Beretta 92 Hammer spring weight for reliable ignition?

[Rmiked]

I am considering buying the 92 Elite LTT intended for personal defense, perhaps Centurion, possibly full size. In my 92A1 I run the 16# D spring and have never had a light primer strike even with Winchester 124 grain NATO ammo. I was running a WC 14# CS (chrome silicon) hammer spring but with that same NATO ammo experienced a few light strikes. Then switched back to D spring, no issues. Is this the general consensus? Run D spring if it matters? Or are lighter springs reliable if stay away from known hard primer ammo. In other words IF your life depends it, what do you run?

[spence]

I am surprised to hear a 14# having light strikes. I primarily run an M9, it was otherwise stock with a 14# for the first 5500 rounds and nary a problem. Same thing in my 92 compact, first 2500 or so with a 14# hammer spring, no issues. Pretty good mix of Fiocchi, S&B, Federal, UMC, Geco, and a smattering of other stuff including some of the NATO. Went to a TJIB with 13# spring, have around 3500 rounds on the M9 with no issues, and less than 1000 on the 92 compact with no issues.

There's a video from Ernest out there outlining that you should get reliable ignition down to 13# with decent ammo. I carry one of mine daily.

I just picked up an LTT Centurion yesterday, it may get a 14# for a while until I get a trigger job for it, too. I'm no pro, but I'd think if you get reliable ignition with everything but the hardest primers, you might be ok? If it was me, I'd most likely err on the side of caution and bump back up for a defensive unit, though.

[JAH 3rd]

The only change I have made to my commercial M9 has been the installation of a Beretta OEM "D" spring. It has been 100% reliable with all ammo. On my M9, the trigger pull is smooth and consistant from beginning to end. If I was shooting competition I probably would want the least ounce of trigger pull with reliable ignition. But for a range pistol and home defense, I am satisfied with it as is.

[Rmiked]

Yes, I ran Federal, Fiocchi, Remington, Winchester White box, Hornady. No problems ever with 14# spring. But the Winchester NATO 124 I got light strikes with 14# spring. Similar experience with my SIG 226 MK25. Only light strikes with reduced power (Wolf) springs in SIG was NATO ammo. I liked because it has extra pop, a +P load. Shoots great in my 92A1 with D spring and SIG with factory spring. Trigger pull in DA and SA lower in 92A1 with D spring than SIG 226 with factory spring. Probably not a fair comparison. Don’t know of a D spring equivalent for SIG 226. The SIG is a shooter though. The LTT Elite 92 to me looks like the perfect pistol. I’ll look forward to hearing EL’s advice.

[claymore504]

Here is a great video on this put out my Ernest. I have pretty much followed what he says in this video and no issues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUoIC4w2rcI&t=180s

[Rmiked]

I watched the video. Excellent. I am gonna switch back from 16# to 14# CS and avoid the NATO spec primers and am confident I’ll have no concerns for personal protection.

[JSGlock34]

In my experience, ignition reliability is not determined by a single factor like spring weight. Instead it is a combination of parts (most notably the hammer spring and trigger bar) and ammunition choice that will determine whether the pistol reliably goes bang. Federal ammunition has given me the best results. Even with like parts, individual pistols may demonstrate different ignition performance.

I have had four Beretta 92s - a commercial M9, a Wilson Combat Brigadier Tactical, a LTT 92G, and a LTT 92G 'Carry Bevel'. I've used the M9 with all OEM parts and the 'D' spring. It has always reliably ignited primers regardless of brand. The latter three custom guns all had LTT trigger tunes, the Carry Bevel also with NP3 (I sold the standard LTT 92G Elite but still own the Carry Bevel version). The Brigadier Tactical and LTT pistols all originally used the Wilson trigger bar, later replaced by the LTT trigger bar. At varying times I've also experimented with the Wilson Combat hammer. The Wilson Combat hammer made zero difference in ignition reliability - if the pistol failed to ignite a primer with the E2 hammer, switching to the Wilson hammer resulted in similar failures.

None of these pistols met my standards for carry reliability with a 12# hammer spring, even with Federal ammunition.

The LTT and Wilson Combat Brigadier Tactical fired reliably with Federal ammunition at 13#. CCI, Speer, Blazer...not so much. I have no qualms carrying either pistol with Federal HST.

The Carry Bevel gun is finicky. Even with a 14# spring it won't light PMC reliably. Right now I'm using a 14# spring with Federal ammunition and getting good results. Still, even with the 14# spring I find the trigger on this pistol smoother and lighter than the other pistols using a 13# spring. Ernest's magic touch paired with the NP3 coating is a great combination.

This is a long way of saying...vet your pistol with your ammunition.

[Rmiked]

JSGlock34, thanks for the detailed experience. I took note that even with a 13# spring you had some ammo (Speer, Blazer) with questionable ignition reliability. In my 92A1 with Beretta standard trigger bar and standard hammer, I have no ignition problems using the WC 14# CS hammer spring and all ammo except the Winchester 124 grain NATO ammo. That stuff must have the hardest primers out there. But the Beretta D spring (16#) has never failed to ignite them. My local gun shop has the LTT Elite from Beretta (not LTT). I am going to look at it tomorrow. It should have the 16# spring. If it has a centered barrel in hood and no stake mark on front sight, I plan on getting it. I also plan on swapping to14# CS hammer spring. I don’t see me getting anymore of the NATO ammo.

[Medusa]

Data point, I have something north 16,000 rounds of Speer lawman through my LTTs and 92 with 13 lb springs and no ammo related ignition issues. None with a lesser amount, couple thousand, of Fiocchi either. I had a few, maybe 5-7, ignition issues with a very dirty and under lubricated Ltt that needed a cleaning, lubrication, and a fresh recoil spring.

[beenalongtime]

I like this thread, as I recently asked LTT about what spring he recommends/works reliably with .22's as I keep thinking about getting that for one of my LTT guns. His recommendation was the #13, which is already in them. I might add a D spring just in case, when I order that slide.