Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Missing Parts


Chickamauga Slim

Recommended Posts

So I disassembled my Vaqueros to do a deep cleaning & install bisley hammers. I was meticulous about keeping the parts separate and accounted for. Used 2 egg cartons to sort & confirm all of the pieces. Reassembled revolver 1 with no problems. Putting the second revolver together I discovered the trigger pivot pin was missing. Revolvers disassembled, cleaned & reassembled all in the same room so the pin has to be in this room somewhere, right?   Nowhere to be found, room turned upside down & scoured. How does a piece of stainless steel just disappear? $5 part from Midway, but they have free shipping @ $50 so $54 dollars later a new pivot pin is on the way (I ordered 2)!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You have discovered the reason I never disassemble a gun at the range; parts will escape.  At least at home there’s a better chance of finding them.

 

Have you tried using one of those magnet sweepers?  I bought one after several experiences like yours.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, used a magnet, moved everything, tested the other pin to see if the magnet could pick it up, went through the trash can piece by piece.  The pin just vanished. I was watching ancient aliens while all of this was going on, so maybe the cosmos took it?

 

And the reason I kept everything in one place was to be able to narrow the search if something fell out of the trays. My new goal is to obtain spares of every replaceable part on all match guns. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SLIM,

if you have a magnetic 'bowl' close to your table, look on the bottom of it.

 

And, I'll betcha a DQ treat that you'll find it at the last place you look..... ;)

 

P.S. - check your pants pockets or cuffs on your pants.   And sometimes, stuff falls and gets stuck on the top of your shoes.

 

..........Widder

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

SLIM,

if you have a magnetic 'bowl' close to your table, look on the bottom of it.

 

And, I'll betcha a DQ treat that you'll find it at the last place you look..... ;)

 

P.S. - check your pants pockets or cuffs on your pants.   And sometimes, stuff falls and gets stuck on the top of your shoes.

 

..........Widder

 

 

Checked the magnetic48 bowl, 3 times, checked the pants and inside the shoes. Checking the tops (& tread) in just a minute. I figure I'll find it in a couple of months, after I have given up completely, it seems to be the way the universe works.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep ! You have discovered gun law 101! No mater how meticulous you are you will loose a tiny part or have an extra part you have no idea where it came from. Lost a hand plunger spring early this week 2 days on my hands and knees looking for it no use. Got a new one, son found it this morning while doing his workout.

Rafe

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Chickamauga Slim said:

Yes, used a magnet, moved everything, tested the other pin to see if the magnet could pick it up, went through the trash can piece by piece.  The pin just vanished. I was watching ancient aliens while all of this was going on, so maybe the cosmos took it?

 

And the reason I kept everything in one place was to be able to narrow the search if something fell out of the trays. My new goal is to obtain spares of every replaceable part on all match guns. 

Is there anything magnetic around your table that it could be stuck to? 

Did you check your clothing? 

 

There are invisible parts gremlins hiding everywhere.  I have heard that they are paid by the gun parts distributors.  They hide under or behind your bench and steal any little parts (prefer springs) they can reach.    They are jokers.  They keep your parts until the new ordered parts arrive.  Then they return the old parts to plain sight just to irritate you.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Slim,

 

Have you checked the first revolver, that you assembled to ensure that you don’t have two Trigger Pivot Pins installed in that one?

 

Have you ever gone Snipe hunting?

 

Do you have a cat?

 

Did you ask your wife if she’s seen it?

 

Cat Brules

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

SLIM:

By chance, has that no good for nothing scalawag, low down TN Williams been to your house while your guns are out?

 

:D

 

..........Widder

 

He was here, but seemed too busy eating ice cream from my freezer to grab any parts!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Cat Brules said:

Slim,

 

Have you checked the first revolver, that you assembled to ensure that you don’t have two Trigger Pivot Pins installed in that one?

 

Have you ever gone Snipe hunting?

 

Do you have a cat?

 

Did you ask your wife if she’s seen it?

 

Cat Brules

 

 

I did check the other revolver for extra parts, and my wife has looked for it too, her eyes are better then mine.

 

& I've been the leader of several snipe expeditions until I switched to cow tipping, it's more fun, and the cows don't seem to mind!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Check the tips of any magnetic tools.  I've had a lot of springs and pins roll around until they found a magnetic screwdriver tip.  And it's amazing sometimes how a small part can hide against a tool.  Then you put the tool away and find the part next time you use the tool.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Get down on floor with a strong flashlight.   Shine it across all the flooring so light just skims the surface.   Get head down on floor and keep looking.  Pins and springs can be spotted more easily than with just normal room lighting.   Pin possibly got a roll-off-table and a kick as you moved around during the work.

