Govt. hammer spring replacement?

[1894cfan]

I know this isn't the place for .380's, but I have a Colt .380 Govt. that I need to replace the hammer spring on. Can anybody here help me out? TIA

[Mikey]

Wolff Springs, Ardsmore, Pa.

[1894cfan]

Hey, Mikey,
I've got the Wolff hammer spring, I'd like to find out how to replace it.

[Mikey]

1894cfan - run this question past the gunnut69, the moderator of the gunsmithing site.  If someone doesn't come up with a good answer for you here I am certain he can walk you right through it.  Mikey. 

[1894cfan]

Hi Mikey,
I posted there about a week ago and got no response, so I came here.

[Mikey]

I would try and find the Colt website and see if they have any schematics that might help.  I also seem to remember the 380 models were the Mustang and the Pony () and searching under Colt Firearms might help. 

I do not recall if the 380s are miniature 1911s but I'm not sure.  If they are it should be simple - pull the mainspring housing, depress the mainspring cap and push out the mainspring cap retaining pin and watch the spring fly across the room; try not to lose the mainspring cap in the process......  Now reverse the process with the new spring and you should be all set (if it is a mini-1911 that is....).

If this won't work for you then I know some of the others should know how to replace that spring and I hope they jump in here.  Mikey.

[SharonAnne]

the 380s are not miniature 1911s. There is no mainspring housing with a pin holding the mainspring in. I have looked at several schematics on line but cannot find an operators manual that tells you how to disassemble/assemble one. sorry

[Mikey]

SharonAnne - thanks, that settles that but a question please....from your viewing of the schematics does it appear that the hammer has a strut and if so, does the strut portrude into any sort of a housing?? 

I would think that if the darn thing has an external hammer there should be a strut somewhere and that if you pull the slide you should be able to figure it out.  Possibly a captured strut spring like the S&W j-frame revovlers???  Would there be anything exposed beneath a grip panel??

I would love to get to the bottom of this mystery.  Mikey.

[rbwillnj]

I have one, I'll take a look.

I took a quick look.....it's not obvious, this is going to take some work.

[SharonAnne]

there IS a strut. It has a narrower part that extends inside the mainspring. It appears that you use the hammer to press down on the mainspring and insert the hammer pin to retain the hammer, strut and mainspring. As I said, it APPEARS that way. Without a manual I can only guess. The mainspring inserts into a hollow in the grip frame.

[Mikey]

Ah ha!  Gar!  Thank you Ma'am!  I knew there was an answer.

[rbwillnj]

As mentioned before, I have a Colt Government 380.  I also have the original manual...for what its worth.   

1894cfan,   I'll get you started, but I'm afraid that if I go any further, I won't be able to get mine back together.

First, remove the slide and barrel assembly in the same way you would with a 1911....I hope you know how to do that.

Next, let the hammer down into the forward position (the opposite of what you do for a 1911.

Then rotate the thumb safety about 180 degrees back, and you will be able to pull it out. 
(there is a detent pin under the safety that could go flying, so be careful)

Now push down on the hammer to relieve the pressure on the pin that holds it in the frame and push out the pin.

Then you can pull out the hammer strut (which is not attached to the hammer)  You will be able to see the mainspring, and a two leaf sear spring.

It looks as though you will need to remove the sear spring before you can get the main spring out, and to do that you will need to remove the grip panels.   There is a small gold colored clip that goes over the sear spring.  Remove that, than push the sear spring up so that it comes out of the notch in the frame.

That's as far as I have gotten, and as far as I'm going to go.  Good Luck.

[1894cfan]

rbwillnj, thanks for the help. BUT, after that bit of explaining, I think my best course of action is to try and find a good gunsmith. While I can install a Magazine Friction Spring on a Winchester M1906, I think swaping out a Colt .380 Govt. hammer spring is a bit over my head.

[rbwillnj]

Wise choice!

[SharonAnne]

gun manufacturers do a fine job of keeping gunsmiths in their  $40/hr minimum charge for little things like changing a spring.

[rbwillnj]

That's why I like 1911's.  So simple yet so elegant.

I have a Smith & Wesson Model 52.  Wonderful gun, fantastic out of the box trigger,....but take it apart?....forget it!

[1894cfan]

And that's why I like Glocks!   

[1894cfan]

FINALLY got it back from the gs after waiting a MONTH for it and paying $40. Ran 21 rds of Rem 88gr jhp through it yesterday and man is it sweet! Best $40 I've spent on it yet. Now to dig up different ammo to run through it for further function testing.