Light primer strikes?

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  • woodline

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 8, 2017
    1,947
    A lot of conflicting information, online, about light primer strikes.

    In the event I think I may have had a light primer strike what can possibly happen and what is the proper safe course of action on the range.? .
    In the military I was taught to eject the round and immediately go back to firing, so that is what I do. I can't say I've ever met anyone who did that and then had the round go off on the ground. Typically after I am done with my course of fire I will even collect any light primer strike rounds I can find and give 'em a second chance to go bang. I cannot say this happens much with my personal firearms, but it still does occasionally happen if I'm using junk ammo.
     

    pilot25

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 13, 2016
    1,822
    Pay attention to two things when you're changing recoil springs. One, how far is your brass flying. You don't want it dribbling out, and you don't want it flung two counties over.

    More important, imo, is how the sights get back on target. It'll be tough to judge this without timing yourself many times on the same drill. On average, how fast you are with each recoil spring, pick the best.

    Hammer/mainsprings are much easier to choose. Go the lightest that works with your setup.

    That is one thing I did notice is the brass wasn't ejecting with the 10lb like the 19lb. I kept seeing it clearly as I fired. I stepped it back up to the 11lb, 12lb, etc until I got to 14lb and the brass appeared to land pretty close to the OEM 19lb spring. I'm using Wolf springs, if that matters. They seem cheap. Stock springs are 3 strand and the Wolf springs are single strand. I would fire 5 rounds with the 14lb then 5 with the OEM 19lb. I was trying to see if the sights would come back on target quicker but it was so imperceptible I gave up and put the 19lb OEM spring back in because I know it is, at least, the safest choice.

    I notice a significance difference between the OEM 20lb mainspring vs. the GrayGuns 17lb mainspring in both the DA and SA. SA is almost too light.

    So I guess I'm trying to make a P226 a competition pistol when it was never designed to be as such.
     

    pilot25

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 13, 2016
    1,822
    So everything I have gleaned from trying to reduce recoil is less is more. I have the lightest mainspring I'm comfortable using at 17lbs. The lightest recoil spring I have used is 10lbs and the p226 functions properly with it using power factor 130 ammo. It's the lowest power factor factory ammo I can find. No light primer strikes. No problems at all.

    I have read, using such a low weight recoil spring, you can do damage to the gun and should use a shock buffer on the guide rod. Is this factual? Anyone use a buffer before? Recommend or not?
     

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