I ordered a spring service pack for my Manhurin PPK/S. I'm quite surprised at the recoil spring length difference. The new spring is about .425" longer than the old one. Is my old spring really that tired?
Your spring is relaxed from use and under some compression inside the pistol.
If the wire dia and coil count is the same, then you just have to use it and it will relax on it's own. The space between the coils do not mean anything.
I'm puzzled by that photo. Your old spring appears to be ground on its rear outside circumference, to fit inside a counterbored barrel boss; your new spring is not.
Your pistol appears to have a counterbored barrel boss. So how is the new spring going to fit inside it?
Good question! I'm still learning about this. While the old spring does appear to be ground, it does not go into the countersink. Is there a special spring available that fits in the countersink? I didnt see it in Wolffs site.
I read the FAQ springs. Are the options to either clip off the rear of the spring or grind the circumference of the spring end so it fits in the countersink recess?
I'm thinking that grinding the circumference of the new wolff spring to fit in the concave recess is the way to go. Has anyone else done this? Or is there a better as alternative? Thanks.
FWIW- I took out my S&W PPK with the spring that came with it, I have to assume it’s original. It too is shorter than the Wolff. I had bought a 4 pack of springs with different ratings. The original spring is flat on both ends. None of the Wolff springs are flat on either end.
All Walther PPK and PPK/s .380 pistols that have a counterbored barrel boss (i.e., all Manurhin, Ulm and early Ranger) require a recoil spring with the rearmost coils. externally ground. Unless the spring has been spread open, it WILL fit. Late Interarms and all S&W and Ft. Smith .380s have no counterbore.
Cutting off coils is NOT a solution. The cut end still has to nest in the counterbore, and if it doesn't, it ain't right.
PP .380 pistols are not counterbored, nor are .32s or .22s, though some built on .380 frames are.
I am astonished that Wolff's doesn't seem cognizant of the difference. In general, and with a few exceptions, Wolff's also does not flat-grind the closed ends of any springs it makes, which is not a plus in my view because these do not duplicate the originals.
Maybe you should give them a call to ask about all this.
Apparently the old spring was not original either. While it has been ground a little, it was not enough to fit the counterbore. I'll send Wolff an email with photos of their spring showing how it doesn't fit the counterbore and see what they say. Grinding it down should not be too hard to do. Thanks.
It could be added that the counterbore also serves the purpose of capturing the rearmost coil of the recoil spring to keep it from distorting and splaying outward under full compression (when it may "go solid"), and drag on the inside of the slide.
Alright, I’ve read all this but at the end of the day, does it really make a tinkers darn? We can see the original doesn’t go IN the concave in the barrel boss and the new one doesn’t either. Is this just a mental exercise of is there a functionality problem? I’m just curious as mine didn’t have it, and both my original spring (if it is) and the Wolff springs work as expected.
I get occasional FTF problems. I've read the FAQs on it and have eliminated some possible causes. Putting a fresh spring in is another attempt to cure the problem. Will it help? Time will tell. If I understand correctly, compression space for the spring is very limited. That little recess gives just a little more space.
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