replacement hand spring for SAA -- wire or flat?

[Kaylee]

and what maker?

My new Uberti SAA just stopped locking up *grrrr* so it looks like I need to order a new hand spring. Are the wire ones from Wolffe and Heinie and such more durable that flat springs? I don't care about lightening the trigger pull, I just want darn springs that won't frickin' break all the time.

Any suggestions as to a source?

 

[Old Fuff]

Are you sure you mean the hand spring (on the back of the pawl that rotates the cylinder, or the trigger and bolt spring that looks sort of like a horseshoe with a screw at the front?

If it is the trigger & bolt spring I recommend the wire kind. They seldom break.

If it is the hand spring I would have a gunsmith drill a hole in the back of the frame and insert a coil spring and plunger of the kind used in Ruger S.A. revolvers. They never break, and the conversion is easy too do.

 

[Kaylee]

Ah -- thank you. Brain fart, yes I meant the bolt spring.

Okay.. I'll order one of the wire ones. Thanks so much!

 

[Old Fuff]

After you get your new spring, do the world famous Old Fuff bolt timing test...

Remove the cylinder and let the hammer all of the way down. then pull the hammer back to the first (safety) notch. Watch the cylinder bolt's ball (the part that sticks up through the frame and locks the cylinder), It shouldn't move or if it does the downward movement should be very slight. The idea is that if the cylinder was still in place it would be locked.

Then pull the hammer back to the half-cock notch. At this point the ball should be low enough so that the cylinder would be unlocked and free to turn.

Then pull the hammer back to full-cock and see if the ball continues to move downward until it reaches the point where it's released and pops up again.

After you pass the half-cock position the bolt shouldn't continue to go down, at least not much. If it does the spring will be over-stressed and in time, likely break. A gunsmith that is experienced in working on Colt or Colt-clone single actions (including cap & ball revolvers) can make some minor adjustments to the bolt and correct the timing.

 

[Jim K]

You can also replace the flat hand spring with a wire spring bent double so it looks like a flat spring. The doubled end (the round end) goes at the top and should be shaped accordingly with a slight bend. The two "loose" ends are inserted together into the slot, just like a flat spring, and will work the same way.

Another trick is to replace the hand spring with one cut at great expense and effort from (are you ready for this?) a large binder clip. (No, Brownell's doesn't have them, try Staples.) The steel is better than that used in most of the hand springs and will last about forever.

Jim

 

[P95Carry]

Shucks - never fails to amaze me the store of info we have here! Fuff and Jim - hats off again.