Guns & Outdoors Forum

Goes to me... Decided I was going to replace a broken trigger return spring in this old S&W .38 DA from the EARLY part of the 1900s. Well, seems easy enough no? It's a fun gun that actually shoots very well for what it is and everything works the way it should except for the double action trigger return. Actually the spring is not really broken, it was totally gone. I think someone a long time ago did break it and decided to just learn to shoot the gun without it, which is easily done even in DA because of the trigger design.

Soooo, down the rabbit hole I go. Watch a few you tube videos but everything seems wrong... The problem is you can force these guns to get them back together with a lot of cussing and using 3 hands.... BUT, there is a magic formula of disassembly and assembly to these old pieces and there are a LOT of complex and in some cases fragile parts that work well when put together right BUT do not take well to manhandling and several of the YouTube experts will concede to having broken parts while trying to fix these things. Basically It's like working on an old mechanical watch, it should be a super smooth process and if you're working too hard at something you did something wrong in a step before or you're taking a shortcut you were not supposed to take.

So now I've disassembled way more than what I wanted to, but I WILL absolutely gather or figure out the knowledge on how to do this right and in the right order. While I have it in pieces I will take the time to make it better, cleaner and smoother. I might even refinish this sucker to see what I can make out of it. The outside looks like hell but the insides are in great shape except for the said return spring and I got a brand new aftermarket one from Gunparts so off to the races, as they say. Now I'm committed, and I'm hoping to learn a few tricks along the way. These old guns have a way of being "good teachers".

The part that started it all Current state of affairs

Looks Fun
Now that you have it apart, put it back together and see if your 9th part works.

I will, but no rush. Have another one just like this one but in much better shape if I feel inclined to empty some .38 S&W ammo. I want to reload some BP ammo for it too.

I think I’m going to tear it t down ALL the way to individual parts and clean and polish all the metal and maybe do a Brownells bluing job using their 44-40 solution. I’m really impressed with that stuff so far. On some guns seems to work better than my old go-to, Oxpho, but that’s just a subjective observation. Need to play with it more.

Think I have a couple hundred 38 S&W cases if you need them.

sakodude wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 8:40 pm Think I have a couple hundred 38 S&W cases if you need them.

I’m always up for new brass. I’m unpacking all my stuff and I think I have a proper hat for you

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 9:03 pm

sakodude wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 8:40 pm Think I have a couple hundred 38 S&W cases if you need them.

I’m always up for new brass. I’m unpacking all my stuff and I think I have a proper hat for you

You don't say Odds of it fitting my large dome are probably slim.

Size 7 5/8. It’ll be big enough.

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 10:55 pm Size 7 5/8. It’ll be big enough.

He’s a 7 3/4!

Get it wet, shove it on your head, wait until it dries... Custom fit.

And I have a bonafide hat stretcher.

Wambli Ska wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 11:10 pm Get it wet, shove it on your head, wait until it dries... Custom fit.

And I have a bonafide hat stretcher.

Well problem solved

Channel your inner gunsmith!
C’mon man you can do this!
Think of all you will learn with this one
Then think of what that thing will look like with a new set of staghorns

Not being overly familiar with those, and with the Numrich's copy of the old factory parts list not being in "exploded diagram" format, I'm just guessing here. . .

Looks like that V-spring is probably the only real challenge, but I couldn't tell you exactly where it lives. A set of smooth face, parallel-jaw pliers might help to compress and wiggle it into place. Hammer spring is samey-same as survived well into K & N frame production - easy.

Oh the fun you are going to have!!

I've used Oxpho Blue cream with fair results, my late gunsmith friend preferred Van's cold blue. They now sell it in 4oz bottles and I just bought some for use on future projects.

Going to have to use words only sailors know, Tenmike is missed.

Bigslug wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 3:28 am Not being overly familiar with those, and with the Numrich's copy of the old factory parts list not being in "exploded diagram" format, I'm just guessing here. . .

Looks like that V-spring is probably the only real challenge, but I couldn't tell you exactly where it lives. A set of smooth face, parallel-jaw pliers might help to compress and wiggle it into place. Hammer spring is samey-same as survived well into K & N frame production - easy.

