Springs

[Doc Sunrise]

I have to agree with Ten Wolves Fiveshooter.  I always buy my Wolff springs direct from Wolff.  I have never had a problem.

Another thing you can do if you want a softer spring without going so light as the Wolff spring since you are handy with grinding.  I have used my dremel and a drill to create a slot in the stock spring similar to the wolff with great results.  However, results obviously will vary in strength of trigger pull, but I have found it is just a little firmer than the Wolff springs. 

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

That's interestin', Ten Wolves.  I've wondered if they sent me the wrong springs: Uberti instead of Colt.  Maybe I should order another set.

Thanks fer the suggestion, Doc.  That's pretty good use of the dremel on yer part.  Before I got the Wolff's, I was thinking about grinding away some metal on the sides of the springs, sorta like the Lee's but not as deep. 

I'm happy with the tension/strength of the Wolff's, just not happy that I have to grind them since it seems like they ought to fit better outta the box (they're made to fit Colts, and USFA's are so close in manufacture, it's hard to believe the stock Colt springs could be that much longer).

[Doc Sunrise]

I have changed several SAA's to Wolff springs and never had to grind any.  They always fit right in.  When on the Wolff site, if I remember correctly, they did have a note about some fitting may be required.

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

I have changed several SAA's to Wolff springs and never had to grind any.  They always fit right in.  When on the Wolff site, if I remember correctly, they did have a note about some fitting may be required.

Were the Wolff's longer than the stock springs?

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Were the Wolff's longer than the stock springs?

    JD, as I posted earlier, When I've ordered from Wolff directly, I get exactly what I ordered, and the right fit, in other words the same size as the ones that came out of the gun to begin with( original ) no smithing to do what so ever, and that's way they're supposed to be, unless stated differently.

          tEN wOLVES

[Doc Sunrise]

All of the Wolff springs I ever had were exactly the same length as the stock spring coming out.

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

    JD, as I posted earlier, When I've ordered from Wolff directly, I get exactly what I ordered, and the right fit, in other words the same size as the ones that came out of the gun to begin with( original ) no smithing to do what so ever, and that's way they're supposed to be, unless stated differently.

          tEN wOLVES

Thanks. The reason I asked is because you never stated whether or not the Wolff springs matched the stock ones, you just said they fit. They could be longer but still fit (like the Lee springs).  I guess you're right about Brownells messing up the labelling.  I'll go right to the source next time.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Thanks. The reason I asked is because you never stated whether or not the Wolff springs matched the stock ones, you just said they fit. They could be longer but still fit (like the Lee springs).  I guess you're right about Brownells messing up the labelling.  I'll go right to the source next time.

    JD, I'm sorry pard, I guess I should have made myself clearer, in answer to your question, the springs I got from Brownells, some were longer and some were the same size, but WRONG, one set of coil springs were wrong all together, the flat hammer springs were wrong, I told them, that it was a good thing I knew what I was doing, because some one new at this would have struggled with it and never got any where. live and learn

            tEN wOLVES 

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

...it was a good thing I knew what I was doing, because some one new at this would have struggled with it and never got any where. live and learn
            tEN wOLVES 

You mean like me, tryin' to muscle them in and finally putting them to the grinding wheel?   
I'm hoping it was more Irish stubbornness ("I ain't sendin' 'em back!" "damn thing says Colt spring, so it's gotta fit!") than stupidity...
...but truth is it could go either way. 

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

    Howdy JD,

      Back in the 60'S, I tried grinding my hammer springs down, to reduce it strength, it worked, but I found it took too much of the temper out of the steel, and I was watching out not to over heat it, after a while I decided to go back to the old way, USING A FILE, and working the sides of the spring up and down length wise, NEVER CROSS WISE, or it will weaken the spring, then when I got it where I wanted it, I polished the sides and anywhere there was roughness or scratches, if you leave a scratch in where you filed, it will turn into a crack eventually and break, polishing reduces this greatly, you don't want to see any scratches... and I can say by my own use , that I never had a hammer spring break after doing it this way, eventually all springs, at least the flat colt type, will get weak from heavy use, and will need replacement.


                Regards

           tEN wOLVES 


                     

       

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

Here's an update to the spring issue:

I finally ordered a new set of Colt springs direct from Wolff, and guess what?  The Damn Things Are Too Long!  The exact same springs as Brownells sent me!  <banging my head against the wall BANG BANG BANG!!!> This is the 3rd time I've ordered these springs, and had the same outcome each time. Pretty soon I can go into business selling springs! 

