Hello everyone, I'm david in France.

I have just got back this révolver Ladysmith .22, but a spring is broken.

Do you know where I can get myself this genre of spare part on the Internet ?

thanks in advance
david ;o)

Forgive my English which is not very good...

Bienvenu! You may have problems finding parts for your .22 Hand Ejector in Europe. There are guns here that cannot be repaired but can be used for spare parts, and there are companies here that may make spare parts for these, but export laws may prevent anyone in the USA from sending them to you. Others here may have more information.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Bun jore David,

I am not sure if spring steel can be welded however, there is a company here in the states that does restoration welding on firearms. Assuming that you have both full halves of the spring, it is possible that they could weld them back together. They don't do any finish work so any grinding or filing would have to be done by you but it may be worth an email.

RESTORATIVE WELDING
Museum quality TIG welding of antique firearms and edged weapons ... since 1964

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James Redfield
LM #497

I don't believe that spring steel can be successfully welded, but back in the 1960's I had a Winchester '92 loading gate repaired by the welder that worked in the textile mill where I was working for the summer. The joint looked like silver solder, but had to have had a low melting point because it didn't draw the temper of the spring.
I once made a replacement spring for a 2nd model Lady Smith. I got a piece of annealed spring stock from Brownell's. It took some forging and a lot of filing before I got it right, but I didn't have the broken piece for a pattern.

I don't know if spring steel can be successfully welded either. My next question was if not, why not?

I reckon steel is steel---and can be welded. I know a spring is tempered steel. I reckon welding it is going to put paid to the temper, but I also reckon the tempering can be done again.

Now you clearly need to be talking to folks who KNOW about all such stuff, rather than to folks like me who reckon this and reckon that. My knee-jerk reaction is it can be done---and quite nicely. Get in touch with Chris Hirsch---a wizard gunsmith----and a wizard welder----he who resurrected a broken latch for a NM #3 Target from the dead for me---completely dead. And you can't even tell it's ever been touched. [email protected]

Google his name for his website.

Ralph Tremaine

Thank you for these first answers. I have a friend who welds the small parts (he is a stringed-instrument maker). I ask him for what tomorrow of what he thinks of it.
david ;o)

I'm sure if the part could be found over here, a solution to getting it shipped to you could be found. That's what friends are for.

RCT269: You sure don't mind showing your ignorance do you? Steel is an alloy of iron, plus a certain percentage of carbon. The industry has set certain standards for designating the percent of carbon and other alloying ingredients and the different types of steel are identified by a numeric or alpha numeric designator which shows the alloy and the percentage of added ingredients. Thus 1020 steel is a low carbon steel which contains a low percentage of carbon and cannot be heat treated to make a spring. It is normally called cold rolled steel. You really should find a copy of "Machinery's Handbook" and do some reading before you spout off on something you know nothing about.

Only if you forgive our francais---which is worse!!

Ralph Tremaine

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass, David!

Bienvenue sur les forums du Wiregrass, David!

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Not being the least bit familiar with the inner workings of a Ladysmith, I must ask what is the purpose of the broken part? It is obviously not a hammer spring.

Trigger return.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

It could be welded, but, like you believe it would need Heat treated. But, not just retempered. Welding would take the weld effected zone back to a point where it would first need to be normilized. Heated up to about 1500f and slowly cooled, then it would need to be rehardened then it would need retempered. It wouldn't be that hard to redo the heat treatments for someone with a good heat treat oven. Although, the weld itself would be somewhat carbon depleted because the filler material would lack carbon that should not be a problem in a small section with a small amount of fill as carbon would migrate to the low carbon area when the piece was at high temperatures. But I don't think that the repaired area would have a long life.

What I would do is get a piece of 5150 spring steel flat bar and cut the basic outline of the spring out from the bar. Then, heat to red and bend, file and grind to the correct shape then heat treat to form a brand new spring.

David, welcome to the forum.

That particular spring is found only in the first and second model Ladysmiths. The third model had a different trigger return system. Your Ladysmith is a second model.

If you plan to fire your interesting revolver after repairing it, be sure that you NEVER fire .22 Long Rifle cartridges in it. They can rupture the breech end of the barrel. Most of us who shoot these guns use only very low power rounds like CB caps.

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David Wilson

"What I would do is get apiece of 5150 spring steel flat bar and cut the basic outline of the spring out from the bar. Then, heat to red and bend, file and grind to the correct shape then heat treat to form a brand new spring."

I was thinking much the same thing. The spring shape doesn't appear to be so complex that it couldn't be relatively easily duplicated by any competent machinist or gunsmith. But it probably would not be a cheap job if you can't do it yourself. I have made similar springs myself (but not for a Ladysmith).

Sorry I meant to type 5160 steel which should be available in any shop that makes car/truck springs. If anyone needs some I have about 30' of 1 3/4" x 3/8" as it can also be used to make hard use knives. Not home right now working a short terrm job and will be home sometime in early Nov.

merci à tous pour votre aide !

Thanks to all for your help !

There are or were a few shops which specialize in parting out unserviceable revolvers. Fortunately my Second Model does not need parts. They are indeed fragile, especially the forcing cone. 22 Long Rifle ammunition will chamber but is over pressure as the gun was designed and marked for the obsolete 22 S & W. Low pressure riunds like CB caps are best or standard velocity shorts in a pinch.
Scrolling back in the forum may yield a parts source.
13,875 second model M 22 hand ejectors were made from 1908-1910.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

Smith & Wesson – Jack First Gun Parts

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

As I recall, that spring is the trigger return spring and the cylinder release spring also. That spring begins like a flat hammer spring and abruptly turns 90* to fit along the side plate. That spring is the Achilles' Heal of the 1st and 2nd Model Ladysmith .22s. The last one that I saw for-sale (Ca.'95) was $150. Dave Chicoine (Ret) was the last gunsmith that I was aware of that could make that spring. They were expensive and he called them "Thumb Busters". I think the only way to get that spring is to purchase another working Ladysmith .22 as an organ donor. Good luck.

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Mike Maher #283

There are a couple of modest priced donor guns out there right now. At least there are if you believe $500 is modest price for a donor gun.

Robert

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760