Main Spring Question

[gcollins]

Do B.P. Revolers have to have a super strong spring to fir the cap? had my hands on a B.P. revolver and it alost took both hands to cock the hammer, on half cock cylinders spins nice.
Thanks Greg

[Wicky]

No they don't! I have worked on a couple and find the best way is purchase a spare spring and slowly and carefully take off metal and keep trying it. I use a dremel and make sure you keep the 'buggy whip' shape to the spring and do not let grooves etc form. You want the spring smooth and straight from one end to the other. And did I say keep trying it! You should be able to lighten it up considerably and maintain good ignition. remember in the end a light trigger with erratic ignition is not much good, better to have a little harder trigger and good ignition if that is how it must be!
Also be aware you may be able to source after market springs - saves lots of work!!

Good Luck

[leftiye]

Dremel tool with a sanding drum! From work I've done on S&W hammer springs, I can tell you that the whole spring should bend. Don't let that small end get too thin. It will "stack up", though that's not as much of a problem on a single action as it is on a double action. On an S&W I pretty much stay away from the small end. It will depend on the profile of the spring. Whereas on a single action hammer spring force doesn't directly affect accuracy in a major way (unless it fails to fire), just lighten it until it cocks relatively easily, and don't get any lighter than that.

[Bent Ramrod]

My Cattleman Single Action .44 cap and ball has a very thin and light mainspring, much lighter than any SAA cartridge gun on the same pattern, but it fires every cap I've tried in it. On the other hand, I have a .31 caliber Pocket Pistol that is extremely hard to cock. I think a lot of the mainsprings in these replicas are needlessly heavy.

[Morgan Astorbilt]

For non-professionals, flat mainsprings are best lightened by removing material from the sides(edges) of the spring, not by thinning the thickness. Leave both ends original, and just carefully file or grind the sides, taking equal material from each side, and maintaining the same general taper. Remove all toolmarks to avoid stresspoints. Most aftermarket "light" mainsprings are made this way, although one maker cuts a slot down the center of the spring.
Morgan

[Wicky]

Morgan, Thanks for that info. I have never thought of removing from the edges. Once told it makes lots of sense.
Alan

[JIMinPHX]

If the caps fit the nipples properly, it doesn't take very much at all to set them off. Unfortunately, tolerances on nipples are often not what they should be & the size of caps varies with brand.