Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Ammunition-Gunsmithing > S&W-Smithing
o

Notices

S&W-Smithing Maintenance, Repair, and Enhancement of Smith & Wesson and Other Firearms.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-08-2011, 09:20 PM
Tarheel97 Tarheel97 is offline
Member
3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring  
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 103
Likes: 2
Liked 6 Times in 5 Posts
Default 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring

I'm detail cleaning a 6946 that's has rust and grime on the drawbar plunger spring. I'd like to replace the spring but it looks like it's captive to the plunger due to a ridge on the plunger. Is it OK to man handle the spring off or am I missing something. I'm not worried about damaging the old spring I"m concerned I'll be able to get a new one back on.

Thanks,
'heel

PS - the receptacle for the plunger/spring in the frame has rust and grime in it too. Any tips on how to get in there to clean it?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-08-2011, 10:20 PM
Fastbolt's Avatar
Fastbolt Fastbolt is offline
Member
3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring  
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: CA Central Coast
Posts: 4,638
Likes: 914
Liked 6,591 Times in 2,191 Posts
Default

The spring can be pulled/twisted off the plunger. (I find twisting clockwise works easier for me.) Yes, the open coil end will probably lightly score the plunger.

The new spring can be twisted/pushed onto the plunger until it snaps over the rebated edge near the the collar.

I use a good quality cotton swab, making sure no fibers are left inside the channel to interfere with plunger & spring movement. The long wooden stick swabs sold by Brownell's seem to resist losing fibers better than most cosmetic swabs. (And "budget" cotton swabs can fall apart faster than you might expect when used to clean guns.) You want to make sure the channel is left clean, dry AND free of cleaning materials.

If you order from S&W the spring & plunger are:
061100000 $0.51 DRAWBAR PLUNGER
105760000 $0.51 DRAWBAR PLUNGER SPRING

They might send you one of each if you call and ask. The postage will cost a lot more than the parts.

The current drawbar plunger spring is actually listed as "rev A1" on shipping lists if you order it from S&W. Unlike other small springs used in the guns, the drawbar plunger spring is an "open" end spring, meaning the coils aren't machined down and "closed".

FWIW, for the sake of trivia, at one point during ongoing 3rd gen production they made some changes to the drawbar plunger and its frame channel.

The plunger received a tapered point, instead of the flat point of the original plunger. The tapered point reduced contact between the front edge of the plunger and the inside of the coils during spring compression (during trigger pull).

The mouth of the frame's channel/hole also received a slight bevel, to reduce resistance between the edge of the channel's mouth and the outside of the spring coils as the spring was compressed. Less bumping of each spring coil against the mouth of the channel during spring compression.

The front of the channel also received a small hole machined into the top of the channel, at the front, to help relieve any pressure build up as the spring was compressed, especially if some solvent, oil or CLP had somehow found its way into the channel and covered the spring. (The channel is normally supposed to be clean & dry).
__________________
Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Last edited by Fastbolt; 12-09-2011 at 05:32 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-09-2011, 10:03 PM
Tarheel97 Tarheel97 is offline
Member
3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring  
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 103
Likes: 2
Liked 6 Times in 5 Posts
Default

Fastbolt,

Thank you for the help and for the history. It's always fun (for me anyway) to learn new things.

Thanks again,
'heel

Last edited by Tarheel97; 12-09-2011 at 10:04 PM. Reason: correct typo
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-09-2011, 11:15 PM
Fastbolt's Avatar
Fastbolt Fastbolt is offline
Member
3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring 3rd Gen drawbar plunger and spring  
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: CA Central Coast
Posts: 4,638
Likes: 914
Liked 6,591 Times in 2,191 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarheel97 View Post
Fastbolt,

Thank you for the help and for the history. It's always fun (for me anyway) to learn new things.

Thanks again,
'heel
Hey, de nada. Sometimes I've felt some of the odd's & end's of things I've learned over the years might be interesting just for the sake of trivia, if nothing else.

fb
__________________
Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
solvent

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
3rd Gen trigger plunger and spring Prodigal Son Smith & Wesson Semi-Auto Pistols 17 04-28-2016 07:48 PM
model 10-5 plunger bolt and spring poordevil S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 3 09-19-2014 12:41 PM
WTB: 439 Extractor, Spring, and Plunger xx78 WANTED to Buy 5 11-15-2013 10:13 PM
I need a new sear spring and plunger... K.macocker Smith & Wesson M&P Pistols 2 04-01-2013 01:50 PM
WTB spring and plunger for a S.B. Accessories/Misc - For Sale or Trade 3 04-16-2012 11:34 AM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:50 PM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)