"upgraded" hammer spring on GBB pistol (TM 4.3)

[Degenetron]

So i am thinking about ordering an AS "power upgrade" kit from redwolf for my TM 4.3 hicapa. As i do not have a metal slide, but do have an AS lightweight Blowback housing.. im mostly ordering it for the strengthened piston head (right word? .. the moveable part of the bbu)

The set includes an enhanced hammer spring though.. so what im wondering is if replacing the original one will improve performance at all? Aside from pushing the hammer forward somewhat faster (gotta be a matter of milliseconds .. can't see it being relevant) and feeling better.. it does not do anything, right?

Am i wrong in assuming it will only make the hammer feel heavier and increase wear and tear on my internals?

Edit: Are links allowed here? If not.. Be gentle ops.. Linky to kit

Edit2: It's called nozzle it seems.. not piston head.

[Rugger_can]

Originally Posted by Degenetron

So i am thinking about ordering an AS "power upgrade" kit from redwolf for my TM 4.3 hicapa. As i do not have a metal slide, but do have an AS lightweight Blowback housing.. im mostly ordering it for the strengthened piston head (right word? .. the moveable part of the bbu)

The set includes an enhanced hammer spring though.. so what im wondering is if replacing the original one will improve performance at all? Aside from pushing the hammer forward somewhat faster (gotta be a matter of milliseconds .. can't see it being relevant) and feeling better.. it does not do anything, right?

Am i wrong in assuming it will only make the hammer feel heavier and increase wear and tear on my internals?

The hammer spring is to increase the hammer's force with which it contacts the Valve on the magazine thus allowing it too depress upgraded valves properly as well as allowing normal valves to remain open long enough to vent enough gas to allow for upgraded slides and components to cycle properly.

[Degenetron]

well.. correct me of im wrong.. but i don't think the hammer itself actually applies any force to the valve on a hi capa? It does interact with the mechanism that opens the valve.. but i dont think the hammer spring would apply any force to it?

This is taken purely from meory though.. i might be wrong.

[pusangani]

hammer spring pushes hammer into the striker which hits the valve

[juicy]

AS piston head can't be installed on a lightweight AS BBU. AS loading nozzle (if that's included in the kit that you're talking about) equals stronger. Not sure if it seals better - if it does, it'll make your pistol's gas usage more efficient.

Recoil spring will make your slide's blowback more snappy. Read that as it'll make your slide move back to battery faster than with the stock spring.

Hammer spring will make your shots more consistent in terms of gas output. Read that as it makes your valve open more similar every time; it doesn't really make your muzzle velocity higher though.

[Rugger_can]

Originally Posted by pusangani

hammer spring pushes hammer into the striker which hits the valve

Indeed my wording did in fact omit the striker completely and thus my explanation was inaccurate. However the function of the spring remains the same, to impart greater force onto the valve allowing it to remain open longer and thus provide more gas to propel the slide.


Thank you for clarifying my mistake.

[m102404]

The stiffer hammer spring will do two things.
1. Cause the hammer to hit the knocker (which will in turn hit the magazine valve) harder.
2. Slow the slides rearward movement

1. This is a good thing for high pressure gas setups in hot weather. If the striker strike can't overcome the high gas pressure, you'll get varying velocities. This is a bad thing in that you are stressing the pot metal parts. The hammer will likely hold up ok since it's a pretty large part...but the knocker may not. You'll also note that at the rear of the hammer assembly there is a stub of metal that essentially stops the forward movement of the hammer at the end of it's strike. With a stiffer hammer spring you'll notice more wear and tear on that part and the corresponding contact point of the hammer. Not necessary otherwise (IMHO). Try it out...change it back if you see that things are out of balance or if you don't notice any improvement in the consistency of things.

2. This is a good/bad thing depending on what you're going for. If you want as fast as cycling a pistol as possible then you don't want that. Affects gas consumption too. The slide is the only thing recocking the hammer with the rearward cycle...and it has to push against the hammer spring (via camming the hammer back).

Also note that there is little to no change in "trigger pull weight" by changing the hammer spring. A Hicapa is a single action only pistol (as are all 1911/2011). There is enormous mechanical advantage placed on the sear via the trigger stirrup...so any increase in felt trigger weight is negligible. If you have a positive sear engagement angle then maybe...but on most of them it's fairly neutral. (if you don't understand the last part...and don't realize the importance of the chrome coating on the cast parts....don't mess around with your sear/hammer adjusting engagement angles and break points if you want your parts to last as long as possible).