Replacing spring on handspring assembly

[reddog97]

The spring on the handspring assembly on my Uberti 1860 Army broke when I was shooting Saturday. I had a fitted spare in my box so I was able to replace the assembly and continue shooting. When I got home I looked up the parts list at Taylor Arms to order another spare and saw that they also sell just the spring($3.00 for the spring compared to $14.00 for the assembly). Has anyone replaced this spring and if so, how do ya get the broken piece out of the crimped end and replace the new one? Thanks

 

[CaptainKirk]

I did this on my Armsport '58 Remmy several years ago, and was not able to remove it. I replaced the entire hand assembly.

 

[David Teague]

They stake the spring in...

so I just fit a new hand & spring each time I have a failure.

Cheers,

DT

 

[reddog97]

I thought another handspring assembly was the answer but when I saw the spring itself for sale, I was wondering if you could just replace it. That's a pricey little part(14.00) for it to only last about 85 shots. Thanks again.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I have replaced the spring in an old hand by opening the slot with careful use of a sharp chisel. I cut a new spring out of shim stock and staked it in place with a bit of JB Weld for insurance. It's well worth a try, if you ruin the hand, well it's useless as is so you're out nothing but a few minutes of time.

 

[madcratebuilder]

Carefully open the slot with a sharp thin face chisel over a bench block. Open just enough to remove the broken piece. I like to make replacement springs from feeler gauge stock, I have never had one of those break on me.

 

[David Teague]

You might be the cause of the breakage if you aren't breaking down the revolver to clean it when it starts to bind from fouling.

When I was a greenhorn I'd just keep shooting til the revolver fouled out and jammed. Amazingly enough I use to break hand springs often. Now I do a quick clean on the bench and keep shooting. I've got 2000ish rounds though my current 1861 Navy and I'm on my 3rd hand spring.

Cheers,

DT

 

[rafterob]

I've got well over 300 rounds through mine with no issue yet (Knock on wood). So maybe the part had a flaw to begin with. That is a pretty dainty little piece of metal so potential for failure is pretty high.

 

[reddog97]

I completely disassemble and clean all of my BP revolvers and rifles the same day I shoot 'em. They're spoiled and never get put away w/o a bath first.

 

[reddog97]

Where would I find feeler gauge stock?

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Just buy a cheap set of feeler gauges at any auto parts store, then select the thickness you like.

 

[R.M.]

I've heard of guys using Bobby pins. Never tried it myself, but it should work.

 

[David Teague]

I completely disassemble and clean all of my BP revolvers and rifles the same day I shoot 'em. They're spoiled and never get put away w/o a bath first.

No, I'm not talking about the end of day cleaning, I'm talking about the "after 18 rounds" cleaning of the fouling that can put excess drag on your hand & spring.

Cheers,

DT

 

[madcratebuilder]

Just buy a cheap set of feeler gauges at any auto parts store, then select the thickness you like.

I wouldn't buy a cheap set. I would buy a single leaf from a Snap-On or Mac truck. I think you can order just a single leaf from NAPA. The quality sets are a much better grade of steel. The sets from Horrible Freight are pretty soft.

 

[Poor Private]

if your going to all that expense and time just to order a special feeler gage- just get the correct part. Going to end up about the same cost and time involved. If you would have orderd it on Saturday you would have had the part today and installed(if you were down). Me, I have a complete set of parts for my remy and have them in a 35mil camera container in my shooting box. I have a couple of spare trigger springs on hand in my spareparts box. When I break one or loan one out I immediately order a replacement or 2.

 

[madcratebuilder]

if your going to all that expense and time just to order a special feeler gage- just get the correct part. Going to end up about the same cost and time involved. If you would have orderd it on Saturday you would have had the part today and installed(if you were down). Me, I have a complete set of parts for my remy and have them in a 35mil camera container in my shooting box. I have a couple of spare trigger springs on hand in my spareparts box. When I break one or loan one out I immediately order a replacement or 2.

Thirty years of drag racing has left me with dozens of sets, most have the .014 to .020 gauges worn out. The other ones are still new.

The whole point of using quality steel is so you only have to do this one time. One gauge well make several hand springs. Why waste your time putting a cheesy Italian part back in just to have it fail again.