Damage due to weak recoil spring?

[itguy]

Hate to ask a dumb question, but here goes... I bought a 5906 in very good to excellent condition, and can't wait to fire it. I am reasonably sure the recoil spring is weak, and have one on order. I know putting a lot of rounds through it could damage the frame, but would it be OK to put 25-50 rounds through it?

I have a chance to go to the range tomorrow, and if I wait for delivery of my new recoil spring, and then my next chance to go to the range, it could be weeks...

Pls. advise.

 

[itguy]

Hate to ask a dumb question, but here goes... I bought a 5906 in very good to excellent condition, and can't wait to fire it. I am reasonably sure the recoil spring is weak, and have one on order. I know putting a lot of rounds through it could damage the frame, but would it be OK to put 25-50 rounds through it?

I have a chance to go to the range tomorrow, and if I wait for delivery of my new recoil spring, and then my next chance to go to the range, it could be weeks...

Pls. advise.

 

[john traveler]

Firing a few rounds or a box won't hurt anything.

If you know the recoil spring is weak or cut down, you can stretch it to temporarily give it more tension for the firing session. It won't be a permanent fix, but will help to prevent frame battering.

 

[sasu]

Patrick Sweeney says in one of his 1911 books that pistols would not be damaged even if you shot them with no recoil spring at all. He mentions some gunsmith who has tested the concept with a 1911. I also know that many IPSC shooters use ridiculously weak recoil springs to modify the recoil experience.

 

[OKFC05]

Well, yes and no.
Odds of breaking on the first shot are small, BUT I saw an IPSC open gun with a ridiculously weak recoil spring spit the back half of the slide into the shooters face. Cracked frames are also possible.

By the way, get two recoil springs and compare the new one to the one in the gun each time you clean it.