I was on Wolff's sight checking into some spring options, and am a bit confused why they seem to push extra power firing pin springs on just about everything.
My particular interest and example right now is to lighten the trigger on a new BHP, but I see similar recommendations on their 1911 offerings.
So, in the Performance pack spring combo kit for the BHP, they bundle the lighter than factory 26# hammer spring with a heavier than factory 18.5# recoil spring (that part I get). But then they include an extra power firing pin spring... which doesn't make sense to me.
I would have thought light strikes would be a concern and that the extra power firing pin spring would just make that worse.
Can any one share any insight into this? I can understand why you might want to beef up the firing pin spring on a pistol with no firing pin block. But whay else would you want to do this?
Also, I was wondering whether or not there was any kind of consensus on whether the variable recoil springs are an improvement. The ratings seem very light and don't make a lot of sense to me.
In my opinion, the argument for "extra power" firing pin springs is not very strong for pistols with fp blocks. As you noted the stronger springs, in many cases used with lighter firing pins (titanium), are used to prevent ADs resulting from a dropped pistol. They can happen, and its been documented (at least one) on this forum. The California drop test is a big driver in this movement as is the desire for the manufacturers to lessen any liability they might have from an AD. There appears to be ample energy in the 1911 firinging system (main spring--at least 19 lbs--, hammer, lighter firing pin, and heavier rated firing pin spring) to reliably fire .45acp primers. Light strikes might be an issue with ultra light mainsprings (< 18lbs) but I don't recall seeing any data as to where that break point in spring rating might be.
As far as variable recoil springs go, I know nothing.
When using heavier than standard recoil springs the slide returns to battery with increased force. A stronger trigger return spring keeps the firing pin from moving forward from inertia and striking the primer of the newly chambered round. I don't know how much of an increase in poundage is needed for this to happen but the heavier return spring is to prevent this. I first read about this in an article about converting a 1911 to fire 45 Super where a 28 lb recoil spring is used. I suppose the increase from 16 lb to 28 lb recoil springs could cause this firing pin inertia problem.
Do you mean 'Firing Pin Return'? A stronger recoil spring slams the slide shut with more force, possibly overpowering a weak or 'standard' FPS enough to allow it to strike the primer hard enough to fire.
I am going strictly on aging memory here, but I believe what's been said is correct - they push the extra-power FP springs to make it harder for a Series 70 gun with a steel firing pin to discharge if it's dropped when the hammer's down on a loaded chamber.
As for variable rate springs, you'll get opinions from one end of the spectrum to the other - some pros who like them for general use and others don't. The ones I know who do seem to like the 16.5 pounders. A lot depends on personal preference, how the gun is set up to run, and what other parts may be in it.
Having a stiffer firing pin spring seems like an non-issue with a mechanism that has a firing pin block, like the series 80 mechanism or that in the BHP.