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Spring Change Needed for EFK Dragon Barrel?

953 views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  FLASIG 
#1 ·
I have done some Google searches and searches on this forum but don't have a definitive answer to my question so I will ask here and, as always will get the right answers!

I have a Sig p229R, born on date, March 2016. I purchased it in 40 S&W and then purchased two additional barrels for it, a Sig OEM 357 Sig and EFK Fire Dragon 9mm.

Earlier this week I had installed an SRT kit on this gun and two others as noted in another thread. Today I ran up to a friend's farm (read firing range behind is machine shed) to show him my Sig p938. He is considering purchasing one and I told him he could try out mine before making a decision.

The previous paragraph is simply to let you know that what comes next was not my primary purpose of the trip and is my excuse for sloppy testing of my p229.

I started to leave and realized 1. that I had my p229 in the back of my pickup, and 2., that I had about 15 minutes before I needed to start the 40 minute trek back home. I asked if I could use his range for a few minutes to see if my SRT installation was working as it should when the gun was actually being fired. I realized that I had the EFK Fire Dragon 9mm barrel installed with three magazines of 9mm in my bag.

Here is the problem: I had randomly loaded a variety of ammunition brands, all 115 grain, from a bowl on my bench. This is key to my sloppy testing I about to discuss. I might mention that all of the brands, Herter's, WWB, and Blazer Brass had gone through all of my 9mm guns (see my signature) without a single failure of any type, hundreds of rounds.

First, the SRT kit worked like a charm. However, I had roughly half of the cartridges fail to extract. I consistently got stove-pipes but occasionally the cartridges ejected, weakly but leaving the gun, and then there was a failure to feed. I did a quick check of the FTE ones and all brands seemed to be represented.

Here are my first thoughts, making the assumption that it is not the ammo (I realize that is probably a weak assumption) , 1. The new barrel needs some polishing although it seems to fit perfectly or, 2. The recoil spring designed for 40 S&W is a pound or two too heavy for 9mm. The current spring is 16 pounds.

Also I am wondering if I should I pick up a 17 pound spring to use with the 357 Sig?

Thanks for reading all this. I am a retired college science teacher and tend to write in long bursts. That is why my lack of a scientific approach is a little embarrassing. But, I am among friends as all Sig owners are.
 
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#2 ·
If you are shooting 9mm in a P229/40 via a conversion barrel, then you should use the 9mm recoil spring (white spring) when shooting 9mm. Blue (or purple) should be used for .40/.357 only. You can not go wrong by using the correct spring for the appropriate caliber. SIG did lots of testing and has figured out what's best for their guns.
 
#3 ·
Thank you. Of all the posts I researched on various forums your comment is the first to be so straight forward. The vast majority of the threads I read said, "No need to change anything. Same spring, same mags. Just drop in the 9mm barrel and shoot." Didn't make sense to me.

Thanks again.
 
#6 ·
By the process of elimination, you should use a 9 mm white tip spring and 9 mm P229-1 magazines. Next try your gun with just one brand of ammo to see how it performs. If it works with that ammo then try a different brand until you are satisfied. Eliminate one problem at a time.
 
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