I KNEW IT! Still did it.

Shooting Padre

Shooting Padre

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I had removed the manual safety on my M&P 9 and have since changed the roll of the gun. I felt re installing the safety would be a good idea. As I went to install the detent and spring I had the idea I should be doing something to prevent the escape of said spring. A moment later, I was sans spring and a search has yet to locate it. I ordered a new one from Smith, they graciously have sent it no charge. Now, I need ideas from all you experts in this particular field on the best way to keep things together. Thanks for you help in advance. I knew it was going to happen, I just knew it....
 
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And under a white sheet !! Wife or girl friends are real good for finding parts we loose track of too.
 
I've actually never tried this but, when installing or removing small springs from your gun, put it in a gallon freezer bag and proceed slowly!

When a spring eventually "pops" out , and they surely will, they will at least be in the bag and readily retrieved!
 
Did the same thing with my Single Six. I KNEW to watch out for the pawl spring, put all of the screws and small parts on large piece of clear packaging tape so they wouldn't get away........but they snuck off anyway. $10 boo boo and about a weeks wait.
I feel your pain.
 
69HEMI-R/T said:
I've actually never tried this but, when installing or removing small springs from your gun, put it in a gallon freezer bag and proceed slowly!

When a spring eventually "pops" out , and they surely will, they will at least be in the bag and readily retrieved!
Click to expand...

I did this while replacing my M&P BG 380 trigger, and the spring still escaped.

The good part was that there was a very narrow trajectory path to search and I found it pretty easily.
 
I had this happen when making a paracord watch band and the spring pin landed on a brown shag rug. Thankfully, I had a flashlight and a diligent six year old with time to kill. After an hour he came up with it.
The plastic bag is a great idea that I'll use in the future.
"I told you so" is one of the hardest things to tell yourself.
 
Get a large magnet and start searching the dark recesses of your work area. You have joined the elite "Legion of Spring Searchers". We've all been distinguished members. I still have a Kel-tec PF-9 spring somewhere in my workshop. It's been there for years.
 
I had that problem with a magazine spring up at the cabin. I kept zinging it. But, it's a bit easier there because the room is pretty spartan. Not too many crevices and other places to hide. Exactly the opposite of my work area at home.

You want some fun? Try assembling the adjustment ring assembly on a Browning SA-22. Two incredibly tiny springs and two microscopic plungers that all have to be assembled at once.
 
I'm in good company. I think everyone hit my situation right on the head. First off, I went through my work area with a fine too comb (disguised as a four inch magnet on a long handle). Then I unloaded and looked in every shelf (Book Cases too) in the room. Then I gave up and waited for my wife to come home and find it (she always does). She Did. Then I tried the freezer bag trick, but big hands and reflecting light off the plastic complicated things further. Using a different approach and a needle nose vice grips, we finally got it installed. Next time I'll just let her do it. Thanks everyone, these were great responses.
 
I don't get the point of this thread. From my experience it's news worthy when I don't have a spring disappear into a black hole in my kitchen.
 
Been there, done that. Luckily, I had a spring that I modified to work. Best advice I can give you, if you like to tinker with your pistol, is to have several springs on hand.
 
scattershot said:
Been there, done that. Luckily, I had a spring that I modified to work. Best advice I can give you, if you like to tinker with your pistol, is to have several springs on hand.
Click to expand...

The beauty of this method being the the inverse relationship between losing a spring and backup spring(s) ownership is not linear....


(A few days before the original post, i lost a hammer spring cap from a stoeger 3500 shotgun in the same manner), I keep numrich open in a browser window at all times, because usually as soon as I give up and order the part, i step on the old one.....
 
Last edited:
I have learned the hard way to disassemble the gun in the unfinished part of the basement. When something goes zing, I can either see it on the concrete floor or I can sweep the floor and find it. Sweeping also keeps the used primers that fall to the ground in check. lol
 
An added note. When I asked my wife to help, she looked at the one place I had given up on, a bookshelf full of folders, various size books, etc. Lots of places to hide. She said, "I'm not looking in there!", promptly looked over at the window ledge and said. "Here it is." It was. She always does that, after I have spent hours looking, she hones in like she has radar.
 
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