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recoil spring is toast?

2K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  Juker 
#1 ·
So I was cleaning .45's tonight and got to my colt, it's a little shy of 20 years old, give or take, and had maybe... 3500-4k rounds through it...

so tonight when disassembling this one, the spring got all bent and tried to jump out when I took the slide assembly off the frame, and every time I try to reseat the spring to the barrel assembly the spring bends and pops out...

the "gotcha" question is, on the lug that is near the breach end of the barrel, where the spring is riding for about an inch on that lug... there's a slight wear groove, like maybe, 1mm perhaps 2mm deep, and round, about 3/4 the size of a pencil eraser.

Do I have a worn spring, a fubar lug (or whatever that part is called) or both?

Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
#4 ·
Your referring to the guide rod? How abouts are you trying to reassemble the gun. Spring does not go in until the slide barrel and guide rod are on the frame. doing it any other way makes the spring get all stupid
 
#5 ·
Are you referring to the recoil spring guide, the cylindrical part that rides inside the recoil spring? If so, there are no grooves on my Colt.
yep, it's got to be wear, and it's clearly uneven wear as well, I can see it as well as brush my fingernail against it and feel the difference.

being visible seems the biggest cue that its a problem as well
 
#6 ·
Your referring to the guide rod? How abouts are you trying to reassemble the gun. Spring does not go in until the slide barrel and guide rod are on the frame. doing it any other way makes the spring get all stupid
correct, but as soon as I try to put the pressure on the spring when it's time to swivel the lug that holds the bore and the spring cap in place, the spring starts misbehaving... bending out at the bottom just above the guide rod, which in this case is very short, compared to most other semi-auto models.

I'm starting to think both parts are junk
 
#7 · (Edited)
Sounds like you are doing all this before installing slide on frame?? I install barrel, the spring and guide rod and barrel bushing. The end of the spring will just stick out the barrel front. Then I install slide stop. Then lock it back and hold it barrel up. Now it is very easy to install the spring plug and turn the bushing to lock it in. Doin it that way the spring cant go anywhere but where it belongs unless you let the cap slip and then you might have a rocket.:eek:
 
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