How do I remove this mainspring?

[laagamer]

Howdy, again! Apologies for all the questions.

Been studying up to learn how to take apart the lock on my flint. Saw a bunch of diagrams and part lists online for basic locks. I felt like I had a pretty good understanding.

But, to my surprise, when I removed my lock it turns out the mainspring on a Lyman Great Plains is a little different.

Well, upon removing it, I found the mainspring wasn't the type I saw online that looked similar to a frizzen spring, but like this:

Is it even possible to remove this using the mainspring vice I have?

Does anybody know a good guide or video for assembly and disassembly of this kind of lock?

Thank you guys again!

 

[2 shots]

google removing mainspring from a thompson center lock.

 

[Phil Coffins]

What I do is open the frizzen and lower the hammer. A screw driver blade with a groove cut in the middle of the blade can then be placed on the rod just in front of the tumbler and push the rod forward to allow it to be removed.

 

[SDSmlf]

I have done it with a piece of twine with the cock all the way forward. I was shown method back in the 1970s. Imagine someone has posted photographs or a how to video. If you can’t find somewhere and/or no one posts about, I could take some photographs and describe, but can not believe this is uncharted territory that no one has posted about.

 

[waarp8nt]

I made this video here while back. I keep pipe cleaners in my shooting box to clean nipples and flash holes / liners. Doesn't have to be a pipe cleaner, thin wire would work. Some folks don't like this method as it doesn't always work with cheap pipe cleaners (cheap ones break)...those folks use pliers on the spring guide rod.

 

[SDSmlf]

I made this video here while back. I keep pipe cleaners in my shooting box to clean nipples and flash holes / liners. Doesn't have to be a pipe cleaner, thin wire would work. Some folks don't like this method as it doesn't always work with cheap pipe cleaners (cheap ones break)...those folks use pliers on the spring guide rod.

Yep, that basically how I was shown decades ago, though pipe cleaners were obviously expensive to us at the time and we used a piece of twine. Now I don’t need to take and post photographs. Thank you.

 

[laagamer]

I made this video here while back. I keep pipe cleaners in my shooting box to clean nipples and flash holes / liners. Doesn't have to be a pipe cleaner, thin wire would work. Some folks don't like this method as it doesn't always work with cheap pipe cleaners (cheap ones break)...those folks use pliers on the spring guide rod.

Wow. That was hilariously easy! Thank you!

Can you access the sear spring on these locks or no? They appear to be covered, so I suppose they wouldn't get too dirty

 

[necchi]

Yeah, you can actually take those three screws in that plate out too,, and clean everything just as easy.

 

[M. De Land]

Howdy, again! Apologies for all the questions.

Been studying up to learn how to take apart the lock on my flint. Saw a bunch of diagrams and part lists online for basic locks. I felt like I had a pretty good understanding.

But, to my surprise, when I removed my lock it turns out the mainspring on a Lyman Great Plains is a little different.

Well, upon removing it, I found the mainspring wasn't the type I saw online that looked similar to a frizzen spring, but like this:

View attachment 244956

Is it even possible to remove this using the mainspring vice I have?

Does anybody know a good guide or video for assembly and disassembly of this kind of lock?

Thank you guys again!

I remove mine with a pair of needle nose pliers gripping the shank at 90 degrees ahead of the spring stop where strut head goes goes into the tumbler after securing the lock plate in a leather pad in a vice. You only have to retract it enough to clear the strut head purchase.

 

[SDSmlf]

Work over a large clean surface when you remove the three screws and the plate, as the sear spring, and in particular, the fly (small piece on the tumbler) are quite the escape artists, and will challenge your searching abilities once they are free. A small pan with a magnetic base (check out Harbor Freight) is a good way to keep track of the small parts once removed from the lock in my experience.

 

[pacanis]

I made this video here while back. I keep pipe cleaners in my shooting box to clean nipples and flash holes / liners. Doesn't have to be a pipe cleaner, thin wire would work. Some folks don't like this method as it doesn't always work with cheap pipe cleaners (cheap ones break)...those folks use pliers on the spring guide rod.

