I have a Colt 1911A1. I want to remove the hammer spring (mainspring) to replace the spring and also clean the hole in which it lives. Does anyone know any tricks in depressing the mainspring plunger so as to remove the little pin that retains it in the housing? Previous attempts have resulted in spring, plunger and other parts whizzing my my ears and hiding in dark, cluttered corners of the room.
Somewhat OT
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try 1911 fourm, I have found the folks three to be very helpful when I need help
pete-driver
Member
I learned to do this with a video on you tube.
I always did that in the bench vise.
Pad one jaw and put the butt end of the housing is against. The other end use any short piece of brass or steel rod that'll fit onto the plunger and stand clear of the housing a short distance.
Compress in the vise jaws just enough to take the pressure off the pin which isn't much at all,,and remove the pin.
Then unwind the vise and allow the plunger and spring to come out.
Use the same technique to reassemble.
The cross pin usually isn't a very tight fit, at least in most Colt assemblys.
There's undoubtedly other ways and special tools,,but that's the way I always used.
Pad one jaw and put the butt end of the housing is against. The other end use any short piece of brass or steel rod that'll fit onto the plunger and stand clear of the housing a short distance.
Compress in the vise jaws just enough to take the pressure off the pin which isn't much at all,,and remove the pin.
Then unwind the vise and allow the plunger and spring to come out.
Use the same technique to reassemble.
The cross pin usually isn't a very tight fit, at least in most Colt assemblys.
There's undoubtedly other ways and special tools,,but that's the way I always used.
Out West
Member
I have a little table top vise that I use for that operation. Just put a couple of small pieces of wood on either side of the main spring housing (to protect the finish) and it works great. It makes it possible to use both hands: one to depress the plunger and spring and the other to push out the retaining pin.
Out
West
Out
West
OP
I Dood It!!
You're getting on in years if you can remember the cartoon character with that line.
I Dremeled about 5/8" of a 1/4 inch rod, and used it to depress the plunger as I tightened the vise. Luckily the retaining pin came out with just a push from a pin punch. As an aside, my mainspring housing has a little rod inside the hole for the spring to go around, probably to act as a spring guide. Never seen that before.
Assembly was something else: my little Sears vise was only about two turns from the screw from coming off when I got the spring, plunger and depressor between the jaws. They went together OK. Then the retaining pin decided it would be cranky and wouldn't go in as I pushed. I tapped on it with a light hammer; there was a 'sprong' and something hit me on the chest. I thought: "Horse Hockey and Holy Water; I've lost the whole mess; retaining pin, plunger and spring". But when I looked down, the plunger was in place and the retaining pin was all the way in. The only thing missing was the depressor, which vanished into a corner that was difficult to get at and full of stuff difficult to move. But that 1/4 inch rod will yield many depressors.
There ought to be a jig that would make the job easier. I thought of modifying a C clamp, with the screw as the depressor and the base machined to hold the mainspring houing at the right angle, with a groove for the lanyard loop if present. I'm nowhere near able to make such a contraption but if somebody with a machine shop does make one, I'll sure buy a copy.
At least in my 45, the reduced power spring (18 lbs, 20 is the factory spring) was able to light off a variety of different brands of primers. I had no trouble with ignition and the hammer was a lot easier to cock.
You're getting on in years if you can remember the cartoon character with that line.
I Dremeled about 5/8" of a 1/4 inch rod, and used it to depress the plunger as I tightened the vise. Luckily the retaining pin came out with just a push from a pin punch. As an aside, my mainspring housing has a little rod inside the hole for the spring to go around, probably to act as a spring guide. Never seen that before.
Assembly was something else: my little Sears vise was only about two turns from the screw from coming off when I got the spring, plunger and depressor between the jaws. They went together OK. Then the retaining pin decided it would be cranky and wouldn't go in as I pushed. I tapped on it with a light hammer; there was a 'sprong' and something hit me on the chest. I thought: "Horse Hockey and Holy Water; I've lost the whole mess; retaining pin, plunger and spring". But when I looked down, the plunger was in place and the retaining pin was all the way in. The only thing missing was the depressor, which vanished into a corner that was difficult to get at and full of stuff difficult to move. But that 1/4 inch rod will yield many depressors.
There ought to be a jig that would make the job easier. I thought of modifying a C clamp, with the screw as the depressor and the base machined to hold the mainspring houing at the right angle, with a groove for the lanyard loop if present. I'm nowhere near able to make such a contraption but if somebody with a machine shop does make one, I'll sure buy a copy.
At least in my 45, the reduced power spring (18 lbs, 20 is the factory spring) was able to light off a variety of different brands of primers. I had no trouble with ignition and the hammer was a lot easier to cock.
amazingflapjack
US Veteran
Brake parts cleaner.
jlrhiner
US Veteran
Drill press, if you have one. Find the right size drill bit, reverse it and use it like an arbor press.
Vise works too. I always liked the drill press though.
Vise works too. I always liked the drill press though.
NFrameFred
Member
Easiest is a little jig I made when I was doing quite a bit of that type of work at one time.
Just pick up a cheap-o hobby sized ( 4") C-clamp that was made in China (OK, mine was made in Korea) and pry off the free orienting 'foot' of the threaded post, leaving a small rounded knob that can be dressed down/smoothed appropriately. The base of the "C" can be set on the bottom of the mainspring housing and the end of the threaded post can be twisted into the cup of the top of the plunger pin to take off the pressure allowing the retaining pin to be easily removed and just reverse the process to reassemble. Keeps parts from flying and easily overcomes the housing spring pressure. Couldn't be quicker or easier . . . and the C-clamp stays in the bottom of my range kit box that housed my 'must-have' tools when I used to travel to matches.
Just pick up a cheap-o hobby sized ( 4") C-clamp that was made in China (OK, mine was made in Korea) and pry off the free orienting 'foot' of the threaded post, leaving a small rounded knob that can be dressed down/smoothed appropriately. The base of the "C" can be set on the bottom of the mainspring housing and the end of the threaded post can be twisted into the cup of the top of the plunger pin to take off the pressure allowing the retaining pin to be easily removed and just reverse the process to reassemble. Keeps parts from flying and easily overcomes the housing spring pressure. Couldn't be quicker or easier . . . and the C-clamp stays in the bottom of my range kit box that housed my 'must-have' tools when I used to travel to matches.
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OP
Just what I had in mind!! But I'd like to see something on the base that conformed to the shape of the end of the mainspring housing, and had some provision for those housings with lanyard loops. That would retain that end of the housing a lot more firmly.
NFrameFred
Member
I never used any with lanyard loops so it never was an issue for me, but that shouldn't be too hard to surmount. If nothing else, just grinding half the "C" base away or dishing it with a Dremel grinding wheel should still give it enough to rest on and provide clearance for a loop.
AGI DVD.
PM me if you want to borrow it.
PM me if you want to borrow it.
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