Use for old recoil springs

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  • K-43

    West of Morning Side
    Oct 20, 2010
    1,881
    PG
    This is not really gunsmithing, but use of an old pistol spring. I think Millennials would call this "re-purposing" the parts.

    The back screen door has the typical lever type latch. The spring broke so the bolt didn't come out and the handles just hung at a 45 degree angle.
    Rather than go buy a new one for $35, I removed the latch and bent the tabs that hold the side on to open it to find a broken spring.
    I went to the junk box and found a used Tokarev TT pistol spring that was just a hair smaller in diameter. A Makarav or Garand recoil spring would probably work too.
    Cut it so It would fit with a bit of compression. That took a couple of tries, clipping until the tension was right. A little lube on the moving parts.
    The door latch is better than it's been in years.

    Repaired just like the old timers did. Glad I have a collection of old screws, springs and stuff.
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,564
    Harford County, Maryland
    Years back, my son and I made air soft "land mines" using cast off 1911 recoil springs and sections of hollow light gauge tube broom handles.. They worked. The competition outlawed them.
     

    K-43

    West of Morning Side
    Oct 20, 2010
    1,881
    PG
    Years back, my son and I made air soft "land mines" using cast off 1911 recoil springs and sections of hollow light gauge tube broom handles.. They worked. The competition outlawed them.

    That reminds me of the "Bang Guns" that were made from the old fashioned wood roller window blinds with the long spring inside.
    I have a copy of The Modern Book for Boys dated in the 1880s that has all kinds of cool stuff in it like that. It even has the candle jet boat that was in my 1960s Cub Scout book. :party29:
     

    byf43

    SCSC Life/NRA Patron Life
    Had a collator (for printing) that had a very sensitive sensor switch on it. (False stoppages on machine.)

    Cut a piece of 1911 recoil spring and with an "E" clip, dampened the switch plunger.

    Problem solved.

    The mechanic (outside vendor) for the piece of equipment asked me where I got the parts.
    He started doing the same thing with finicky sensor switches.
     

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