The Unofficial P64 Resource Forum

A big Thank You! for everyone who responded to my traumatic problems with the hammer spring. All seems to be working fine now, though I won't know for certain until Friday when I can get to the range, weather permitting. I replaced the recoil spring with the wolff 20 pound one, and had to fight that puppy on, too. I did not have the nerve to try the firing pin spring; in fact, I have never replaced a firing pin spring, but will grit my teeth the next time I replace the recoil spring on my 1911 and try it.

People usually replace the fp spring along with the recoil spring because of timing issues. I think you should look at the primers real hard when you're at the range to make sure you don't have any drag.

I don't know if it really revolves around "timing". There are various theories... 2 actually that I've heard of. One theory is verifiable. I called Wolff myself and asked them the reason for the FP spring. They said it is simply to get the firing pin retracted into the bolt face much quicker, insuring you don't break the FP tip off after it drags on primers during ejection. So, I don't think that really involves timing, it was just a good idea for practicality. If it were really for timing, that wouldn't make sense. A heavier recoil spring would actually delay the ejection sequence and give the FP enough time to fully retract. A heaver spring may keep the FP from protruding from the bolt face while the slide is moving to the rear, but that wasn't their response.

The second theory is that with the increased spring tension of the heavier recoil spring that it would cause the slide to move forward into battery at an increased speed which could "theoretically" cause the firing pin to shoot out the bolt face and strike the primer and cause an accidental discharge (AD). Wolff did not say anything about that one, they stated it was for the first reason I mentioned. Makarov's don't even have a FP spring, they are free floating and do not have this problem. So, this theory is unlikely.

I don't know the actual strength of it, but I've heard it has 40% more tension. So, if the FP spring is normally a 3# spring (for example) then the Wolff spring would be 4.2#. That's just an example, I really don't know how many pounds the FP spring is. All I can say is, change it. It is so simple. It's on the forum elsewhere but basically do this.

1. Push the firing pin at the rear so that it protrudes through the bolt face and clamp it with a pair of hemostats (forceps). This will keep it out of the way.
2. Now, rotate the safety so it is between SAFE and FIRE.
3. Use a screwdriver/punch/or other prying device and move the safety out the side of the slide. (Be prepared to catch the safety detent and spring)
4. Block the rear of the slide and release the firing pin and remove it.
5. Swap out the springs and reinstall by reversing these steps.

When installing the safety back over the detent and spring, use a scribe or a thin slotted (common) screwdriver to compress the detent from the bottom side of the slide. Push the safety in against the screwdriver and slowly remove the screwdriver while pushing on the safety. It will work its way over the detent tip and snap into place.

It's so simple, not even close to being like the hammer spring... glad you got it working... for now. Hopefully the test will pass when you shoot it later in the week.

in my experience, I don't bother changing them , not unless there is a problem with the firing pin,or the spring, I have a box full of them

NORM

juniustaylor wrote:I don't know if it really revolves around "timing". There are various theories... 2 actually that I've heard of. One theory is verifiable. I called Wolff myself and asked them the reason for the FP spring. They said it is simply to get the firing pin retracted into the bolt face much quicker, insuring you don't break the FP tip off after it drags on primers during ejection.

In my book, that is a matter of the guns' timing.

If that's the case, then a very high percentage of guns on the market today are not timed properly. You can go to any shooting range and find several cases with drag marks. The 1911 is very common to drag on primers. You can't tell me the factory would send it out with a "timing issue". Sometimes it's just how the gun operates normally, could be a weak spring, or some other variable. However, to each their own opinion. I sort of see how you can think of it as timing. Maybe I live in the land of revolvers where timing is important for cylinder rotation, stopping, etc. When changing the FP spring due the changing the recoil spring, it is not for timing. It is just an improvement over the original spring.

Lynn, if you shoot the gun and notice no drag marks then you may not need to change it. However, changing it never hurts and can only help prevent failure of your FP. It's so easy to do, takes about 5 minutes.

JUN

for one thing the P-64 isn't a !911 they are completely different , I own a number of 1911 I have never experience a drag mark on any of my primers, even on my last new one,

these are a few that own


this was the last new one I bought



NORM

I know the P-64 isn't close to a 1911, and for drag marks I'm going by my own research of the matter. Search it, you'll find it. I'm glad you've got a million 1911's. All I'm saying is that the Wolff FP spring is not really for timing unless you really have drag marks. It's really just a precautionary improvement. It is common in locking block and less likely in straight blowback. Anyway, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.