How to NOT mangle your sideplate...
- Thread starter BMCM
- Start date
OP
Ok, Buckle up..
First of all, I don't want parts falling or shooting out randomly when I'm taking stuff apart. So, when I R&R a sideplate assembly or any of the bits retained by the sideplate, I go about that in this fashion...
I disengage the sear pin first when pulling the sideplate assembly. That will prevent the sear and disconnector falling out while you mess about with whatever else you're doing. With the frame resting on its right side on a bench block and oriented so the sear pin is over a void like so...
Disengage the sear pin from the sideplate by giving it a light bump with a soft face hammer. The hammer you see there is a 2 ounce vintage Stanley. If you smack the sear pin with a 22 ounce framing hammer, you're doing it wrong.
Just a light bump and it's loose...
To pull the sideplate assembly I will secure the frame in a vise with soft jaws by the dustcover & oriented upright. Walk the side plate out to the left following it with a slave pin...
And... It's out, all the other parts remain in place and perfectly aligned. Now If I am removing the rest or detail stripping the frame I just back out the slave pin and pick one part at a time as I withdraw the slave pin... Ejector first then hammer assembly, sear release lever and last lastly the firing pin safety lever. The slave pin I'm using here is a mold ejector pin of hardened tool steel 0.139" diameter but, an old broken sideplate will work just as well as will a #29 or #30 drill blank or the shank end of one of those drill bits (not the pointy cutty end no no)...
Replace the sideplate assembly in the reverse fashion. Use the sideplate to back out the slave pin. Nothing falls out or goes springin' sproingin' across the room
...
Now you need the secure the sear pin. Place the frame again on the bench block or whatever but, this time you want the sear pin to bear against a solid surface such that it's pushed up a bit on the left side of the frame. I've never had need to use anything more than my thumbnail to snap the sideplate on to the sear pin...
However, on occasion you might need to give the right end of the sear pin a bit of a poke with a small punch or something to get it to fully snap in place. I'm backing up the sear pin with my index finger on the left side while giving the other end a bit of a push until I feel it click under my finger. Done...
Cheers
Bill
Back in the armorer classes they required we learn to do it the old fashioned way, which meant being able to remove all the parts and re-install them without the use of slave pins. You do that enough times and it's actually faster to just separately pull the sideplate and sear pin and let the other parts fall free. After all, if you were doing armorer inspection and service you wanted to pull the parts, inspect them and give them an individual wipe-off, anyway.
If you had to replace a damaged sideplate, you might as well strip out the 3 levers, hammer assembly, disconnector, Jesus springs, sear pin & sear and check/wipe-off everything while you're in there.
The head armorer for whom I worked was also a task master. He seriously frowned on taking shortcuts, including the use of a slave pin.
Not even for installing the 3 levers & hammer assembly while putting the sideplate back in.
For example, he'd developed a knack for being able to "pair" the sear release lever and firing pin safety lever, holding them together, and slipping them down into the frame's slot with the hammer and ejector being installed and held in place by the partially installed sideplate pin ... then holding them at just the right spot ... and then pushing the sideplate pin through them to finish assembly. (Hint: The leading edge corner of the sear release lever WILL snag and lift out the R/side Jesus spring if you don't develop the knack of wiggling and pivoting the paired levers in just the way to clear the spring as you push them down into the slot. Kind of like snaking them down into position. If you hook the spring with the toe of the lever, the reason for the name "Jesus" spring becomes quite apparent. )
During the learning process in the early armorer class I occasionally used the 1/16" cup end pin punch to reach in and align the 2 lever holes (inserted from the R/side of the frame's hole), so I could easily finish pressing the sideplate's pin through them. After enough times over the years and subsequent classes, they were quickly aligned well enough during slipping them into place that I didn't need the aid of the pin punch. One of the other armorers with whom I worked commented that it looked like a magic trick. Repetition and practice. (Understandably, not the province of the kitchen table tinkerer.
) It takes a lot of practice, which I considered a challenge from the head armorer, but most of the other armorers weren't interested in spending that amount of time and were willing to take shortcuts, like using punches as slave pins.
Okay, enough war stories.
Like BMCM I also use a soft mallet to "snap" out the headed sear pin, snapping it left-to-right. I use a yellow plastic mallet and apply a judicious whack to the L/end of the sear pin, and it pops out from between the sideplate prongs. Evenly. Pull the pin and let the sear fall out.
