Bought this kit many years ago and finally had it put on a Foster frame.  It won't run anything lead reliably.  It will run copper coated CCI.

Sometimes the slide does not go all the way forward.  I have to push the slide forward with my thumb to get it into battery.  Doesn't ruin the fun, but it is a bit irrigating.

Do I need a weaker recoil spring or a stronger one?

I tried doing business with Ceiner years ago before he was arrested for fraud.  Do any of the recoil springs from other conversion kits fit this Ceiner?

Any help is appreciated.

Might want to try Lees Gun Parts in IRVING TEXAS..

have you tried stretching the spring a bit..that has worked for me in the past..but i'm a cheap bastard.

send me an IM I may have one in the parts box..maybe..thinking I do...but i'm old, send me an IM so I'll remember to look in the
morning, too hot to go to the shop tonight..

Call Wolff.

FWIW, J. A. Ciener was cleared of all fraud charges many years ago.  He personally has not been directly involved in the business, which is still ongoing, for about five years.  The business appears to be selling off new old stock, so not all items are available any longer.  Check their website for availability.  I have bought several AR-15/M16 .22 conversion parts from the company a number of times in the last five years, but not recently.  Be aware, the shipping charge and the small (under $100) purchase charge are now each $25.  In my experience, buy using USPS Money Orders, and the parts ship very quickly.
Best of luck with whatever you pursue.
MHO, YMMV, etc.  Be well.

I looked, sorry, no spares...

I’m not sure cleared is the best word. After numerous complaints about taking funds and not delivering, he was perp-walked out of his office by State officers.  A few weeks later I received a refund for an AK .22 conversion kit I had ordered 18 months earlier.

It came with a “I am so sorry” but that he didn’t mean to be a piece of shit who refused to respond to many many customer complaints over the years.

They may to wrapping things up, but J. Ceiner was a piece of garbage.

J. A. Ciener was never known for his personality or his customer service.

Wolff doesn't list any springs for 1911 conversion kits on their website, or at least that I could find. Best to give them a call.

One can get a package of multiple spring weights for not much cash from them and do a little experimenting, go a bit heavier and then drop pound by pound until it reliably runs. If a .38 special one runs the same as a standard 9mm spring then I'd start there and go down. Ciener didn't make the springs himself, he bought them from someone else. Hell, ALL gunmakers as a rule source their springs from another company.

You may want to contact marvel. They make a “combat” conversion similar to ( but much higher quality) the JACeiner
They may know if you can use the recoil  sell as a replacement

You might be able to use an Advantage Arms 1911 spring from their kits.   I have an AA standard kit and I could measure my spring later this week.


I have a 1911 22 conversion imported by EAA many years ago which has a very similar design to Ciener 1911 22 conversion.   I’ll compare the two kits springs.  I think my EAA kit came with two or three springs.  I always figured they were different spring weights but never needed to check them.  I’ll try to remember to get some measurements.   The diameter of the wire, diameter of the coil spring, number of coils and length is what you need to know to order from McMaster-Carr.


I needed a recoil spring years ago for my Cugir AKT-98 22 LR AK training rifle.   I got the measurements of the wire thickness and number of coils.  I was able to find the springs I needed from McMaster-Carr.  My Father in Law ordered a roll of spring to use when working on 22 extractors, springs and detents for 22 LR semi autos.



https://www.mcmaster.com/coil-springs/

@VASCAR2

Thank you. Your help is appreciated.

I’ll try to compare the springs tonight or tomorrow.  I’ll try to get some pictures.

EAA 1911 22 conversion

Recoil spring guide rod .138” diameter

Length spring guide rod 4.0325”

Recoil Spring length 4.556”

Wire diameter .024”

Outside wire diameter on guide rod .200”

3.5 pound recoil spring diameter .024”
Length 4.806”

4 pound recoil spring .024” diameter

Length 4.8405”

Advantage Arms Standard 1911 22 LR kit

Recoil spring guide rod diameter .196”

Recoil spring wire diameter .028”

Recoil Spring length 4.892”

Outside wire diameter .270” over guide rod

Here is a picture of the European manufactured 1911 22 LR conversion recoil springs, guide and nylon buffer.



