The parts to replace the ailing recoil spring and plug arrived last night. Today, I installed the new parts in the Warthog – it’s good to have a complete gun again!
I took some pictures of the old and new parts together and of the slide after installing the new spring. In the upper left panel, note the compression of the old outer spring when next to the new one. Upper right, you can see the wear to the finish on the old spring plug. The lower right is a close up of both flanges note the broken flange on the right (old) one. Finally, the new spring got installed in the slide after a little struggle – it took a lot more force to get it in place.
This is follow-up (1) with follow-up (2) to come after we take her to the range Sunday.
Fix it, then sell it would be my advice had you been looking for any advice. Wow, I find it hard to beleive that this little pistol is worth all the trouble you have had with it. I seem to recall someone telling you the failures to feed were due to limp wristing, and that you got lessons from someone at Para on how to shoot this pistol to prevent misfeeds. All baloney – the pistol has proven itself not worthy in my opinion. The recoil spring in that condition could have been a killer. As you said earlier one, good for you that you discovered the problem at the range -which by the way is the best place to discover such problems. Good luck with it whatever you decide to do with it.
All the best,
GlennB
I appreciate the advice, Glenn. This time, the problem developed because I had not replaced the spring on the schedule recommended by Para. More my fault than theirs. Besides, they sent gratis replacement parts courtesy of the PR folks, and I really like this gun. Since it’s not my primary personal protection gun, I’m willing to let it be fussy. It’s a pleasure to fire when it’s kept up.
And it’s pretty!
They have a replacement schedule for the recoil spring! Wow. How often do they recommend replacing it?
I have at least a couple of pistols that have been fired over the course of 25 years and thousands of rounds each without ever replacing the recoil spring, or any other parts. Maybe I need to think about new springs for those.
All the best,
GB
The owner’s manual specifies recoil spring assembly replacement schedule to be every 800 rounds. When I asked Para public relations about that short interval, they told me I could probably make that every 1200 rounds without any problem. Para says that the physics of this pistol make frequent replacement necessary. It’s only a 3½ inch barrel and 230 grain .45 slugs apply an awful lot of energy to the recoil system.