Spring replacement questions

rollin59 · 05-12-2013, 03:46 PM

I had noticed my reblued 9mm 1917 DWM shooter seemed to be battering the toggle excessively, so bought a spring service kit (standard and 40 lb recoil) from Wolff. Upon removing the old recoil spring, I noticed it appears a previous owner might have cut some coils out of it...one end is open, and sharp, and is noticeably shorter than the new Wolf spring, even considering compression and spring "set". The new spring has both ends wound shut.

Man this new spring is hard to install, and I have strong fingers...going to the store to buy something to make the tool shown in this video for more leverage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjIXIielj8Q

Question, not shown in the video, is the spring and/or spring guide bar supposed to hook into the frame somewhere, or what keeps it in place after reassembly? Or does the bottom end of the guide bar just sit in the bottom of the frame (held in place by the spring tension)?

My new Wolff spring looks about like the one in the video.

Thanks

rhuff · 05-12-2013, 05:03 PM

The mainspring replacement is a bit difficult the first time that you do it, but as you do it more and more, it gets simpler. A tool is need to accomplish this, but does not have to be exactly like the one in the video.

It is fairly common to find a mainspring that has been shortened a coil or two in an attempt to make the luger function correctly. A Luger is a balancing act of springs and ammo to function correctly. Add in the mag also.

Your new Wolff spring looks to you that it is too long.....it is not. It will go in there, trust me.

Good luck!

rollin59 · 05-12-2013, 05:19 PM

Got it...After a trip to Harbor Freight Tools to get an official Luger Recoil Spring Installation Tool...

Take a $2.99 scratch awl, file the tip off square & bevel the edges a bit. Then stick it in a vise and bend the end to 90 degrees, about 2 inches up...ja, und dann haben wir ein Lugerspringeinsetzenwerkzeug!

I started with the standard weight Wolf spring. Will see what happens. This pistol is a mismatch reblue, looks pretty good from a distance tho.

The mag it came with was a real piece of junk reproduction wood-bottom (original is long gone)...I got a couple of MecGar magazines, they seem to work better.

The recoil spring that came with it was definitely nowhere near strong enough. I'm glad I checked it. It's going in the can! Also changed firing pin spring and trigger spring while it was apart.
Off to the range to check out my handiwork.

rollin59 · 05-12-2013, 08:16 PM

The new recoil etc springs worked flawlessly. Zero failures to feed / eject etc. The standard factory-strength spring worked, so, that one stays in.

joej1947 · 05-13-2013, 12:16 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjIXIielj8Q

rhuff · 05-13-2013, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rollin59

The new recoil etc springs worked flawlessly. Zero failures to feed / eject etc. The standard factory-strength spring worked, so, that one stays in.

I love it when a plan comes together!!! Congrats. I might add in case you don't know, please stay away from +P, +P+, and NATO ammo for you Luger. It is too powerful and can damage it. The Luger was not designed for those loads. Some will disagree with that statement, but I like to shoot the "softest" loads that will cycle the toggle 100%. I have had good luck with WWB 115gr FMJ, and PMC 115gr FMJ.

05-12-2013, 03:46 PM	#1
rollin59 User Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 11 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Spring replacement questions I had noticed my reblued 9mm 1917 DWM shooter seemed to be battering the toggle excessively, so bought a spring service kit (standard and 40 lb recoil) from Wolff. Upon removing the old recoil spring, I noticed it appears a previous owner might have cut some coils out of it...one end is open, and sharp, and is noticeably shorter than the new Wolf spring, even considering compression and spring "set". The new spring has both ends wound shut. Man this new spring is hard to install, and I have strong fingers...going to the store to buy something to make the tool shown in this video for more leverage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjIXIielj8Q Question, not shown in the video, is the spring and/or spring guide bar supposed to hook into the frame somewhere, or what keeps it in place after reassembly? Or does the bottom end of the guide bar just sit in the bottom of the frame (held in place by the spring tension)? My new Wolff spring looks about like the one in the video. Thanks __________________ 1917 DWM Luger

05-12-2013, 05:19 PM	#3
rollin59 User Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 11 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Got it...After a trip to Harbor Freight Tools to get an official Luger Recoil Spring Installation Tool... Take a $2.99 scratch awl, file the tip off square & bevel the edges a bit. Then stick it in a vise and bend the end to 90 degrees, about 2 inches up...ja, und dann haben wir ein Lugerspringeinsetzenwerkzeug! I started with the standard weight Wolf spring. Will see what happens. This pistol is a mismatch reblue, looks pretty good from a distance tho. The mag it came with was a real piece of junk reproduction wood-bottom (original is long gone)...I got a couple of MecGar magazines, they seem to work better. The recoil spring that came with it was definitely nowhere near strong enough. I'm glad I checked it. It's going in the can! Also changed firing pin spring and trigger spring while it was apart. Off to the range to check out my handiwork. __________________ 1917 DWM Luger Last edited by rollin59; 05-12-2013 at 06:06 PM.

05-12-2013, 08:16 PM	#4
rollin59 User Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 11 Thanks: 1 Thanked 2 Times in 1 Post	Successfuly springectomy The new recoil etc springs worked flawlessly. Zero failures to feed / eject etc. The standard factory-strength spring worked, so, that one stays in. __________________ 1917 DWM Luger

05-13-2013, 12:16 PM	#5
joej1947 User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 6 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	spring install http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjIXIielj8Q

05-12-2013, 05:03 PM	#2
rhuff Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Az. Posts: 2,288 Thanks: 2,704 Thanked 971 Times in 716 Posts	The mainspring replacement is a bit difficult the first time that you do it, but as you do it more and more, it gets simpler. A tool is need to accomplish this, but does not have to be exactly like the one in the video. It is fairly common to find a mainspring that has been shortened a coil or two in an attempt to make the luger function correctly. A Luger is a balancing act of springs and ammo to function correctly. Add in the mag also. Your new Wolff spring looks to you that it is too long.....it is not. It will go in there, trust me. Good luck!