Another Armi Sport Spencer Problem.....But Easily Fixed.

[Rancid Roy]

Howdy Folks,

Two Flints, if you think its worthwhile you might add this to the collection of "Spencer Problems and Fixes".

For all, I am not speaking ill of the Armi-Sport Spencers, I am very happy with mine.

Here's the story.

I went to the range and as I continued to shoot my Spencer in 56-50 I started getting light firing pin hits and finally no ignition at all, even with several extra strikes. It was freezing cold so I packed up and went home.

I was aware of the percussion plate having its screws loosen up and cause light hits. I checked that and one screw was out only about a 1/4 turn. Even so I freed up both screws, loctited them, and waited for my next shoot. It did appear that also the hammer was "sluggish" in its final few moments as it fell onto the percussion plate. But I wasn't sure if that was normal or not as the previous shooting session was my one and only other than a short range session months prior to that one.

When I returned to the range this weekend I got light firing pin strikes and no ignition. And....sometimes the hammer would stop at half cock on the way forward. I was now suspecting a broken hammer-spring.

I took the lock assembly apart today and the little screw [stirrup screw] that holds the stirrup in place was backing out and dragging on the inner face of the lockplate. This action was retarding the fall of the hammer on the fring pin plate. I loctited the stirrup screw and while I had the action apart lightly polished the sear surfaces [trigger break was horrible] and polished the stirrup screw head, fly, and tumbler where they rubbed against the lockplate.

It now appears that the weapon is back in service and maybe next week a test-firing will confirm that.

By the way. The hammer is press-fitted to the tumbler via a square "post" on the tumbler which enters through the lockplate. And mine was tighter than Dick's hatband. I had to use a brass wedge to separate the hammer from the tumbler by placing the lockplate in a vise and driving the brass wedge between the hammer and lockplate and forcing the hammer off of the tumbler post. When I reassembled everything I greased the post with Rig and tightened everything up with the hammer screw.

I ain't no gunsmith and usually I'm smart enough to take real gunsmith problems to a professional. There may be better ways to free that hammer from the tumbler. But it all worked for me okay and now I think my Spencer is ready to go.

[Fox Creek Kid]

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,14516.0.html

[Two Flints]

Hi Rancid and Fox Creek,

So added, #14 "Another Look at Why My Spencer Mis-Fires"