Ruger #1 hammer spring

[Rico1950]

I posted this in Gunsmithing, with no luck. Read 26 pages on a search in the Ruger forum, still nothing.
Anyone know how to replace a Ruger #1 hammer spring? Without buying the $45 tool.
I want to put a Wolf extra power spring in.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

When you take the forend off and work the lever, you can see a small hole appear in the bar on which the spring rides.

Stick a small pin, like a replacement de-priming pin for a set of RCBS dies, through that hole when the rifle action is opened, then close the action and as I recall, the spring and the bar will then lift out of the action.

At that point, you will need to use a vice or???? to help compress the spring enough to remove the pin, remove the old spring and then reverse the process.

Been awhile since I had one apart, but it isn't any big thing to get the spring and bar out of the rifle.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[calaloo]

The Ol' Coot is right on. If you have a good vice with nice sharp edges at the top of the jaws you can compress the spring easily. Put a little downward pressure on the spring assembly to keep it from jumping out of the vice. I did this very job about a week ago. Put a speed hammer and heavier spring in my # 3.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

I have had a nice number of #1s of the years - never can have too many - but have never had a problem or seen a need to have a stronger spring.

Please fill me in on this subject if ya don't mind!

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[gewehrfreund]

One step that the previous posters left out is to drpess the trigger as you close the action. This will putt all the spring pressure on the slave pin and you can then lift the spring on it's strut right out (i.e. you do NOT need any pliers nor do you need to do any more spring compression to get it out)

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Yep, thanks, I did forget that step.

And yes, once that is done, the spring and bar will lift out of the action with no need of other tools.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Tatume]

I think it was Frank de Haas who first claimed that the hammer spring in the No. 1 is too weak. He would drop a pencil down the barrel of a rifle, point the muzzle up, and pull the trigger. If the pencil didn't clear the muzzle the spring was too weak.

His logic was that a weak hammer spring led to inconsistant ignition. There is something to this idea. It is well known that pressure guns can give very different results depending on how the firing mechanism is manipulated by the technician. The firing system works like a zip gun; pull the striker back and release it.

However good the idea, I have an even half dozen No. 1 rifles right now, and they are superbly accurate. I see no need to change the hammer spring.

Take care, Tom

[Rico1950]

Thanks for the replies. I already took the the spring/strut assembly out, courtesy of the Ruger video, before I even posted. My problem is my vice disappeared (divorce), and the Wolf extra power spring seems alot stronger than the original. I didn't want to remove the original spring and not be able to install the extra power spring. I ordered the compressor tool from Brownells. Should be here in a few days.
The purpose of the extra power spring is to prevent misfires with varying rim diameter brass and to decrease lock time.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Is that DECREASE lock time?

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Rico1950]

corrected.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Got ya!

CDOC

[the other DWS]

I've got half a dozen #1/#3's never had a misfire problem. Biggest problem is the heavy slow "falling anvil" of the hammer. The slow locktime and the jarring of the hammer impact make follow through a premium in an offhand or precision single shot rifle.
Most of mine have the Zika speed or competition hammer kit as sold by Brownells. The kit comes with instructions and a new Wolf spring. I've had Frank Zika change a couple for me at the range. he does it in less than 5 min (and thats on a real tight minimal tolerance one) with a couple screw drivers and the slave pin.
The light hammers and quicker spring do help a sole lot. It made a big difference in the custom #1 I use for 200 yd, 22rf benchrest matches. They'll also be going into my #3 schuetzen offhand rifle project gun as well.

[Rico1950]

Received the Ruger #1 spring compressor tool from Brownells today. It's made by or for Sinclair. Will swap out the spring tomorrow.