Recoil Spring Rod--Slipping Off Barrel Notch (Pics Added)

[Steve912]

Ordered new recoil springs for the 1076 I picked up,
a couple of months ago. New springs (895240000)
are only 1/4" longer than the original, but have
a lot more tension.

The notch on barrel for the recoil spring guide is
tiny, and with the new springs, it's a real
bear to keep the base of the rod from popping
loose.

I'm thinking all I can do is (somehow!) grind the
notch on the barrel deeper, to give a larger 'flat'
for the base of the guide rod.

Anybody have this problem, and have another
approach?

(Pics added in later post)

 

[Gunhacker]

Look at the guide rod end, it's not flat, it's concave, with an edge/lip that hooks onto the notch in the barrel.

The contour of the barrel notch matches the shape of the guide rod edge... think of the way a finger nail notch on a folding knife blade is made to give your finger nail something to hook onto to open the blade.

The barrel notch could have been machined shallow at the factory, but before you alter it, check the condition of the guide rod.

A set of jewelers needle files are what you need to try and deepen the barrel notch.

 

[Steve912]

Ahh...so more a matter of trying to match the concave lip of the rod,
with a convex notch, vs a flat notch...?

 

[jbtrucker]

Barrel from my 5906

 

[Gunhacker]

Ahh...so more a matter of trying to match the concave lip of the rod,
with a convex notch, vs a flat notch...?

You've got it! It's not uncommon for a barrel notch to be occasionally under machined... but I'm curious why changing a spring would suddenly raise the issue.

Have you ever disassembled the top end before, or is this the first time?

How does your barrel notch compare to the pic posted by jbtrucker?

 

[Steve912]

You've got it! It's not uncommon for a barrel notch to be occasionally under machined... but I'm curious why changing a spring would suddenly raise the issue.

I'm curious, have you ever disassembled the top end before, or is this the first time?

How does your barrel notch compare to the pic posted by jbtrucker?

No, I've had it apart/together a bunch, but the new spring is
noticeably stiffer than what was in the pistol. Running
the slide onto frame with original spring was a little persnickety,
compared to other 3d Gens, but the new one was a real trial.

I've got more pics coming...here's first, will add others soon.

 

[Steve912]

Barrel from my 5906

That notch is much larger...

Notice, I said "notch"...

 

[Gunhacker]

That recoil spring guide rod looks beat up... I'd order a new one and Midway USA has a few of them and they are marked down:

Smith & Wesson Recoil Spring Guide Assembly S&W 1066 1076 1086 4566

 

[Steve912]

That recoil spring guide rod looks beat up... I'd order a new one and Midway USA has a few of them and they are marked down:

Snagged the last one, thanks!

I'll give that a shot first, before messing with the barrel.

 

[chief38]

Personally I'd send it back to the Factory and ask them to replace the barrel, spring & guide under the warranty. Looks beat up to me.

 

[Jon651]

No, I've had it apart/together a bunch, but the new spring is
noticeably stiffer than what was in the pistol. Running
the slide onto frame with original spring was a little persnickety,
compared to other 3d Gens, but the new one was a real trial.

I've got more pics coming...here's first, will add others soon.

It appears to me that you have the annoying combination of a very slightly shallower than normal notch, combined with a worn edge on your guide rod. Since the factory guide rods are aluminum then that is not unusual.

I would recommend replacing the guide rod, or even better would be getting a new one made out of stainless. I have purchased three for my various 3rd Gens (4506, 4516, and 4046TSW) from a member of this forum and have been extremely satisfied with each one. I have forgotten his forum handle but I am sure someone here can come up with it easily enough and you can contact him if you like.

 

[Sevens]

Personally I'd send it back to the Factory and ask them to replace the barrel, spring & guide under the warranty. Looks beat up to me.

With all due respect, this is a horrendous idea when we are talking about a pistol out of production for beyond 25 years. S&W almost certainly does not have barrels and haven’t had them for many years. If they end up with your pistol, the best case scenario is that the entire process with no result whatsoever means your pistol is held hostage for months. Worst case is that they deem it “unserviceable” and they don’t return it and want to give you some tupperware junk in exchange for it.

This is no time to send a classic, out of production gun to S&W.

 

[JohnHL]

"Sharpen" (square-off) the guide rod flange so it hooks better.

John

 

[jag22]

I don't think anyone asked this, why did you change the spring to begin with? Was there a malfunction or do you think well this is an old gun, it must need new springs. My mind set is don't mess with what works. Oh. and the flat side of the rod goes up.

 

[Steve912]

It appears to me that you have the annoying combination of a very slightly shallower than normal notch, combined with a worn edge on your guide rod. Since the factory guide rods are aluminum then that is not unusual.

I would recommend replacing the guide rod, or even better would be getting a new one made out of stainless. I have purchased three for my various 3rd Gens (4506, 4516, and 4046TSW) from a member of this forum and have been extremely satisfied with each one. I have forgotten his forum handle but I am sure someone here can come up with it easily enough and you can contact him if you like.

Hey Jon,
This rod is entirely stainless--shaft, flange, detent tip. I did
order a new rod from Midway. And yes, annoying is right!

 

[Steve912]

I don't think anyone asked this, why did you change the spring to begin with? Was there a malfunction or do you think well this is an old gun, it must need new springs. My mind set is don't mess with what works. Oh. and the flat side of the rod goes up.

Hi Jag,
Recoil springs are a wear item; after so many rounds, they
lose compression resistance and can allow frame battering
and even cracking, to occur. With a used pistol, it's wise to
replace the recoil spring, so you know you've got a spring
with correct resistance.

And compared to a cracked frame, recoil springs are
CHEAP--if a replacement frame is even available
(probably not, for a 1076).

Never assume a used pistol even has the right spring(s)
in it.

I bought a used 4013TSW off a well known retail site, and it
came with only ONE recoil spring in it. It's supposed to have TWO.
Fortunately frame, etc was still in good shape.

In the case of this 1076, the (correct) replacement springs
were about 1/4" longer than the spring it came with. "Just
a quarter inch", but man--big difference in resistance to
pulling the slide back! I suspect this pistol was pretty long
overdue for re-springing.

 

[Steve912]

A set of jewelers needle files are what you need to try and deepen the barrel notch.

I finally had the facepalm moment, and pulled barrel out of
another 3rd Gen--a 6906.

I think I'ma gonna need more than a jeweler's file..

Can you tell which barrel has the recoil spring, popping off?

 

[armorer951]

If the new guide rod won't stay put, perhaps a local machine shop could recut the damaged notch for you.

 

[Steve912]

If the new guide rod won't stay put, perhaps a local machine shop could recut the damaged notch for you.

That's a possible...I recently scored a Foredom drill press
kit, and might take a shot at it with that. Got one of the
lime green coordinate tables ordered from the prime vendor
of offshore 'amazong' merchandise. Slow, slow, slow...

 

[BMCM]

I use a six in long 1/2 inch diameter carbide end mill. Long so it can reach the desired spot with the barrel standing upright on the chamber end in the mill vise, even on a five inch barrel. I'll tilt the barrel a degree or two towards the cutter. Does a fine job redoing a worn out or undercut nail nick on a barrel. I've recut quite a few.

Cheers
Bill