That video popped up in the "shorts" that YT has now.
And not a week later I found I had to rework the lock on my Lyman Trade Rifle.
It does work, but I'm going to say Lyman main springs must be a lot stronger than TC ones. It was a real bear. And even harder putting it back in. The pipe cleaner broke just as soon as I had the spring back in place.
I needed to hold the lock in a vise and use two hands with the pipe cleaner coiled around some needlenose to pull down the spring.
Sure am glad I saw the video though.

 

[waarp8nt]

That video popped up in the "shorts" that YT has now.
And not a week later I found I had to rework the lock on my Lyman Trade Rifle.
It does work, but I'm going to say Lyman main springs must be a lot stronger than TC ones. It was a real bear. And even harder putting it back in. The pipe cleaner broke just as soon as I had the spring back in place.
I needed to hold the lock in a vise and use two hands with the pipe cleaner coiled around some needlenose to pull down the spring.
Sure am glad I saw the video though.

The pipe cleaner I used was likely as old as me or from the 70's. Something mom had that belonged to her dad, they were made in the USA. For the sake of progress, I tried some of my daughters arts and craft pipe cleaners and they all broke without removing the spring. Curious to try SDSmlf string or twine method of removal, just need something strong enough to overcome the spring.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Needle nose pliers, out in a second and in in a second. The naysayers will say " your spring will sail across the room and be lost forever", use a light touch and this will never happen.

 

[pacanis]

The pipe cleaner I used was likely as old as me or from the 70's. Something mom had that belonged to her dad, they were made in the USA. For the sake of progress, I tried some of my daughters arts and craft pipe cleaners and they all broke without removing the spring. Curious to try SDSmlf string or twine method of removal, just need something strong enough to overcome the spring.

Brownells Super Duty pipe cleaners here.
If I have to do it again I'll use bank line. But I'll still wrap them around something.

 

[Beaverman2]

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1038/1/TOOL-VISE-COIL
Problem solved, works great!

 

[laagamer]

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/1038/1/TOOL-VISE-COIL
Problem solved, works great!

Thank you!

Ooof. What hurts is that I purchased the mainspring vice from them stupidly thinking that's what I needed Well, at least I can use it on the frizzen spring!

 

[BillyC]

The pipe cleaner I used was likely as old as me or from the 70's. Something mom had that belonged to her dad, they were made in the USA. For the sake of progress, I tried some of my daughters arts and craft pipe cleaners and they all broke without removing the spring. Curious to try SDSmlf string or twine method of removal, just need something strong enough to overcome the spring.

I’ll bet paracord would work.

 

[wiscoaster]

That looks like a typical gun hammer spring you might find on a revolver. I'd suggest cocking to as far past full cock as you can pull it, then see if there's a tiny hole in the left end of the strut that will now be protruding past its swivel post. If so, you can stick a tiny pin through that hole to capture the spring and retain it at full tension when the cock is released. The swivel itself is probably just rotating on a pin through the plate so it should now just about be ready to fall out, since there's no pressure on the strut retaining it in there. Don't take that pin out until you get the spring reinstalled because the force on that spring will make it impossible to reassemble. Pulling the cock to just past full cock again after the spring is back in its proper position should release the spring pressure on the pin, allowing you to pull it out.

IF this procedure is applicable (and I don't know that it is) you won't need to buy a special tool.

 

[Beaverman2]

Thank you!

Ooof. What hurts is that I purchased the mainspring vice from them stupidly thinking that's what I needed Well, at least I can use it on the frizzen spring!

No worries, soemday you'll have another gun you can use it on.

 

[SDSmlf]

There is no hole in the TC pin. You do not need paracord. I have been using the same spool of cotton twine or string since the 1970s, as spool just sits and waits on my work bench. Measures around .020”. No need to over think or complicate a simple procedure.