Guess I'll have to break out the file! (thanks fer the tip, Ten Wolves).  Or I'll probably be lazy and put them to the grinding wheel.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

       Sorry to hear this JD, www.gunsprings.com has always got it right for me and most others, I think you need to give them a call, there nice folks to do business with.

              tEN wOLVES 

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

       Sorry to hear this JD, www.gunsprings.com has always got it right for me and most others, I think you need to give them a call, there nice folks to do business with.

              tEN wOLVES 

Thanks, Ten Wolves.  That's who I got the new springs from. And they were marked as the Colt model springs.  For whatever reason, I think they just make them a little long for USFAs.  (Wish I had a Colt SAA so I could compare the springs with it).

[Doc Sunrise]

Are the springs longer in overall length, or from the screw hole to top tip?  I have seen where the overall length was a bit longer, but from the screw hole to tip was ok.

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

Doc,

If you go back to page 2 of this thread, about a third of the way down the page, I posted a picture with the Lee Gunslinger, the original, and the Wolff springs.  You'll see that the bottoms and the holes line up.  The extra length is at the end. (the new Wolffs are the same as the older Wolffs).

Maybe I should order Uberti springs....?    (just kidding--I own enough springs, now)

[Doc Sunrise]

I forgot about the pictures.  To me it looks like your stock spring has been shortened at the tip.  Might just be an odd placement of the screw hole on the trigger guard.  I guess thats what they mean by these guns are hand fitted to a point where parts on the grips and grip straps may not just line up, but it is rare.

I also wonder if your guns date back to the transition time when some Uberti parts were still being phased out, as they may have had some differences.

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

I forgot about the pictures.  To me it looks like your stock spring has been shortened at the tip.  Might just be an odd placement of the screw hole on the trigger guard.  I guess thats what they mean by these guns are hand fitted to a point where parts on the grips and grip straps may not just line up, but it is rare.

I also wonder if your guns date back to the transition time when some Uberti parts were still being phased out, as they may have had some differences.

No, these weren't holdovers.  I've pulled springs from 1 Premium SAA and 3 (maybe 4) Rodeos, and they're all like that stock spring in the picture.  The guns were bought at different times over a 5 year period.  The Rodeos I currently have were bought right off the factory floor (they were custom ordered .44-40s) in 2007.  Maybe Ten Wolves' revolvers had a different configuration than current models?  It's a mystery to me.

Well, I'm gonna grind the springs to fit, and at least I'll have a bunch of spares in case one breaks... 

[Pettifogger]

I can't believe you are still fretting about springs.  Springs often have to be fitted regardless of what gun they are in.  Far better to be to long than to short.  This is a 10 second job on a belt sander.  Get over it.   Shorten them and have fun with your guns.

[J.D. Yellowhammer]

I can't believe you are still fretting about springs.  Springs often have to be fitted regardless of what gun they are in.  Far better to be to long than to short.  This is a 10 second job on a belt sander.  Get over it.   Shorten them and have fun with your guns.

I'm not "fretting" about them.  This discussion started because I know some folks have ordered the Wolff springs and put them in without any modification.  I've ordered from 2 different places and they've always been long.  I don't give a dam that I have to fit them (I modified the one I put in my Premium SAA), I'm just curious about why they're longer than the stock springs.

If this discussion bothers you, get over it.

[Coffinmaker]

Some of the time it depends on the phase of the moon, whether you hold your mouth right, and who punched the holes in the frame.  Most of the time they (the springs fit) and some times they don't.  That's why we woh work on these guns all the time call it "fitting."
One thing to remember, when you go to lighter springs is drag.  If anything drags on the hammer travel, such as the frame, the hand in it's slot, the main spring on the frame, the hammer catching the sides of the frame, basically all the things we clean up in an action job, that drag may reduce the speed of the hammer with light springs.
I use Lee's Gunsmithing Gunfighter springs almost exclusively for competition actions with superb results.  But ..... the action has been completely de-burred and polished BEFORE I change the springs.  There is lots of rubbin and buffin involved.  The results are worth it though.

Coffinmaker

PS:  Almost nothing you can buy for these guns is "drop in."