Bad Company, SASS #20195 Posted January 4, 2023 Share Posted January 4, 2023 I have noticed people talk about sending their USFA's to gunsmiths (Longhunter comes to mind) to have action jobs. I totally understand that but is there a reason they do a coil hand spring mod. Do USFA's have a stock flat hand spring problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 No special problem. The "Ruger-style" handspring conversion, is smoother and more reliable, in my experience. Most folks don't clean the hand channel of fouling, and add lube, so they tend to break hand springs on a semi-regular basis. Because I shoot alot of black powder, cleaning/lubing the hand channel is part of my regular routine. I believe I've broken only one hand spring in my shooting career. Remington revolvers have always been known for going through handsprings, so the spring/plunger conversion is a big benefit for them. I have 5 pairs of USFA revolvers. Two of the pairs have the spring/plunger conversion. The pair I use most often does not, and it has never been a problem, even with shooting lots of BP. This has been my experience. --Dawg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461 Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 nope, some folks worry they might break one is all. There is a difference in feel between the two. I personally don't like it but I've been shooting Colt pattern pistols for decades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cemetery Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 58 minutes ago, Bad Company, SASS #20195 said: I have noticed people talk about sending their USFA's to gunsmiths (Longhunter comes to mind) to have action jobs. I totally understand that but is there a reason they do a coil hand spring mod. Do USFA's have a stock flat hand spring problem? Sometimes, people may put in a lightened hammer spring for easier cocking, but the original handspring might be a tad stiff, so as the hammer falls, the hand spring, being stiff, slows everything down, by requiring more downward force to compress itself, than what could be delivered with the lightened hammer spring, which can result in lite primer strikes and/or failure to fire. So that's another reason people go for the coil spring conversion. I think @Coffinmaker explained it to me like that one time. I noticed the difference when I DIY'd the coil spring conversion on my Uberti 1860s a number of years back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 I agree that it just adds some more reliability, but for most of my CAS career I've shot Colts and Uberti conversions. I've broken 2 hand springs, one on a 1st gen Colt, and one on a 20 year old Uberti conversion. My SAA reproductions have the coils but I haven't shot them all that much. The Kuhnhausen Colt SAA shop manual describes ways to tune (bend) the hand spring to both lighten the action and to lessen the bending force at the bottom where they break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Gun Cole Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 I have broken two of the flat hand springs. Never had another problem since they converted to the coil hand spring. 3GC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 On 1/4/2023 at 6:22 PM, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said: Remington revolvers have always been known for going through handsprings, so the spring/plunger conversion is a big benefit for them. How do you do this mod on a Remington revolver? I know that with some effort the flat hand spring in a Remington can be replaced with a wire one, but how do you modify the frame for a spring and plunger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 I have one built by Larsen E Pettifogger. He drilled on the curved surface just above the grips, so it would clear the hammer screw. Then he threaded a bit of the hole, so he could insert the plunger/spring, and plug the hole with an allen screw. Pretty nifty bit of gunsmithing, but then. Larsen is a master! In the image, it is right off the end of my index finger. --Dawg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCandless Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 On 1/4/2023 at 6:55 PM, Bad Company, SASS #20195 said: I have noticed people talk about sending their USFA's to gunsmiths (Longhunter comes to mind) to have action jobs. I totally understand that but is there a reason they do a coil hand spring mod. Do USFA's have a stock flat hand spring problem? Leaf-type hand springs are another thing that can break at the most inopportune time. I've had one break during competition, and one break on the second shot out of the box. Why risk it, when there's a better way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 1 hour ago, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said: I have one built by Larsen E Pettifogger. He drilled on the curved surface just above the grips, so it would clear the hammer screw. Then he threaded a bit of the hole, so he could insert the plunger/spring, and plug the hole with an allen screw. Pretty nifty bit of gunsmithing, but then. Larsen is a master! In the image, it is right off the end of my index finger. --Dawg A friend and I considered doing that but we thought it might be considered an illegal external modification as it can be seen when the pistol is at rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Company, SASS #20195 Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 I've been shooting and tuning real Colt's for more than 25 years. Lots of rounds down range with my Colts. I have never had a broken handspring. When I just got a Rodeo II to see what they were like, the handspring broke in less than a minute of dry firing. That's when I thought about the trend to coil spring these guns, Bob Munden did it with Colts but I see no need for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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