THIS. Parallel jaw pliers should be in every toolbox.

I was just looking at it, you're half way. Finish taking it apart and start bluing it one piece at a time. I use a heat gun to warm the metal parts and do at least three coats. You will be happy with what you get, a cool old gun that is fun to shoot and you won't mind handling it rough.

Japhy wrote: ↑Fri Feb 27, 2026 11:31 pm Channel your inner gunsmith!
C’mon man you can do this!
Think of all you will learn with this one
Then think of what that thing will look like with a new set of staghorns

Already shopping... This is one of those guns that will teach me a few lessons. Every angle of attack seems like it needs three hands to accomplish, but dang it someone knew how to do this right so I'll figure it out too.

Bigslug wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 3:28 am Not being overly familiar with those, and with the Numrich's copy of the old factory parts list not being in "exploded diagram" format, I'm just guessing here. . .

Looks like that V-spring is probably the only real challenge, but I couldn't tell you exactly where it lives. A set of smooth face, parallel-jaw pliers might help to compress and wiggle it into place. Hammer spring is samey-same as survived well into K & N frame production - easy.

I wish I could agree with that statement. Hammer springs are easy. This spring lives in a tiny machined recess inside the lower frame where the trigger guard has to be compressed over it (no screws, it's a freaking work of art how it was machined, and you somehow have to keep it in a very precise place for it to work properly while snapping down the said trigger guard. That's why I'm convinced that even though all the kitchen gunsmiths on the inter web show how to do it from the bottom without taking the trigger off I believe it goes into place before the trigger gets pinned into place.

Oh, there is ZERO room for ANY tools where it goes while assembling the gun.

Big Al1 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 2:11 pm Oh the fun you are going to have!!

Yep, actually I' m pretty sure I will just tear it down to a pile of parts, clean, polish and re-finish first. Then I think logic will help me with order of reassembly. I'll go slow and think every step through.

Freezer wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 3:05 pm I've used Oxpho Blue cream with fair results, my late gunsmith friend preferred Van's cold blue. They now sell it in 4oz bottles and I just bought some for use on future projects.

Oxpho has been my go-to for many years after learning from Jerry how to do it right. I have refinished full rifles with it with rather good results. Their new 44-40 stuff I actually like even better and it also comes in a cream.

Chiro1989 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 5:17 pm Going to have to use words only sailors know, Tenmike is missed.

Tenmike is missed a LOT! God I loved that guy. And yes I remember his "Sailor's Book of Magic Words" he referred to frequently. My daughter having spend 10 years in Airplane maintenance with AF is a seasoned and inventive expert in such words. She can make the paint peel off the walls

CPJ 2.0 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 5:32 pm

Bigslug wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 3:28 am Not being overly familiar with those, and with the Numrich's copy of the old factory parts list not being in "exploded diagram" format, I'm just guessing here. . .

Looks like that V-spring is probably the only real challenge, but I couldn't tell you exactly where it lives. A set of smooth face, parallel-jaw pliers might help to compress and wiggle it into place. Hammer spring is samey-same as survived well into K & N frame production - easy.

THIS. Parallel jaw pliers should be in every toolbox.

Absolutely agree and I have several pairs in different sizes. BUT, for this job there is no room even for a pair of tweezers where this spring goes. The action of squeezing/snapping the trigger guard into place compresses and retains the spring, unfortunately usually moving it out of position while you attempt it. I have another example of this gun that operates properly but I'll be damned if I take it apart until I figure how to do this right.

Freezer wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 11:12 pm I was just looking at it, you're half way. Finish taking it apart and start bluing it one piece at a time. I use a heat gun to warm the metal parts and do at least three coats. You will be happy with what you get, a cool old gun that is fun to shoot and you won't mind handling it rough.

That is the current plan. It's actually sitting on my desk in my office while I take pictures and SLOWLY take it down to a pile of parts. one of the pins in this gun defies finding a punch small enough for it.

The spring goes in here. There is NO access form the top. ALL frame parts that have to do with the trigger have to be placed and pinned from the back.