Spring Compression Tool?

[raftman]

Trying to replace a hammer spring (the pistol is 80 years old and gives the occasional light strike). The replacement spring from Wolff however is so much longer and heavier than the original, it seems like no amount of hand strength is enough to compress it enough to capture the spring on the strut with the piece on the right in the pic below. Is there some kind of tool or technique I'm not aware of?

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[gmerkt]

It would help to know what kind of gun it is.

Have you thought that maybe the spring really is too long? Maybe this spring is sold with the idea that it can have part of it cut off to adjust tension to appropriate strength. If this is the case, even if you could get it on as received, it might be too highly compressed for the hammer to operate.

Just from looking at the picture, if it were mine, I'd try to find some way to get the right end (as shown in the picture) compressed to just below the little "knob" on the end of the strut. Once in that position, find a way to hold the spring in that position, some kind of C clip that you probably will have to make yourself. Then position it in the gun, the pull the C clip out. Unless that little end or knob on the strut has a little hole in in that we can't see. If it has a hole there, it's intended to be used to put a pin through to retain the spring for installation. Some old revolvers have this feature. You may need a vise to do this.

 

[Nosferatu]

Use your teeth like a normal gun mechanic.

 

[raftman]

It would help to know what kind of gun it is.

Have you thought that maybe the spring really is too long? Maybe this spring is sold with the idea that it can have part of it cut off to adjust tension to appropriate strength. If this is the case, even if you could get it on as received, it might be too highly compressed for the hammer to operate.

Just from looking at the picture, if it were mine, I'd try to find some way to get the right end (as shown in the picture) compressed to just below the little "knob" on the end of the strut. Once in that position, find a way to hold the spring in that position, some kind of C clip that you probably will have to make yourself. Then position it in the gun, the pull the C clip out. Unless that little end or knob on the strut has a little hole in in that we can't see. If it has a hole there, it's intended to be used to put a pin through to retain the spring for installation. Some old revolvers have this feature. You may need a vise to do this.

The pistol is a Mauser HSc. The spring is retained by the mag release (the piece on the right in the first post, and on the left on this one). It has a hole at the top shaped sort of like the planet Saturn, so once the spring is compressed, the "knob" goes into the mag release sideways, and is rotated 90°. Here's an example of what the complete assembly looks like:

 

[raftman]

Here are all of the pieces separately:



So ideally the assembly sequence goes:
1. The spring is placed around the strut.
2. The spring is compressed to past the knob.
3. The knob then goes through the opening in the mag release which is turned sideways.
4. Rotate mag release 90° and release.

The problem is step 2, it's impossible to get that spring compressed by hand past the point it needs to.

 

[jbett98]

I'd put the c shaped block in a vice with soft jaws. Then take a 4-5" long tube with a diameter that could slip over the opposite end of the strut and make a pistol grip type handle and then compress the spring downward.

 

[po18guy]

I'd put the c shaped block in a vice with soft jaws. Then take a 4-5" long tube with a diameter that could slip over the opposite end of the strut and make a pistol grip type handle and then compress the spring downward.

Indeed. Like High Power main springs, it is easiest when one end is clamped.

 

[raftman]

I'd put the c shaped block in a vice with soft jaws. Then take a 4-5" long tube with a diameter that could slip over the opposite end of the strut and make a pistol grip type handle and then compress the spring downward.

Success! This was helpful, but what I did different was found that the slots in opening of one of those AK cleaning kit capsules are the exact right size to hold the spring but allow the strut to pass through, and that allowed me to compress the spring enough to capture the spring. Then just had to carefully wiggle the assembly out of the capsule.wasn't even all that difficult that way.

 

[2gr8dgs]

I've used a pair of wire crimping pliers
With the hole big enough to pass over the strut, but small enough to capture the spring.

 

[raftman]

That's quite clever. I don't have a pair of those but for a one time use, Harbor Freight has the one for under $6. Would probably have gone that route if the AK cleaning kit cludge hadn't worked.