Help Requested

[Virginia John]

I recently acquired an SW9VE. Not knowing how long it had been since it's last tear down cleaning, I proceeded to do just that. Really cleaned it good. However, I can't remember how the take down spring goes back in. I have tried a number of different ways to no avail. I even took apart my Glock and unfortunately it is not totally identical. I looked on U tube and scanned this forum without success. If someone has an Illustrated Parts Breakdown and can scan the page that contains the take down spring and email it to me, I sure would appreciate it. Or, if someone using simple english could explain it to me, I sure would be grateful.

 

[VonZipper]

If you are talking about the recoil spring the end with the knob goes in the front hole of the slide and the other end goes on the lower notch of the slide. Make sure it is centered.

 

[Virginia John]

No, I am talking about the spring for the take down lever, The lever you have to pull down in order to remove the slide.

 

[AnthemBassMan]

There should be a small hole in the frame between the front rails. If it's set up like my SD40VE, there should be a U shaped red spring right by it. The straight leg of the spring just drops into that hole, and the end with the funky bend in it is what sits under the take down lever.

L8R,
Matt

 

[AnthemBassMan]

 

[Virginia John]

Thank you so much. I don't know who hid that hole where I couldn't find it. It is probably that the memory is getting a little short. Again thank you. The pictures helped. You wouldn't believe all the places I was trying to put that spring.

 

[ou1954]

Where the green spring goes and more

Thank you so much. I don't know who hid that hole where I couldn't find it. It is probably that the memory is getting a little short. Again thank you. The pictures helped. You wouldn't believe all the places I was trying to put that spring.

I would believe you, assuming all those places are in the gun.

There is mention earlier about a red spring. I always thought it is a structural part but it doesn't connect with any nearby metal pieces, at least according to my Ohmmeter. I don't think it is a spring but can't explain why it is painted red.

Maybe someone who has disassembled that area of the gun can explain what it is.

 

[AnthemBassMan]

You're welcome. As for the red spring, I have no clue. All I can think of it's there to keep pressure on that part of the frame because the recoil spring goes through there.

L8R,
Matt

 

[ou1954]

X-ray, Anyone?

You're welcome. As for the red spring, I have no clue. All I can think of it's there to keep pressure on that part of the frame because the recoil spring goes through there.

L8R,
Matt

I'm having a problem proving to myself that the red thing is a spring. It seems to be molded right into the frame, too thick to be a spring. I don't know how to see it in full without destroying the frame. If there is a doctor on this thread maybe some X-rays might tell us just how extensive that part is.

(I had a summer job doing X-rays in Long Beach Naval shipyard. We validated welds, etc., but we did have time to turn the voltage down and get good detailed pictures of our watches and other interesting things. The shipyard is long gone and the only X-rays I have access to are of me- I always get CD copies of the images of my knees and heart.)

 

[AnthemBassMan]

Instead of an actual spring, it could be a piece of U channel imbedded in the frame there for structural rigidity. This mystery must be solved!

L8R,
Matt

 

[ou1954]

Spring or structure?

Instead of an actual spring, it could be a piece of U channel imbedded in the frame there for structural rigidity. This mystery must be solved!

L8R,
Matt

There's gotta be someone on this thread who knows the answer.

I did check between a bare spot on that red piece with an ohmmeter and it doesn't connect with any other metal in that area.

Come on, folks. We can't sleep as long as this critical question hangs over our heads.

 

[AnthemBassMan]

Inquiring minds need to know!!

L8R,
Matt

 

[S&W Rover]

I'm guessing the red "U" is designed to keep the two slide rails spread the correct distance apart, so the slide stays in the right place.

The front slide rails are embedded in the plastic but do not appear to be be connected to the block in the front, and without the red metal "U" would be pressed inwards.

I'm guessing the "U" is red so that S&W production inspectors can see that it is in the right place after the frame is molded (if the "U" were black, it would be a lot harder to see).

 

[ou1954]

The red U

I'm guessing the red "U" is designed to keep the two slide rails spread the correct distance apart, so the slide stays in the right place.

The front slide rails are embedded in the plastic but do not appear to be be connected to the block in the front, and without the red metal "U" would be pressed inwards.

I'm guessing the "U" is red so that S&W production inspectors can see that it is in the right place after the frame is molded (if the "U" were black, it would be a lot harder to see).

Yup, I tend to agree that it is a structural component and it is clearly molded in when the frame is made. It would be interesting to see the shape of the hidden parts of it.

I did check all the exposed metal parts in that area for connectitivity and they are all separate electrically. That included the exposed bare metal of the red U.

Somebody out there must know the answer!

 

[AnthemBassMan]

I know for sure that it's not connected to the front metal locking block. Whenever I installed the Apex spring kit, the locking block, or whatever it is, comes out.

L8R,
Matt