Now, installing the sear pin was usually shown in the classes to be done by positioning the sideplate's prongs over the head of the installed/positioned pin, then pressing the sideplate flat against the L/side of the frame (pin head flush with the frame), driving the head of the pin between the prongs in the process. We were shown to use a pin punch to push against the R/end of the pin, while holding the sideplate flat against the L/side of the frame, until the head of the pin snaps between the prongs. Do this for an hour or so in class, and you feel like you're digging a hole into the finger you're using to hold the sideplate's prongs over the sear pin, as you drive the pin to the left between the prongs.
So, rather than use a finger, I use the leading thin edge of a maple armorer's wedge (or a wooden brush handle). I hold the sideplate flat against the frame, with the edge of the wedge just clear of the sear pin's head ... with the R/end of the sear pin held flat with the R/side of the frame, resting against a nylon block ... and simply briskly press down on the prongs, close to the sear pin held. Snap.
Prepping to press down on the sideplate prongs, carefully positioned evenly over the head of the pin.
After evenly pressing down against the prongs, after the headed end of the sear pin snaps "up" between the prongs, as the sideplate snaps down over it against the frame, and the inside edges of the prongs are properly positioned in the machined groove of the headed end of the pin.
Finished product.
If you had to replace a damaged sideplate, you might as well strip out the 3 levers, hammer assembly, disconnector, Jesus springs, sear pin & sear and check/wipe-off everything while you're in there.
The head armorer for whom I worked was also a task master. He seriously frowned on taking shortcuts, including the use of a slave pin.
Not even for installing the 3 levers & hammer assembly while putting the sideplate back in. For example, he'd developed a knack for being able to "pair" the sear release lever and firing pin safety lever, holding them together, and slipping them down into the frame's slot with the hammer and ejector being installed and held in place by the partially installed sideplate pin ... then holding them at just the right spot ... and then pushing the sideplate pin through them to finish assembly. (Hint: The leading edge corner of the sear release lever WILL snag and lift out the R/side Jesus spring if you don't develop the knack of wiggling and pivoting the paired levers in just the way to clear the spring as you push them down into the slot. Kind of like snaking them down into position. If you hook the spring with the toe of the lever, the reason for the name "Jesus" spring becomes quite apparent.
) During the learning process in the early armorer class I occasionally used the 1/16" cup end pin punch to reach in and align the 2 lever holes (inserted from the R/side of the frame's hole), so I could easily finish pressing the sideplate's pin through them. After enough times over the years and subsequent classes, they were quickly aligned well enough during slipping them into place that I didn't need the aid of the pin punch. One of the other armorers with whom I worked commented that it looked like a magic trick. Repetition and practice. (Understandably, not the province of the kitchen table tinkerer.
) It takes a lot of practice, which I considered a challenge from the head armorer, but most of the other armorers weren't interested in spending that amount of time and were willing to take shortcuts, like using punches as slave pins. Okay, enough war stories.
Like BMCM I also use a soft mallet to "snap" out the headed sear pin, snapping it left-to-right. I use a yellow plastic mallet and apply a judicious whack to the L/end of the sear pin, and it pops out from between the sideplate prongs. Evenly. Pull the pin and let the sear fall out.
Now, installing the sear pin was usually shown in the classes to be done by positioning the sideplate's prongs over the head of the installed/positioned pin, then pressing the sideplate flat against the L/side of the frame (pin head flush with the frame), driving the head of the pin between the prongs in the process. We were shown to use a pin punch to push against the R/end of the pin, while holding the sideplate flat against the L/side of the frame, until the head of the pin snaps between the prongs. Do this for an hour or so in class, and you feel like you're digging a hole into the finger you're using to hold the sideplate's prongs over the sear pin, as you drive the pin to the left between the prongs.
So, rather than use a finger, I use the leading thin edge of a maple armorer's wedge (or a wooden brush handle). I hold the sideplate flat against the frame, with the edge of the wedge just clear of the sear pin's head ... with the R/end of the sear pin held flat with the R/side of the frame, resting against a nylon block ... and simply briskly press down on the prongs, close to the sear pin held. Snap.
Prepping to press down on the sideplate prongs, carefully positioned evenly over the head of the pin.
After evenly pressing down against the prongs, after the headed end of the sear pin snaps "up" between the prongs, as the sideplate snaps down over it against the frame, and the inside edges of the prongs are properly positioned in the machined groove of the headed end of the pin.
Finished product.
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