Does anyone know what the recoil spring weight is on factory Colt Government?

You must match the spring weight to the load being used.  Start at 16 lbs and try higher and lower weights while function firing your pistol.  When you find a combo (spring and ammo loading) that works without a hitch and consistantly throws the brass in a neat pile about 8 to 12 feet away, you are there.

The 1911 works very well with 230 gr ammo, lighter weight bullets (185 gr, etc) tend to be more problematic.