto Pistols Armorers Course DVD and watch the Design And Function segment to fully understand.

As for 20lb vs 14lb... why? Is it due to a physical limitation (e.g. arthritis)? Unless you have a specific reason, leave it stock. I'm sure the engineers who designed the pistol already took the guesswork out of it for the rest of us.

[Voo]

The factory recoil spring just seems like over kill. It is the most rigid and stiff spring I have ever used.

So I have been looking at Midway and found some Wolff recoil springs (which I have heard good things about) and was wondering if anyone has changed out their P220 recoil spring and what brand and what lb. they went to?

The factory recoil spring is 20 lb. so if I went with a Wolff 14 lb. reduced power spring for example, would I expect to be getting a lot of failures to feed or eject.

Thanks for the help.

That's probably the strangest reason I've ever heard for replacing a recoil spring. The gun was designed with that exact spring weight in mind. Seriously, I'm not sure I've met many individuals who would doubt the engineering collective of a German company such as Sig Sauer. You seem to know better than them based off what exactly..?

If, for some reason, you do change it for something that light, expect heavier wear on your gun as well as possible failure to feed. Also the single coils springs require a different recoil rod I believe.

The OEM works perfect for the widest range of applications. Changing it out because you "think" it's overkill is simply going to reduce the reliability of your gun as well as potentially damage it. It's simply lose/lose all around.

[1nsanity]

Hmmmm, I tend to generally use Sig oem recoil springs but have used wolf’s on occasion without incident of binding or malfunctions, primarily on my p228s/ p220 9mms (play around with weight) and couple occasions with p220 .45, all of which are German manufactured not US milled slide if that makes any difference. They work with my factory guide rods (metal not plastic) and no incidents with that as well. What types of incidents have you guys encountered concerning wolf recoil springs on your sigs?

[d sauce]

Racking the slide and stripping it down to clean it is my physical issues. I have broken my right wrist 2 times in two different places and had 1 surgery in the past year. After being in a soft cast, hard cast, and brace for roughly half the year needless to say simple tasks aren't that simple.

So yes, it is a physical thing. And no I am not saying the gun is not running good or questioning engineering. I don't even know where that came from.

For the most part I got some solid responses, and I will take those. For the few I got that were crappy and not helpful, well, you can keep those.

In conclusion, I will leave the gun as is and wait for my strength to come back to my right side.

[Fishslayer]

Since the feedback I am getting is pointing to not replacing the recoil spring, I guess I will just shoot my other guns more.

Is it brand new? Then you need to shoot your 220 MOAR! Springs soften up quite a bit in the initial stage of their service life.

I'd be happy to lend assistance breaking in your SIG. I will even volunteer to clean it till your wrist heals.

BTW... it's not really necessary to do the full strip these days. Hoppes, air and plastic safe Gun Scrubber will get things clean enough if you're running FMJ. CorrosionX sets up to almost a grease and will stick to the slide just fine.