How do I reinstall my leaf spring on my 1911

[bushmaster225]

I replaced my recoil spring with a 18.5 pound spring and was replacing my mainspring w/a 18 pound spring when the leaf spring fell out. After reinstalling it the hammer wouldn't stay back. What gives? What is the easiest way to reinstall the spring?

 

[Bandit]

Sounds like you tried to place the leaf spring back into place with the grip safety still installed. That's next to impossible to do correctly. You will need to remove the grip safety (which also means the thumb safety has to come out) to place it back properly. Once the grip safety is out of the way laying the leaf spring in properly is a piece of cake. It will become obvious why it's hard to do without removing the grip safety. A trick to keep the leaf spring in place while re-installing the grip safety, is to slide the MS housing up part way to keep tension on the leaf spring while wrestling with the installation of the grip safety.

If you're not comfortable doing this, get a gunsmith to do it for you. They will more than likely show you how to do it.

Rick

 

[4V50 Gary]

Gravity is your friend. Use it to your advantage and not to your disadvantage (as I have often done).

Take the frame and hold it such that the front (muzzle end) is facing downwards. Now, place the spring into the frame and lay the strut atop it. Keep it downwards and place in the grip safety. Now, slide in the mainspring housing and once it contacts the strut such that it keeps the strut and the spring in place, you rotate it horizontally. The mainspring housing may now be compressed to insert the retaining pin.