Which is Open end of a recoil spring?

[Michigunner]

Well, I just took my Kimber Custom II apart, and the recoil spring flew across the room!  Not too smart, was it?

Now, it says to insert the Open end of the recoil spring into the cap, for reassembly.

The spring is obviously finished on one end by the machine which made the spring, and the other end of the spring is just cut off, and not finished.

Could someone please tell me which is the Open end?

I only trust my good friends here on the Rohrbaugh forum for such an important question.

Bill

[Richard S]

Bill:

If I understand you correctly, the "open" end of the recoil spring is the one which you describe as "just cut off."  That end of the spring should be inserted into the recoil spring plug during reassembly.  Firing the pistol with the recoil spring installed backwards can result in damage to the guide rod.   

Congratulations on your choice of a 1911.  As you know, the LAPD SWAT Team has selected the Kimber Custom II pistol as standard equipment for their members.

[Michigunner]

Richard, Thanks to you and jaycee (who sent a PM) for your kind help.

People like me really suffer now that  owner manuals have been reduced to tiny booklets.  Gone are the days when large pictures showed the parts, and their relationship to each other.
 
I remember reading a large article in one of the gun magazines telling about LA SWAT selecting the Kimber.

I'm very pleased with the Kimber Custom Stainless Target II.  I tried it out while in northern Michigan.  100 rounds went through just fine.  Surprisingly, they have a break-in period of 400-500 rounds using FMJ 230 grain.  I thought Kahr was the only one with a break-in requirement.

Thanks again for explaining about the spring.

Bill

[FireBreather01]

Well, I just took my Kimber Custom II apart, and the recoil spring flew across the room!  Not too smart, was it?

I have learned that when taking guns apart, and I do a lot of tinkering so it's not unusual for me to completely disassemble a gun, I will at times take them down inside of a large, clear plastic bag. I've lost count of the number of times I've been on hands and knees searching my room in a grid pattern for a spring or pin that's smaller than the tip of a pen.

And it looks like you have your answer, the closed, flush end of a recoil spring will always butt up against flanged end of the guide rod.

[Richard S]

FB:

I'm going to use that clear plastic bag trick the next time I field strip my FN Browning M1922.  

When slide of the 1922 is removed, the firing pin spring (Part No. 10 in the diagram, above) sits exposed and ready to launch at the slightest disturbance.  It "launched" the last time I disassembled the weapon, and I had to mount one of those grid searches you describe using a high-powered flashlight and a magnifying glass.  My embarrassment was compounded when my little wife, having apparently heard an expletive of some kind, came into my gun room and found me on my hands and knees beneath the work bench.    

[Michigunner]

The plastic bag trick is a fine idea.

I was having springs and caps flying all over the place, when trying to put the barrel bushing over the spring cap.

It was pure torture.  I made an error and did not secure the barrel bushing first, so it could easily turn to cover the cap.  As usual, I am 180 degrees out of phase with assembly directions.

Thanks for the bag idea.

Bill

[sslater]

FB,
+1 on Richard's & Michigunner's comments re: the plastic bag.  I'm going to put a large one in my range bag as soon as I sign off.  That way, if my new R9s recoil spring gives me trouble tomorrow, I'll be able to change it at the range without the fear of losing the guide rod.

Steve

[R9SCarry]

I did find a plastic bag a bit restricting and so find - myself - a very thin white sheet draped over me and bench during critical ''spring-flying'' stages works well too - confines escape to local area.  Lets plenty enough light thru.

Eye protection is wise too of course.

[Michigunner]

The bag thing is one of the best ideas I've heard.

I almost broke a large mirror in our bathroom when the main spring came out.

[Richard S]

Chris's comment on the importance of eye protection when working on a firearm can't be emphasized too much.  I have a friend, a 6' 4" hard-core biker about as tough as they come, who came within a hair of losing all sight in his right eye to the recoil spring plug of a 1911. He has a tatoo on his arm reading, "NO FEAR," but he now has a healthy fear of  recoil spring plugs and wears safety glasses when working on his guns.

[Michigunner]

I was shocked when the spring and plug came out so fast.

I usually wear regular eye classes, but now it will always be safety glasses.

[harrydog]

I was shocked when the spring and plug came out so fast.

I usually wear regular eye classes, but now it will always be safety glasses.

I find that I can hold the bushing wrench so that the palm of my hand covers the entire muzzle of the gun. When the bushing is removed or replaced, my palm prevents the spring from going anywhere. I can't explain it very well, but if you experiment you will see what I mean. I haven't had a flying spring since doing it this way.
I still always wear my shooting glasses when field stripping my 1911's though.

[Michigunner]

harrydog,

I'll do it, too.  No more flying springs, which could almost be used as a backup "gun".  

Thank you.

Bill

[tracker]

As far as 1911 reassembly goes I was having fits trying to
put the spring in until I watched my gunsmith use a wooden
dowel about the same diameter or a little less to compress
the cap before locking down the bushing. That makes a big
difference on reassembly. I will also wear protective lenses
as a result of reading these threads and recalling numerous
flying caps that hit the wall, fortunately.

[Michigunner]

tracker,

I'll measure the cap and buy a dowel.  Sounds great.

I spent a whole hour trying to get it together, sweating, cursing, searching....

Then it came to me that you put the bushing on first, rotate it clockwise a little bit, put the spring/cap in, and then rotate it counter-clockwise until the cap is covered.

It's probably a good idea I left pilot training.  I would have tried to take off backwards.  The first attempt in history.  

Bill