Recoil spring assembly = spring + guide rod?

[dyl]

Well folks, the title sums up my first question. I'm stocking up spare parts (hopefully the ones that will break/wear down) for my Bernardelli P-018. I got some good advice from a forum member to stock up on springs and things like that so the recoil spring definitely makes the list. I'm looking at Numrich's parts and wonder what the recoil spring assembly is.

I suppose while I have your attention: if the answer is yes to the above, does a guide rod typically get battered out of shape over the life of a pistol? This guide rod is aluminum I believe.

So far my shopping list of parts:
recoil spring
hammer spring
(extractors out of stock)
(whole magazines were $76 so... I can live with just 1)
(mag springs/followers/base plates "out of stock" individually)
yet *another* firing pin
trigger bar spring
- maybe a trigger spring? it didn't seem like a high-stress piece though and maybe generic enough to interchange

In your opinion, any other must-haves while they still exist?
thanks for your input and experience.

(by the way, I'm taking a new shooter to the range for their first time tomorrow. My wife insisted that the ammo be on us jk it's the right thing to do)

 

[Clark]

When I make a guide rod assembly, I often make them out of nails.

I thread the small end and make a nut round [to fit through the end of the slide].

If there are (3) spring for hot handloads, I make the outside spring right hand twist, the middle spring left hand twist, and the inner spring right hand twist.

Wolff gunsmith pak #14 is a good source for springs.

My father, gun designer, got his spring prototypes built free from Renton Coil Spring. He would specify 4140, closed and ground, etc. but not force. He said that would be double dimensioning.

I have to buy MY springs.

 

[dyl]

thanks clark. I'm able to picture what you're talking about now. Recoil spring assembly would be an enclosed unit like in a Glock. My particular pistol just has a guide rod with a hook at one end which catches into a groove underneath the same piece as the barrel. The single spring is free to slide off the other end of the guide rod which ends in a rounded tip which is visible externally from the front of the slide. There isn't a washer or anything on that end of the rod.

For some reason Numrich's (e-gun parts) gives me the ability to order a "recoil spring assembly" when I could also order the recoil spring and guide rod separately for less. I didn't know an assembly existed for my pistol. Who knows, maybe it does.

Sounds like you've done some smithing. I didn't know you could make your own guide rods! What in your experience are the first parts to wear out?

 

[Clark]

I wanted to make multi spring assembled like a Glock.
I have never had anything wear out on me.

When I was without a lathe, I made firing pins and guide rods from nails by filing on the nail spinning in a drill, filing on it in the vise, and cut threads with a die.

And dies make lousy threads, but they work.