S&W 1st. Mod DA disaster

[Exmilcop]

Well, some time back I picked up a pretty sad 1st. mod. DA in .44 Russian. Most of the nickel was gone and some fool had just swiped the whole pistol with cold blue without learning how to do a blue job. I did the scut work and spent a lot of time removing the remaining nickel, and cleaning and polishing the steel. I sent it to a gunsmith who did a proper hot blue job. To make a long story short, the little leaf spring in the fore part of the trigger guard broke. I'm hoping to find someone who'll micro weld the thing since parts are almost non existent unless someone has a baffed out donor pistol Pics one and two are before and after and the other pics are the broken spring. Any advice or suggestions would be most appreciated.

 

[steelslaver]

I don't know how thick that material is, but you could get some steel banding material, use a dremel and cutoff wheel to make the outline, then get it red hot where needed and bend it to shape. Then heat the entire piece red and hot enough that a magnet will not stick to it, then just a bit hotter, quickly dunk in canola, peanut or corn oil. then stick it in molten lead for 2 hours cool it and then stick it back in the lead for 2 more hours and cool it again and you will have a double tempered spring

 

[Jaco1234]

Dixie gun has spring material.
Flat springs are not difficult for make.
Little cutting and filing.
Itcan be made sringy by hammering it evenly without heating.
Springs for flint locks were made in this manner.

 

[Jaco1234]

Brownells has a utube video. A gunsmith is making a flat spring for an English double barrel.
I can't find it. Still looking.

 

[steelslaver]

Most metal banding material is spring steel.

 

[mmaher94087]

The metal banding (Blue Plate) is too thin and not as strong as it needs to be to reset the trigger. A flat spring can be made but one must duplicate it exactly as the legs are different in length and curvature. I'm also not sure if welding and heat-treating a welded spring will work without the spring breaking at the weld. I would make a new one.

 

[steelslaver]

The metal banding (Blue Plate) is too thin and not as strong as it needs to be to reset the trigger. A flat spring can be made but one must duplicate it exactly as the legs are different in length and curvature. I'm also not sure if welding and heat-treating a welded spring will work without the spring breaking at the weld. I would make a new one.

I was not aware of that the needed spring was that thick. Welding a spring will not work. Maybe it would if you preheated it to over 500f then tig welded it with spring steel filler, then normalized it, then hardened it, then tempered it.

I have about 50' of 1&5/8"x3/8" 5160 spring steel bar if anyone needs some.

 

[Jaco1234]

Brownells video
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTH95R3NacY&ab_channel=MidwayUSA"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTH95R3NacY&ab_channel=MidwayUSA[/ame]

The cost of spring stock is minimal compared to the time spent making the spring.
It is very frustrating making an spring installing it and having it break or get weak after a little use.

Spring stock usually comes in an annealed form so it is easy to work as well.

 

[Exmilcop]

Thank you all! First off, most of my adult life was spent as a carpenter/cabinet maker so if you have a wood question, I'm your guy. Metal work? Not so much. I've done some basic stuff but making a spring is out of my wheelhouse and living in an apartment (so no shop) limits what I can do anyway. I do have some contacts here in Canada who have stepped up, but I have to ask anyway, what are the odds that someone has a baffed out or donor pistol or scavenged parts for a 1st. Mod. DA? I'm attaching a pic of the spring in questionl

 

[steelslaver]

You might try posting in the Anted to Buy section.

I just checked Jacks First and he does have some 44 DA parts, but not that spring.

If you can't find one anywhere or someone else to fabricate on email me

 

[2152hq]

If you don't want to make one, check Wolff Gun Springs.
They have assortment V style springs for different applications.
Something might be usable, even with some alteration to length, etc.

https://www.gunsprings.com/index.php?page=items&cID=4&mID=132

Scroll down past the coil springs to the V style springs.


If you make one, the labor is in the cutting, shaping and polishing of it. Then making sure it fits right and has proper pre-load, etc.
I've always heated them to an orange color and quenched in used motor oil.
Temper in a Lead Bath at 735F (that's as high as the LEE pot will go on my lead thermo!).
I leave them in 15 minutes. Take it out and let it air cool.

Made from 1075 or 1095 they always seem to work OK.

Reshaping/altering an existing spring to fit is a possibility also.
The needed spring is a simple one and not very large.
Plenty of other donor V springs have enough material and length in the arms to supply one.

All it takes is cutting/grinding/polishing/fitting. Just like making one from a piece of spring stock.
But if the , length/width, bend and curve of the arms is made right in the shaping and you don't overheat it in the re-work,,you won't have to go thru any hardening/tempering process.

Material cost is almost nothing for the right stuff. Don't use a piece of MysterY Metal and waste a lot of time and effort only to experience failure.

 

[Protocall_Design]

That's a pretty easy one as V springs go.

 

[gunbarrel]

*if* (and before everybody jumps down my throat), I repeat *If* the trigger spring for a top-break .38 DA revolver can be used, Numrich has reproductions for $12.79

Smith & Wesson Model 38 Double Action Revolver Parts | Gun Parts Corp.

 

[Exmilcop]

That's a pretty easy one as V springs go.

As I noted earlier, not difficult for some but out of my wheelhouse. If the fates are kind, I'll have a buddy fabricate one.

 

[Exmilcop]

*if* (and before everybody jumps down my throat), I repeat *If* the trigger spring for a top-break .38 DA revolver can be used, Numrich has reproductions for $12.79
I've never handled one, but I would assume the frame is smaller than the .44 Russian and if so, the parts (though similar) would likewise be smaller. Perhaps one of the experts can chime in on this? Even if the spring was not a perfect fit, perhaps it could be adapted? Whatever, I've placed an order for one and may be able to make it work. If not, it's not like the part was overly expensive. I am most grateful for the "heads up"!