 

Now, if your work room is carpeted, good luck!   GJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

SLIM,

if you have a magnetic 'bowl' close to your table, look on the bottom of it.

 

And, I'll betcha a DQ treat that you'll find it at the last place you look..... ;)

 

P.S. - check your pants pockets or cuffs on your pants.   And sometimes, stuff falls and gets stuck on the top of your shoes.

 

..........Widder

 

 

It's always the last place you look because you don't need to keep looking :D :P :FlagAm:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Had one of those pins (chrome) stick to the side of the screwdriver that was near it, thought I lost it, that little bugger tried to be sneaky and was hiding.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a money clip with a magnetic clip for bills.   Amazing how many small parts I have lost until finding it stuck to the outside of my pocket.  Had the detent ball from  the rear sight on my Colt Python drop 29 inches down, roll 3 feet back under my work bench before jumping 6 inches up to hide inside a baseboard heater.    That one took 6 months to find.      GW

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Get a vacuum cleaner straight tube and tape either a piece of gauze/ panty hose tight across the mouth. We used that method to get small parts, screws/nuts from small places on aircraft and in tanks . It works. But you'll probably find it a month after you get the new parts and looking for something else. :rolleyes:

Isom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a similar situation with my 1937 vintage Winchester model 61 that in it's' early life was a gallery gun.  The cartridge cutoff block was worn to the point that when the magazine had more than 3 rounds in it mare than one cartridge would come out of the magazine when action cycled.  Eventually gunparts.com had replacements in stock.  After replacing the part I couldn't cycle the action.  The problem was the cutoff lever needed hand fitting.  I had to file the profile of the lever which is punched from sheet steel.  To not overdo the filling it took many many disassembly & assembly operations.  In one of the disassembly operations I dropped the lever on the wall to wall carpet.  At least I thought it was on the floor.  I spent the whole afternoon running a strong magnet over the floor after I moved the furniture out of the way.  After that failed I used a carpet cleaner wo/solution to suck up anything in the pile.  All to no avail.  I tried to order another cutoff lever; however, no one had them in stock.  God was shining his light on me a month latter when while putting my work boots on I noticed the lever stuck in the tongue of one boot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a pin get away from me on a 38 super 1911 so I found a piece of piano wire chucked it up inn the lathe turned it down perfect fit.  Turn around to check my handy work and l saw it exactly where I had looked many  times.  Just don't make since sometimes.  Give up looking then it will show back up. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SLIM:

true story.   It happened today.

I was taking apart a pistol magazine to clean.  When I removed the base pad, the spring inside the magazine

shot out and launched the bottom piece of the mag assembly.   

 

I quickly looked on the floor to no avail.   I cleaned the mag and other parts and started thinking ... "IF I were that piece, where would

I hide"?

 

THE REST OF THE STORY:   I have a garage door entrance to my work shop.  The garage door was UP.

Without looking any other place, I told meowndangself that mag piece probably propelled itself up on top of

the opened garage door.

Sooooooo, I stood on the outside of the door and closed it.   Guess what fell down........YEP, that magazine piece.

 

Soooooo, if you were that pin, where would you want to hide out?

 

..........Widder

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One afternoon 'bout 45 years ago I decided to rebuild my '73 Super Beetle carburetor.  Kitchen table, clean cloth on the table, and you guessed it - egg carton for organizing the parts.

 

Finished, I took the carb outside and installed it, started the engine, and it ran like crap.  I tinkered, tuned, and twiddled, but it just wouldn't work.

 

Disgusted, I went back inside to have some coffee and ponder my plight.  Picked up my mug on the counter - several feet from the table - and just as I was about to pour some thick, hot, strong mud from the pot, there it was.  A tiny spring, hiding out in the bottom of my coffee mug.  

 

I never noticed it launch, I didn't notice it was missing (after all, the egg carton held EVERYTHING nicely organized!), but immediately recognized it.  Fifteen minutes later the li'l bug was running like a top.  :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

One afternoon 'bout 45 years ago I decided to rebuild my '73 Super Beetle carburetor.  Kitchen table, clean cloth on the table, and you guessed it - egg carton for organizing the parts.

 

Finished, I took the carb outside and installed it, started the engine, and it ran like crap.  I tinkered, tuned, and twiddled, but it just wouldn't work.

 

Disgusted, I went back inside to have some coffee and ponder my plight.  Picked up my mug on the counter - several feet from the table - and just as I was about to pour some thick, hot, strong mud from the pot, there it was.  A tiny spring, hiding out in the bottom of my coffee mug.  

 

I never noticed it launch, I didn't notice it was missing (after all, the egg carton held EVERYTHING nicely organized!), but immediately recognized it.  Fifteen minutes later the li'l bug was running like a top.  :rolleyes:

Parts Gremlins.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.