Spring issues.

[MisterCee]

I'm reposting this here because I don't think the other thread is going to get any attention anymore. I am panicking a bit and I would rather not have to take my XD to a smith. Not to mention this is the area where Guide Rod Assemblies are discussed although this rod was done at CC.

Original thread: Bent Guide Rod Spring

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I was cleaning my XD .45c getting all ready to make some of my first gun pr0n when I got a little concerned. (I actually already sent Rich an e-mail on this but I thought I would ask here too.)

I've already mentioned on this forum that I sent my XD off to Canyon Creek for a tungsten guide rod and carry trigger job. I absolutely love the trigger and cleaning a shiny piece of tungsten is much more fun than that dull assembly that Springfield ships out.

Anyway...

Rich sent me my XD with a 19# spring and had a 21# in the mail close behind. So I took my XD out to the range yesterday with the 19# and flawlessly put 100 rounds through it. I brought it home and cleaned it and went back out today for another 100 rounds.

Tonight when I took it apart to clean it and took the spring out I noticed that it was bent.

http://s156.photobucket.com/albums/t...t=DSCF0414.jpg

I don't know what would cause this but I've never heard of it before. Is it something to worry about.

Also, the 21# spring that came in the mail is an extremely tight fit on the guide rod. Should I not force it. It seems you dont normally want to force things.

I haven't even put her back together yet. Help!

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I got the responses I needed after I posted this and I sounded the all clear. And then...

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So I get the 21# spring on after an enormous effort. Afterwards I try to push the slide back so I can drop the assembly lever and be done. With the 21# spring on I cannot get the slide far enough back to catch.(Add: it is very VERY close but not far enough) I can't take a picture of it because the effort it would require would be too much to operate the camera. One strange thing is how far out the cocking indicator sticks out after I try and move the slide back.

So I disassemble it again and go to replace it witht he 19# spring so I can deal with it tomorrow. The slide will now move back to the catch but the cocked indicator hardly comes out at all. Also the spring seems to have no tension as I can move the slide a good quarter inch with seemingly no resistance.

I'm going to take it apart and put it back together again but I am stumped. Again, Help!

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I've been fiddling with it for over an hour but I'm afraid to do any further dmg if any has been done. It's keeping me awake. I know it's late but if anyone has any ideas I'm dying to hear them.

[Matt2352]

I have the cc guide rod and 21# spring for my 45 also. when I first installed it I had the same problem. After talking to Rich he told me to hold the slide back with my hand while locking the Assembly lever. He said it may then lock back or may take a couple mags of ammo to break in the spring. It did not lock back right away but when I got to the range two days later it had already broke in enough to lock back.
I did have another issue in that one end of the spring was slightly more open then the other. I but the more open side against the end of the rod and not in the slide bushing. After about 200 rounds I took the guide rod out and the spring had made some Marks on the edge the guide rod where it was riding up over the end of it. I turned the spring around and have not had any issues since.

sorry for the long post, I hope it helps, Matt

[Don]

I am not sure what springs CC is using as they look closed at both ends, but the slide having little tension is what I have found with some of my prototypes that I have sent out. The installed force is not high enough.
The bend looks odd, as it looks like the coil pitch changes too (but that may be a lens distortion). I think the spring wire had a flaw (bad temper) and it took a fatigue set, bent and is shorter.
Just guessing from afar.

[Richie03XD]

I am having the same issues with getting the slide to move far enough back to engage the slide lock. The only spring that came with the CC Tungsten Guid Rod 45ACP Service is the #21 spring. I am skeptical to just throw the take down leaver down and put some rounds through it. It seems that it may damage the pistol.

[Don]

You can tell by sound and feel if the spring is binding. This will sound sort of zen-like but you can tell...
Install the stock spring.
Close your eyes and with no magazine in rack the slide several times.
Hear the crisp clack as the hood on the slide impacts the locking block (the part with the front rails).
Feel that impact in your grip.
Now install the other spring set.
Close your eyes and with no magazine in rack the slide several times.
If the coils bind it sounds more of a thud that clack, and the you get a different feel in your grip. It is harder to put into words than to feel and hear.

Now if it is coil bind will this cause physical problems to the pistol? I don't think so, and I have been thinking about this for many years now. My earliest prototypes impacted this way and it just hammered the bushings. Many members had thousands of rounds down field before I changed dimensions. But I think it is not optimum, so I design where there is 0.010" clearance form coil bind as a worse case for tolerance. Most pistols will have 0.020"-0.030" clearance in reality.

This sounds tight but a couple of months ago I got to play with a couple of Sigs and took measurements. They run their factory springs just as tight which surprised me some. I figured I was really abusing spring design, but found this may be quite normal.

[Richie03XD]

According to Rich @ CC the spring is faulty and it should be replaced with a newly designed one. I will report back here once I have had a chance to test the new spring.

[Richie03XD]

The new spring from CC has one flat double coil end and one open coil end as opposed to the old spring wihich had two double coil ends. I put 150rnds through the weapon and it functioned flawlessly. The gun now comes to full battery and the slide lock engauges with ease. The only gripe I have is the double coil end has again overlapped and it chews up the flanged end of the GR.