Replacing springs

John Sabato · 04-30-2018, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sheepherder

This very thought occurred to me the other day, whilst I was re-assembling a 1911 recoil spring plug...The barrel bushing was tight, and the Colt bushing tool slipped off. The plug caromed off the side of my head and has not yet been found.

I was able to get a new plug from Numrich [$26]. But it was a close call.

That 1911 recoil spring plug is about .45 caliber if I remember correctly... so you can now say you have shot yourself in the temple with a .45 and survived...

Rick W. · 04-30-2018, 11:50 AM

Bob,

When I re-spring a Luger, I will reach for the bag of 38 lb Wolff springs; I pay no attention as to 30 or 9mm chambering. Just one opinion. I have never clipped a coil off a Luger replacement spring fwiw. I have 36 lb and 40 lb springs, but all they do is gather dust so far. As you, I try to cater the load of the day to the desires of the firearm itself, and try not to beat the pistol apart during shooting(enjoying it). Hot loads will run a Luger at times, but the contact surfaces pay for it.........sooner or later. Super hot loads in a Luger always bothered me because of the cuts int he chamber entry, ie a form of gapspace....just a remembrance, nothing else there.

Due to old habits with Lugers, I never load more than 5 in the magazine, old magazines/cracked wood made me a believer fwiw.

My Luger loads are probably in the middle range of published reference reloading data. I use 80 to 100 gr bullets(30 cal) and Unique powder. Unique has gotten a bit cleaner but still not as good in clean as newer powders, but I still have cannisters of it to use up. I have started to venture into resizing 312 bullets down to 309 for flexibility, jury is still out, but at least trying to be open minded.

It takes a bit of hand strength to change the recoil spring in a Luger, the tool like you see here on the forum made similar to an bent awl will give you leverage. The note above on safety glasses I am sure you will heed for all of us, being a shooter type; sight is precious even if one does not have a lot of time.

I have not used factory ammo for years other than carry qualifications, and that was for a cocked/locked 1911 45acp.

One might query and look at the ejector nose/fitment, used guns sometimes surprise the buyers......like me. Things I would have never thought of, I saw in some preowned guns............after I bought of course.

I use the tape test mentioned here on the forum to check for excessive movement rearward of the toggle mechanism. Not all inclusive, but better than just using the feel in the hand(sting). I have the old notion that heavy toggle slap to the frame surfaces will eventually cause issues to said frame and user.

rhuff · 04-30-2018, 03:26 PM

I agree with Rick W. I have been handloading for my Lugers, especially the 7.65P ones, for many years. I try to keep my loads as close to the original factory loads as possible using 92gr. lead and FMJ bullets and Unique powder. My Lugers seem to agree with the recoil impulse produced with Unique powder, so I stick with it. I have used other faster powders, but was not overly pleased with the results.

As to springs, I have the "calibration packs" from Wolff Springs and just do a trial and error approach to what each Luger is happy with when using my handloads. When I do shoot factory ammo in these Lugers, they seem to be o.k. with that ammo as well.

kurusu · 04-30-2018, 04:11 PM

If you really want to know about Luger springs. Consider this. The ejector, in a Luger, is basically a spring. The only ones I saw break, including in one of mine, were modern reproductions.

CRob · 05-02-2018, 06:06 AM

[QUOTE=Rick W.;315830]Bob,

"My Luger loads are probably in the middle range of published reference reloading data. I use 80 to 100 gr bullets(30 cal) and Unique powder. Unique has gotten a bit cleaner but still not as good in clean as newer powders, but I still have cannisters of it to use up. I have started to venture into resizing 312 bullets down to 309 for flexibility, jury is still out, but at least trying to be open minded."

I've come up with a number of boxes of 100gr Speer Plinkers that I'd like to use in my 30. I'm concerned about the depth the bullet seats in the shell. I've got four rounds loaded with 4 gr of Bullseye that i'm taking to the range tonight. I also reload with Unique but had a tin of Bullseye I wanted to use up.
I'm sorry if it looks like I'm hijacking this post but this is the first solid info I've seen on 100gr in a 30.

04-30-2018, 03:26 PM	#3
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,315 Thanks: 2,757 Thanked 999 Times in 734 Posts	I agree with Rick W. I have been handloading for my Lugers, especially the 7.65P ones, for many years. I try to keep my loads as close to the original factory loads as possible using 92gr. lead and FMJ bullets and Unique powder. My Lugers seem to agree with the recoil impulse produced with Unique powder, so I stick with it. I have used other faster powders, but was not overly pleased with the results. As to springs, I have the "calibration packs" from Wolff Springs and just do a trial and error approach to what each Luger is happy with when using my handloads. When I do shoot factory ammo in these Lugers, they seem to be o.k. with that ammo as well. __________________ Need DWM breechblock #21

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04-30-2018, 11:50 AM	#2
Rick W. User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 339 Thanks: 81 Thanked 359 Times in 198 Posts	Bob, When I re-spring a Luger, I will reach for the bag of 38 lb Wolff springs; I pay no attention as to 30 or 9mm chambering. Just one opinion. I have never clipped a coil off a Luger replacement spring fwiw. I have 36 lb and 40 lb springs, but all they do is gather dust so far. As you, I try to cater the load of the day to the desires of the firearm itself, and try not to beat the pistol apart during shooting(enjoying it). Hot loads will run a Luger at times, but the contact surfaces pay for it.........sooner or later. Super hot loads in a Luger always bothered me because of the cuts int he chamber entry, ie a form of gapspace....just a remembrance, nothing else there. Due to old habits with Lugers, I never load more than 5 in the magazine, old magazines/cracked wood made me a believer fwiw. My Luger loads are probably in the middle range of published reference reloading data. I use 80 to 100 gr bullets(30 cal) and Unique powder. Unique has gotten a bit cleaner but still not as good in clean as newer powders, but I still have cannisters of it to use up. I have started to venture into resizing 312 bullets down to 309 for flexibility, jury is still out, but at least trying to be open minded. It takes a bit of hand strength to change the recoil spring in a Luger, the tool like you see here on the forum made similar to an bent awl will give you leverage. The note above on safety glasses I am sure you will heed for all of us, being a shooter type; sight is precious even if one does not have a lot of time. I have not used factory ammo for years other than carry qualifications, and that was for a cocked/locked 1911 45acp. One might query and look at the ejector nose/fitment, used guns sometimes surprise the buyers......like me. Things I would have never thought of, I saw in some preowned guns............after I bought of course. I use the tape test mentioned here on the forum to check for excessive movement rearward of the toggle mechanism. Not all inclusive, but better than just using the feel in the hand(sting). I have the old notion that heavy toggle slap to the frame surfaces will eventually cause issues to said frame and user.

04-30-2018, 04:11 PM	#4
kurusu User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 1,225 Thanks: 2,679 Thanked 930 Times in 509 Posts	If you really want to know about Luger springs. Consider this. The ejector, in a Luger, is basically a spring. The only ones I saw break, including in one of mine, were modern reproductions.