VTI 1875 mainspring

[Deadeye Don]

I have a Uberti 1875 with the heavy mainspring.  I bought a VTI lighter mainspring.  I got the old one out fine.  Is there a trick to putting the new one in OR I just need to muscle it in??    Thanks pards.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I firmly hold the spring with smooth-jawed duckbill pliers (or equivalent as long as you don't scratch the spring), put the narrow end in the hammer first and twist the spring to line it up with the slot in the bottom of the grip frame so it'll slip in. It helps if you have a non-marring vice to hold the pistol while you do it (I put the bottom of the grip frame in my vice). Once the spring is in, you can tap it from the side with a brass hammer to center it.

Oh, yeah, it's a whole lot easier if the hammer is full down when you do it.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Yep!

Sometimes a soft-headed hammer helps.

[Sunwapta Haze]

My method for installing main springs in Remmies is as follows:

• insert spring under the hammer roller
• insert a piece of 5/8" dowell between the spring and grip frame on the hammer side of the apex of the spring curve
• push base of spring toward and into the slot
• tap into position with plastic mallet
• cock hammer to seat spring

The lightened VTI springs are just a tad short compared to the original 75 springs and you need to add a spacer at the butt end to keep the spring from slipping off the hammer roller.  I used (Ithink) a piece of #8 machine bolt.  Works for me - your milage may vary

[Deadeye Don]

SUCCESS!!     Well I finally got the spring in using the advice from all of you.  Thank you.  The spring I got from VTI did not seem to be too short.  I am still in the process of cocking and releasing it to make sure it doesnt fail during a shoot.  Man the lightened spring makes all the difference in the world.  Makes you wonder why Uberti uses those heavy springs to begin with.  Dont any of them actually shoot the guns they make???   Regards.  Deadeye.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy Don!

According to Steve Young, aka "Nate Kiowa Jones," an outstanding professional gunsmith, the heavy springs are there to cover the fact that there is so little or NO hand fitting of parts.  The heavy springs force the parts to work, even if rough or poorly fitted.

It's a money thing.  The hand fitting would probably raise the prices by several hundred$.

[Deadeye Don]

Interesting information Jeff.  Perhaps USFA will solve that problem when their gun comes out and is more expensive.  I have to say though that so far all the parts in my 75 seem to be working flawlessly even with the lighter spring, but perhaps Uberti is just "guaranteeing" they will work with all the guns by using the heavy spring.  BTW how was the shoot on Sunday?

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy!

I was helping install my new furnace and humidifier all weekend, so ... 


I think - and this is just my opinion - Uberti seems to put a bit more care and finesse into many/most/all of their products.  MY Uberti 1860 Colt is 30+ years old, I had 2 and still have 1 1875 Remington, and my 1866 Yellow Boy are all by Uberti and only one has required anything special done to them/it (and that was a lever/lifter spring on the 1866).  Oh, yeah - I've tweaked 'em all, but they've been outstanding out of the box, so to speak.  ( I haven't got ANY of the boxes they came in.  )

[Deadeye Don]

The people I have bought my guns from have said....."keep the boxes"  as it adds to the value of the gun.  I have all of mine stored in the basement, just in case they are sold someday.  I learned my lesson about boxes.  I have a Matchbox  car collection from childhood but have none of the original boxes they came in.  The value is almost cut in half by not having the boxes.   

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Yep!

Unfortunately, 'tho I bought the 1860 and the 1866 new, I wasn't OFFERED the boxes and didn't know about the value (later) of them.

My 1875s were used when I bought them.

I'm not sure the 1866 will turn out to be anything "collectible", but my 1860 DEFINITELY is.  It is marked "Iver Johnson" and was only made and marked as such for a couple years in the early 70s.  IJ was the organization that was the official company which took Uberti forgings and turned them into authentic "Colt" guns.  (It's a long story and St. George has explained it better than I can on the "CAS City Historical" site.)  Basically, in exchange for doing a lot of the "leg work" for Colt tm and their BP guns, Iver Johnson was allowed to put their name on a few guns for about 2-3 years, so my 1860 is, for all practical purposes, a genuine Colt ... but not really.    When I bought it, there were 3 Colts sitting next to mine with the ONLY difference being the price: mine was about $75 and the Colts were $130-$150, depending on the model. (this was in 1975 or so - I'd have to find my receipt to be sure)