ILS. When to use?

When and how is the ILS supposed to be used?  I have them on a few of my handguns but haven't used them yet.  All firearms on my property are locked in a gun safe when not in use.  I only use my guns at a local range and are transported there in the back of my locked and enclosed pickup camper shell.  The cases that they are stored in there are not individually locked.  So, when are you supposed to use the ILS?

I use then to line trash cans

dhenry132 wrote:I use then to line trash cans

(snicker)

LMAO

My opinion on the ILS is that it's use can create dangerous gun handling practices, like in oops I thought the ILS was engaged! If someone were to treat any gun in any way other than believing it is loaded and could be discharged then that person is not being safe.

If you want to lock your guns during transit then at least use a VISIBLE preferably yellow trigger lock or a cable lock that goes through the barrel.

- Dave

Sorry that's the Safety Officer in me speaking

I agree with Dave.  ILS isn't a very good idea.

Not the answer to the question-just a note:  
Wolff makes several lighter weight SA ILS mainsprings that work well. - the #s won't sound right, but trust Wolff. A couple of us use Wolff's lightest ILS mainspring (24lb) with no ignition problems. Improves trigger pull weight.

Russ OR wrote:Not the answer to the question-just a note:  
Wolff makes several lighter weight SA ILS mainsprings that work well. - the #s won't sound right, but trust Wolff. A couple of us use Wolff's lightest ILS mainspring (24lb) with no ignition problems. Improves trigger pull weight.

Thanks Russ, I really appreciate this note!  Am I correct in understanding that you are keeping the stock mainspring housing for this lighter weight spring?  If so, is there a reason why you don't change the mainspring housing in favor of one without the ILS like others have mentioned?

As rob has said before. Replace the spring and spring cap and install a spring cap pin and your good to go.

I kept the ILS housing for no particular reason-just seemed easier-the ILS housings with the disassembly pin that came with the pistol are A-OK to work with. . I know some change to a standard housing and that works too. -- Then there's something about all safety features that came on the pistol have to be operable?. That probably doesn't/might not apply to swapping out the ILS housing.

The disassembly pin doesn't work with a regular mainspring and spring cap.

And, be sure to get the correct mainspring depending on whether it is an ILS housing or not.  The mainspring cap is different between a standard and ILS housing.  The mainsprings are different in length, to compensate for the length of the cap.  I just got a new cap and mainspring and installed in the factory housing.  Works fine, but obviously, ILS is disabled.

Get a standard cap and standard mainspring

Russ OR wrote:Not the answer to the question-just a note:  
Wolff makes several lighter weight SA ILS mainsprings that work well. - the #s won't sound right, but trust Wolff. A couple of us use Wolff's lightest ILS mainspring (24lb) with no ignition problems. Improves trigger pull weight.

I just received my Wolff springs today.  How much can I expect the trigger pull weight to be reduced?  Also, what recoil spring weight are you using with the 24# ILS mainspring?

I wish you would have just replaced the mainspring cap and mainspring with a GI version--that way you would be dealing with a known setup.

My testing shows that a 17# GI mainspring is too light and causes sporadic ignition problems. An 18lb GI mainspring is as light as you go and avoid ignition problems, so let's assume that the Wolff 24# ILS spring is equivalent to the 18# GI spring.

For 200gr LSWCs with 3.8gr BE, I use 18-20# recoil springs with iron sights.
Same load with a full sight rib and Ultradot, I use a 10# recoil spring.

In ROs that I have worked on, the trigger weight is more than my NRA standards could measure.  I estimate that at 6lbs.  After changing to the 18# GI mainspring and GI mainspring cap, The trigger weight in most guns came down to about 4.5-5lbs.

A little bending of the left leg of the leaf spring easily gets you to the 4lb level with all other OEM parts.

Rob Kovach wrote:I wish you would have just replaced the mainspring cap and mainspring with a GI version--that way you would be dealing with a known setup.

My testing shows that a 17# GI mainspring is too light and causes sporadic ignition problems. An 18lb GI mainspring is as light as you go and avoid ignition problems, so let's assume that the Wolff 24# ILS spring is equivalent to the 18# GI spring.

For 200gr LSWCs with 3.8gr BE, I use 18-20# recoil springs with iron sights.
Same load with a full sight rib and Ultradot, I use a 10# recoil spring.

In ROs that I have worked on, the trigger weight is more than my NRA standards could measure.  I estimate that at 6lbs.  After changing to the 18# GI mainspring and GI mainspring cap, The trigger weight in most guns came down to about 4.5-5lbs.

A little bending of the left leg of the leaf spring easily gets you to the 4lb level with all other OEM parts.

I may eventually change the mainspring housing, etc. with the standard GI version but for now it makes sense to me to stay with the ILS setup.  Springfield Custom already did a trigger job on one of the ROs, which brought the trigger weight down to 4 lbs.  My electronic scale actually shows a little less than 5 lbs.  I don't which one is more accurate but the true weight is probably somewhere between.  Anyway, I was thinking of reducing the mainspring one size down to 28 lbs. from the factory 30 lbs. and reducing the recoil spring down one size to 15 lbs. from the factory 16 lbs.  I'm only using for now 185g LSWCs with 3.8g of Bullseye and ejection is just a little shallow.

Only change 1 spring at a time.  When you reduce the mainspring weight you need to increase the recoil spring to keep the gun operating the same.

As far as trigger weight change from just reducing the mainspring, you will find it decreases about 3/4lb