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Need a spring for a gun....
jltrent
Member Posts: 9,218 ✭✭✭✭
I need a mainspring for a gun like this (Forehand & Wadsworh). Where could I find it? Thanks for any help.
Comments
As You already have one I would have thought the best thing to do was have one made using the one you have as a pattern.
This is where you normally look, though they appear to be sold out now:
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Manufacturers/ForehandWadsworth-33243/Revolvers-36272/HammerRevolverLargeFrame-38041.htm
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/Products/210580A.htm
Even if they had this part in stock, I think you'd have to be cautious in buying one, because their parts all come from broken-down guns, and these particular springs are fairly prone to breakage.
If the goal is just to get the gun functional (rather than restore it to parts-authentic collector-like status), then your best bet probably is to have a new spring fabricated out of spring steel. A good gunsmith should be able to do that for you. . .though whether or not the price of his time will be cost-effective for something like this is a different matter.
I saw a post on another forum claiming you could fabricate these springs relatively easy out of the spring steel from a large binder clip cut with a dremel. Assuming you have any skill with hand tools, these are cheap enough that its probably worth a shot to try.
Edit, responding to below:
quote:I think the post about binder clips as a source was referring to V-type trigger springs, which are much shorter.
Could be, though binder clips do come in fairly large sizes (see below).
My concern with this approach would just be that a section of binder clip might not have enough spring tension ("k") to get reliable ignition powering the revolver hammer. If you can adapt a V type mainspring from another revolver to fit, that may work better.
Very similar springs were used in some Spanish S&W copies that possibly could be fitted and are available from Dixie Gun Works.
These are probably examples on EBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-2-mainsprings-for-Spanish-copy-of-S-W-revolver-lot-1-/121262325427?nma=true&si=ewPkq%2BhTPXzICSdNbJEuJ8enQ2Q%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
I think the post about binder clips as a source was referring to V-type trigger springs, which are much shorter.
The challenge here is the right angle extension on bottom leaf of mainspring that reaches forward and doubles as a hand and trigger spring.
Very similar springs were used in some Spanish S&W copies that possibly could be fitted and are available from Dixie Gun Works.
These are probably examples on EBay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-2-mainsprings-for-Spanish-copy-of-S-W-revolver-lot-1-/121262325427?nma=true&si=ewPkq%2BhTPXzICSdNbJEuJ8enQ2Q%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557
I think the post about binder clips as a source was referring to V-type trigger springs, which are much shorter.
Those do look close. Thanks
Good idea to do some practice heating, quenching, re-heat, burn off, etc. to get the hang of it. I make the burn off container from a common food can, cut off half inch from the bottom & bottom beat flat to keep oil from running out to the edges. If you use a file for spring material be sure all the file serrations are removed from your finished spring b/c cross marks prompt breakage.