Anyone up for making a spring?

[Wayne Smith]

My combination gun was made/sold in Stettin, Germany prior to April 1, 1892. The main spring of the rifle lock (sidelock) has been broken and welded sometime in the distant past. My gunsmith rebuilt the shelf on which it rests and told me that it may need to be replaced. He is currently two years behind on two projects for me so I thought I'd ask here. I'm including pics. The previous repair may not be captured, the break was in the lower arm where it abruptly transitions from thick to thin.

If you want to take this on I'll send you the complete lock.

[deltaenterprizes]

Can you show the missing half of the pic on the right side?

[rmcc]

I may take a crack at it, but can I get a photo of just the spring? Length and thickness @ joint?

Rich

[KCSO]

Before you go too far check out Track of the Wolf's back action lock spring it might be close enough to wet grind to shape. This spring will have to power the rifle firing pin too so a little stout won't hurt. I will also check my pile of locks and see what I have.

[stubshaft]

+1 on Track of the Wolf or Dixie Gun Works still carries alot of old leaf springs.

[Wayne Smith]

Can you show the missing half of the pic on the right side?

Here ya go. I don't have a spring clamp so I'm reluctant to remove it. Length is 2.955" to the end of the hook, .248" thick at the bend,the short arm is 2.598", 1.455" to where it reduces. This is the style where the hammer hits a firing pin protruding from the boss at the end of the barrel, not a cap lock.

[JMtoolman]

Wayne, what you have is a rebounding lock. The thin section of the spring is supposed to connect with a notch on the rear of the tumbler just before the hammer nose strikes the fireing pin. The hammer has enough energy to overcome the small thin part of the spring and continue on to strike the fireing pin. Then the spring arm rebounds the hammer off the fireing pin so that when the action is opened the fireing pin is not held in the primer and will not drag on the pin. If you cannot find one (spring) let me know and I can make one for you. Best regards. the Toolman

[Wayne Smith]

I have no idea how to know if I've found the right one or to replace it without getting a spring clamp. I've had too many springs slide off vice grips to try it with this. I'd really rather send it to someone who knows what they are doing. I am rather handy but this is specialty and too specific for me. Some things I'm willing to try - others I've learned to keep my hands off!

[Big Dave]

An old band from a portable bandsaw mill will often provide good quality steel for making flat springs. You need to anneal the stock and form and file to needed shape then reharden and temper. Be cautious to cut away about 1/4 inch of edge with teeth on it as some of these blades have a tool steel tooth edge welded to the spring steel band body.

For lighter springs, blades from small woodshop bandsaws work well too.

Big Dave