1911 recoil spring

[magnum8898]

Looking to upgrade the spring and slide stop in my Kimber 1911. Seems like the Ed Brown and EGW have good products. Next question, there are several different "weights" of recoil spring. Is there a method to determine what weight of spring to use? I shoot a mix of rounds, 230 grain hardball, hollow point self defense rounds. Most of which are above 200grains and full weight.

'Soap Box' coming up. That is one thing that I love about the 1911, there sure is a large aftermarket of stuff you can upgrade, customize,fix or modify your pistol with. Plus the 45acp is available at any Wal-Mart, Kmart, sporting good store here in the good ol' US of A.

Thanks

[redcliff]

If by upgrade your slide stop you mean an extended slide stop, it's not an upgrade. If you want a better forged one thats fine, but they sometimes require fitting.

Stock recoil spring on a 5" 1911 in .45acp is 16lbs. Bill Wilson does not recommend going over 19lbs on a replacement spring. I personally try not to go over 18lbs.

[guns_and_labs]

I usually try the different spring weights out (Wolff sample pack) and decide which "feels" right.

[spammusubiboy]

I use 16 or 17lb springs. Never had a problem. Used 16lb exclusively until I got a bulk pack of Wolff 17lb springs for $1.50 a spring what I'm using now.

[PRCABR4Christ]

If by upgrade your slide stop you mean an extended slide stop, it's not an upgrade. If you want a better forged one thats fine, but they sometimes require fitting.

Stock recoil spring on a 5" 1911 in .45acp is 16lbs. Bill Wilson does not recommend going over 19lbs on a replacement spring. I personally try not to go over 18lbs.

anything above 18# may damage your barrel lugs, I would only use heavier than 16# if I was consistently shooting +P/+P+

the spring weight on your Kimber depends on what size it is (5", 4.25", 4", 3.5", 3")

what kind of "upgrades" are you looking to do? I use Wilson slide stops almost exclusively, they're fantastic, and already have the "Log Man" relief to prevent "re-assembly scratches"

[brassburnz]

You're Kimber is probably set up from the factory to 230 grain hardball. You should be able to shoot 200 grain defense rounds with the same springs as long as they feed reliably.

Your recoil spring and you mainspring work together to keep your pistol running correctly. Some people change to a lighter mainspring to get a better trigger pull, but you need to change your mainspring as well.

I have about a dozen or so Wolfe recoil springs in various weights and a few mainsprings in various weights. Once I get a gun running correctly, I don't mess with them.

If you replace the slide stop, just make sure you get the right one for the caliber of your weapon. There is a difference between a .45 acp and a 9mm/38 super slide stop.

Looking to upgrade the spring and slide stop in my Kimber 1911. Seems like the Ed Brown and EGW have good products. Next question, there are several different "weights" of recoil spring. Is there a method to determine what weight of spring to use? I shoot a mix of rounds, 230 grain hardball, hollow point self defense rounds. Most of which are above 200grains and full weight.

'Soap Box' coming up. That is one thing that I love about the 1911, there sure is a large aftermarket of stuff you can upgrade, customize,fix or modify your pistol with. Plus the 45acp is available at any Wal-Mart, Kmart, sporting good store here in the good ol' US of A.

Thanks

[mtenenhaus]

[kazman]

Seems like 16-18 will be fine. Most of the forums I've read recommend 16. I use 18 wolf/wilson combat in mine and it's been fine. All of my local gun shop/range guys recommend 18.

[steve92407]

all five of my 1911s have wolf 18 except my commander has a 22# with no issues.

[magnum8898]

Going to go for the EGW Spring and slide stop. The Ed Brown slide stop gets a lot of good reviews though. Then re-pin the gun using the Ed Brown rebuild kit and an arched main spring housing with laynard loop also from Ed Brown. Going for the arched with laynard loop for the retro/G.I. look. Besides having the gun attached to you might not be a bad idea. Probably saved a friends dad in Korea, not a fun story.

I will stick to the 16lb factory since I have yet to have any failures with that weight with the various ammo that I have shot. Maybe r&r the mainspring during re-pining.

Log man relief, is that were you kind of notch the slide stop so it goes over the pin easier? I have seen that on the 1911 forum, I have just been real careful on re-asemble to prevent the 'idiot' mark.

[JTROKS]

I agree with the extended slide stop as not being an upgrade on a defensive gun. For recoil springs I like a variable weight Wolff in 17lb.

[magnum8898]

On the slide stop, I was looking hard at both the Ed Brown and EGW since they are forged piece versus an MIM piece. Yeah, I know that probably most of the gun is MIM, but I figure I will slowly chip at easy to replace MIM parts with forged. What the heck, that is one reason why I bought a 1911, the huge aftermarket of parts. It is fun to tinker with both the gun and operator.

Based on the input above and since the Kimber groups the brass in a nice neat pile about 4ft way, I think I will stick with 16lb conventional spring.

[MongooseV8]

I shoot with a 20LB spring in my Kimber, but I have a manly 10mm

I would stick with a 16-18LB spring like others advised.

[tacticalcity]

I upgraded my Kimber Custom II to a Wilson Combat 17lb recoil spring. I got mine used and replaced the spring like I do on all the used handguns I buy just in case it was worn out. I'm not an expert, but it the little bit of research I did recommended 17lbs.

[DaveFJ80]

My Kimber TLE runs a Wolff 18 lb recoil spring. Cycles through 230 grain FMJ and JHP ammo much better than with the stock 16 lb spring.