diy gunsmithin coil hammer spring tip

[El CupAJoe]

Hey All,

    Figured this out on Saturday, I don't recall ever seeing anyone cover this anywhere and thought it might help someone.  I was doing some work on my Charter Arms Pro V.  As it came from the factory, it has been giving me light primer strikes.  To compensate for this I purchased a Wolff Extra Power spring.  Removing a coil hammer spring assembly is pretty easy from this and similar guns, like Ruger double actions.

Step 0, remove ammunition from Gun

Step 1, remove grips

Step 2, cock hammer

Step 3, insert a pin/stiff paper clip etc into exposed hole in spring guide rod

Step 4, de-cock hammer, this frees the spring assembly to be removed as the pin holds the spring compressed.

Step 5 remove the spring assembly.

 

This is pretty simple if all you have to do is remove the assembly to deep clean or work on your gun, if you are replacing the spring things get a little more interesting.  

 

Step 6, remove the pin

Step 7, find the parts that shot around the room when the spring decompressed and you weren't holding everything right

Step 8, remember that you should have been wearing safety glasses

Step 9, remove and replace spring on guide rod

 

Here's the tip; when I first did this next part, I had to line everything up, find a slot that I could push the guide rod retaining piece against, use both hands and some pliers to compress the assembly and hold it while my wife got in there somehow and reinserted the pin, this is not ideal.  I always assumed they must have an assembly fixture at the factory to make this a breeze, maybe they do, but this tip doesn't need one.

Step 10, insert pin into guide rod through uncompressed spring.

Step 11, twist spring around guide rod to slowly compress it using the springs coils like a screw, a longer/stiffer pin helps, and getting a good grip on the springs may require more than finger pressure, I was able to do it, but you might need a leather strip, gloves or soft jawed pliers if it gives you problems.  if you are going to oil your spring, I recommend doing it after it's all reassembled to avoid grip issues on this step.

Step 12, if your spring has a closed end, it probably won't rotate past the last coil, but there may still be enough room to slip the retaining piece on the end and insert the whole assembly into position on the gun, this worked for me, it may work for you

Step 13, Remove the pin while holding the assembly in the gun, check hammer/trigger function,

Replace grips and you're done!  it was so easy compared to what I had done before, I actually did it a few times Saturday as I was taking some coils off my XP spring to tune it.  I hope this helps someone, I just wish I would have known about it sooner.

 

 

[J-BAR #18287]

genius!  

[Pat Riot]

22 minutes ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

genius!  

I will second that! Very GREAT idea @El CupAJoe

 

I have a tool for compressing the springs that I made but it can still allow things to get away from you if you aren't paying attention.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

I recently got a Charter Arms Pitbull. Shoots .45ACP. I had the same problem with light primer strikes. I sent it to them for repair under warranty. Their dime, too. I have to admit that it took longer than your solution, but I didn't have to hunt for parts that flew into the next room either.

[El CupAJoe]

2 minutes ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

I recently got a Charter Arms Pitbull. Shoots .45ACP. I had the same problem with light primer strikes. I sent it to them for repair under warranty. Their dime, too. I have to admit that it took longer than your solution, but I didn't have to hunt for parts that flew into the next room either.

I sent it to them first   still had light primer strikes when it came back, in fairness to them, they fixed the other issues I was asking them to address.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

6 minutes ago, El CupAJoe said:

I sent it to them first   still had light primer strikes when it came back, in fairness to them, they fixed the other issues I was asking them to address.

I'm just happy that I wasn't the only one with that problem. Mine is great now, except for the nut holding the grips. Even though I hadn't noticed any problem, the guy that worked on mine wasn't happy about the timing on it, so he even fixed that without my asking. Charter might not be S&W, but I'd buy another. 

[El CupAJoe]

Just now, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

I'm just happy that I wasn't the only one with that problem. Mine is great now, except for the nut holding the grips. Even though I hadn't noticed any problem, the guy that worked on mine wasn't happy about the timing on it, so he even fixed that without my asking. Charter might not be S&W, but I'd buy another. 

timing and light primer strikes where what I sent mine in for, also the grip didn't fit right.  my theory on the light primer strikes is that because CA uses the small frame grip, and hammer geometry, the spring looses mechanical advantage when they just add length to the hammer to make it work on their large frame guns.  normally, you would redo your grip geometry on a large frame gun to give you the necessary mechanical advantage.  I do appreciate that I can have a k frame gun with a j frame grip for CC though.  New spring has had no issues with light primer strikes and now that I've cut a coil or two off, the trigger pull isn't ridiculous, still heavier than the factory spring though.  when I first put the XP spring on, my wife had to use both hands to dry fire it.  

you should consider the Barami Hip Grip for CA, I got mine for $8 on Ebay, makes my total carry package 28 Oz for a 6 shot .357.  carries real nice.