You can see one spring is marked 4 pounds and the other spring is 3.5 pounds.  The recoil spring next to the guide rod has obviously been clipped to make it lighter.

This is a picture of the barrel.  I had a gunsmith attach an ejector to the side of the barrel.  The kit shipped with one plastic mag which incorporated a small ejector molded into the top of the magazine.  The magazine ejector had broken or worn down causing failure to eject.  The kit works very well with Kimber magazines.   The barrel looks very similar to a Ciener 1911 conversion kit barrel.  The European kit is very similar in design except for the ejector.  I think the Ciener guide rod and spring might be the same size.



I bought the EAA 22 LR 1911 conversion kit used.  The kit had originally been sold by SOG (Southern Ohio Gun).  I suspect the previous owner bought the extra recoil springs.

Iver Johnson sold rebranded Ciener kits just like Wilson Combat.  Wilson Combat eventually started selling a rebranded Marvel unit 2 kit.   I doubt if Iver Johnson has conversion parts but it would be worth a try.

Try to determine if your Wilson kit is a rebranded Ciener or Rebranded Marvel unit 2 kit.  The Marvel Unit 2 is very similar to my Advantage Arms Standard 1911 kit.  Bob Marvel has partnered with several manufacturers over the years.   I believe Advantage Arms manufactured Marvel kits for a couple years.  The AA 1911 Target kit is basically a copy of the Marvel Unit 1 Target kit.   There are pictures on Rimfire Central of Marvel Unit 2 conversion kits.  Neither Ciener or early Marvel kits locked back on the last round.

Some early Marvel kits used Colt conversion unit pattern magazines.   Posting pictures of your Wilson 22 conversion would help to determine it’s origin if your unsure

With the information above you should be able to order springs from McMaster-Carr.

Here is a picture of my Advantage Arms Standard kit on a dedicated RIA frame.   The lower kit is the EAA 22 conversion on my RIA 45 ACP 1911 A-1 frame.



Here is a picture of the EAA magazine you can barely see where the ejector stud had been on the top of the magazine.  This was really a poor design and the overall quality of the kit was worse than a Ciener.



At least the EAA 22 conversion kit has decent sights.  After getting the ejector added to the barrel and using Kimber mags the kit makes a decent plinker.

Here is a picture I found of a Marvel Unit 2.

This Marvel kit uses a wrench to loosen the guide rod for the recoil spring just like my Advantage Arms Standard kit.  This Marvel Unit 2 uses the Colt Conversion pattern magazines.




This picture is a Wilson Combat Conversion supplied by Bob Marvel.   This kit uses the same design for the recoil spring and guide rod as my AA Standard 1911 kit.  If your Wilson Combat kit is like the one pictured the AA recoil spring should fit.   If your 1911 frame does not have an 18 pound main spring (in the main spring housing in the grip) this could contribute to your reliability problems.  I think standard 45 ACP main spring is 22 or 20 pounds.   Brownell’s sell 18 pound main springs for 1911 pistols.  AA and Bob Marvel have recommended 18 pound main springs for 1911’s with 22 conversions.  I can’t remember which magazine pattern this Wilson Combat conversion kit used.   I don’t think this is a Ciener compatible magazine and it looks different than the Colt and Triple K Colt conversion mags.   I read this unit 2 kit used mags that fit another kit but I can’t remember if this mag is interchangeable with Tactical Solution or which kit.

Here is a picture of a Rebranded Ciener kit sold by Wilson Combat.   You can see the under lug of the barrel is very similar to my EAA European 22 conversion.   The guide rod, spring and buffer look similar in design to my EAA kit.   This should give you an idea which spring size you will need.

Do have the Wilson combat branded marvel kit, and it came with 5 magazines- 3 of the plastic ones pictures above with the side witness holes, and two colt ace metal ones. They both work perfectly

An old friend tried my mags in his kimber conversion and the plastic ones worked but the metal ones did not if that helps anyone.

As I mentioned I think the recoil springs sold by marvel should work in the ceiner