Mer,
Great description of the functioning of the 1911! I do not think you are "FOS" (it took me second to figure out what that meant).
Star4ever, Mer,
Here is a couple of tidbits of info about springs;
First, the materials available today to make springs versus 100 years ago when the 1911 was built is 1000 times better, my opinion! We should never have to worry about a spring taking set if made properly!
2nd, do not confuse spring weight (load) and spring rate (ungineering world calls it spring constant but we will stick with spring rate)!!!!
When we buy a spring for a 1911 it has a number attached to it, example; 19lb recoil spring, this is a “load “at a specific height. What this means is, at a specific height (one time I read it was 1.625"in a government model, not certain) when this spring is being depressed to that specific height it pushes back 19 foot lbs. of force. We commonly referred to that as the "load" of/on the spring. This load is determined from the length of the spring and the spring "rate."
Spring rate is, basically, the amount of energy, in foot pounds in the US, to depress the spring one inch.
Spring rate is determined from wire size, mean coil diameter of the spring, and number of active coils.
So, anytime you change any of the 3 ingredients that makes up spring rate, load will also change. For instance the guy that clips a spring is doing himself a huge disservice, number of active coils decreases thus rate goes up stresses go up and length of spring is shorter. Anytime you reduce amount of active material in a spring stress go up.
Star4ever asked relationship of wire size to load, here is what I was taught as a general rule of thumb, everything staying the same, a 1% change in wire size = a 4% change in spring “rate,” not weight!
Also, everything being the same, a 1% change in mean coil diameter equals a 3% change in spring “rate” not weight!
These 2 little formulas were tools for us spring coilers that we lived by when making springs.
Lastly, if a recoil spring (for the sake of argument) standing erect in a scale measures in height 6.625” (and scale reads zero pounds), is depressed to 1.625” with a subsequent reading on the scale of 20 LBs. indicates the spring has traveled 5 inches, has a load (weight) of 20 lbs and a rate of 4lbs. (load/deflection equals formula to determine the actual spring rate).
Hope this helps and answers a few questions, just my 3 cents.