A friend has a Rock Island Armory full size 45, 5" barrel, GI Standard 51421.
He says it's too hard to pull the slide back, so he thinks he needs to replace the buffer spring....??
Any suggestions?
Thanks

Carry a tennis ball around to squeeze to bring up strength. Also shoot the gun more to break it in.

Rock island is a pretty good gun, and well proven for the price point.
I wouldn’t jack with it, if it shoots well and feeds it’s best to leave it alone.
If it’s to hard to pull the slide back [censored] the hammer first.

Honestly there’s not much reason to pull it back over about one time. Just keep feeding it loaded mags!

Thanks y'all, I'll pass it on...

Leave it alone. I am old skinny and weak but when the day comes that I can't rack the slide on my 1911 then I will use my little .44 Charter Bulldog. Laymen have no business changing out parts on a functioning made to work basic 1911 like that Rock Island. Tell friend to stop eating tofu and drinking soy juice. Keep them away from springs, a Dremel Tool and emory cloth.

The recoil spring on a .45 1911 seems harder to those used to shooting a semi-auto 9mm like a Glock 19 or identical size 9mm 1911, which use springs with about half the resistance as they shoot loads with about half the recoil.

17 to 18 pound recoil springs, the big spring in the slide, are standard on a 5” 1911.

Commander size .45 1911’s commonly use 22# springs as standard, so seem even harder to rack.

There is another strong spring in the main spring housing, the bottom half piece on the back of the grip. The 1911 is designed to carry cocked and locked, which also makes it easier to rack as the resistance on the slide of the main spring is reduced when the hammer is in the cocked position.

Those spring weights are for use with full power 230 grain loads and needed to function correctly and prevent battering the frame and slide stop. So do not use lighter springs unless lighter loads are used.

Also, 1911’s run best well lubed. Make sure to keep the grooves cut in the slide lubed. A thin film of grease on the hammer face also helps.

Thanks, very informative.

You’re welcome.