Question on Colt Challenger Field Stripping

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dreamer56

New member
Greetings,

I just got a Colt Challenger :) and want to field strip for cleaning. I found a download for the original guide that came with the gun - but, the directions are pretty general and without pictures - for the first step they say "Remove stocks. Press in on upper radius of main spring housing and, using stock screw, push out housing retainer pin. Housing retainer pin is located on grip part of receiver, under the left stock, directly below the thumb piece of the safety lock."

Since learn best visually I am hoping someone will let me know which one of the three pins pictured is the one that is to be removed - also, none of them seem to simply want to come out using the stock screw as the directions suggest -

Any other hints about disassembly for cleaning this pistol would be greatly appreciated as it also seems the "assembly lock plunger" does not want to depress when the slide is all the way back to hold the recoil spring -

Pic is attached - any help is greatly appreciated - thanks.
 

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The Colt Challenger is a variant of the Colt Woodsman. Go here for almost everything worth knowing about the Woodsman.

When you go to the Takedown/Assembly section read both sets of instructions carefully and completely. It is possible to get into trouble.
 
Thanks - yep, did that first - the Woodsman pages with the diagram is most helpful - so I assume the pin I need drive out after removing the grips is #1 in my photo that I posted?

and - any advice on why the plunger won't drop down - I did pull back the slide and put a little breakfree on the inside as well as the top - no evidence of rust - but simply using my hand the plunger won't move -

Since this has been sitting around for years without use nothing was moving easily - and, I don't want to "get into trouble" since I have no firsthand experience with this particular gun.

Thanks for the help!
 
I assume the pin I need drive out after removing the grips is #1 in my photo that I posted?

NO!

Remove pin no 3 in your picture.

I don't know why your takedown plunger won't move but do not take out the mainspring housing without the recoil spring being captured. Look in the FAQ on the Woodsman site for pictures. Keep fooling with it and do not use hard tools. It is meant for bare hands takedown after removing the grips and pin.
 
As Jim said, take out pin number 3 only after you get the recoil spring captured.

It seems strange to me that the assembly lock plunger will not move. Internally, the assembly lock is nothing but a long flat springy piece that you push down to intercept the recoil spring and plunger and hold them fully compressed into the slide. The only obstacle to this motion would be if the recoil spring and plunger were not fully compressed when you pushed the button -- they would be in the way.

Are you sure you have the slide fully rearward when you push the button? It must be pulled back as far as it will go. Also, the assembly lock can be fairly stiff and requires a firm push.
 
Thanks guys -

I turned the gun upside down - locked out the slide and put a little Breakfree around the plunger and the assembly lock plate while I enjoyed turkey - this evening it worked - so the plunger went down and captured the recoil spring and the slide is free -:) now I will keep working with pin #3 in my pic - thanks for that!

Interesting though - because in the Challenger instructions I have for disassembly they say to remove the pin BEFORE capturing the recoil spring - when I read the web pages it was reversed for the Woodsman as you pointed out - so that is why this forum is so great - I appreciate the help -

I think this gun has been sitting for about 10 or 12 years so I will continue to be patient getting things back into working order - I will put a couple drops of Breakfree on that pin and let it seep in overnight -

thanks again - appreciate the expertise!

Happy Turkey Day.
 
Glad to know you've made some progress! It won't hurt to remove the mainspring housing retainer pin before you capture the recoil spring. The important thing is to capture the spring before you remove the mainspring housing.
 
The pin you want to push out is the upper mainspring housing lock pin, No. 3 in your picture. It holds the mainspring housing in place.

With that out, pull the trigger to relieve spring tension on the MSH, which can then be pushed up and in until the bottom snaps out. Then the MSH can be removed. Further disassembly is not recommended.

Jim
 
Well - after too many hours working at a job that pays for my guns I finally found time to get back to the Challenger -

lock plunger worked - took out pin #3 in my photo - pressed up and in and got the main spring housing out - slide off - great.

Next problem :)- the trigger has never felt right since I got this gun - thought if I cleaned it things would work - but it is like there is no spring tension there with the trigger at all - ? - and, it appears that the side plate might have a crack in it right above the cutout? - related? or do you think it might be a broken trigger spring?

I see you can remove the trigger assembly but thought I would wait for some advice - thanks in advance for your help.
 
The trigger spring on those guns is a little "V" loop "mousetrap" spring that is held in place by the trigger pin and powers both the trigger return and the trigger bar. You may need a short "slave pin" to keep things in place while assembling the parts, then drive out the slave pin with the regular pin.

I am not sure where the "crack" is in the sideplate; they normally have a slot at the back so the bottom part acts as the detent for the safety. If there is another crack, I don't think it should be there, but I am not sure if it would do any harm unless it was bad enough to affect the functioning of the sideplate.

Jim
 
Thanks Jim - I figure if I can get it apart and solve the problem I am $ ahead - and if I can't - then disassembly is done already for my local smithy - my problem is I really enjoy taking things apart and seeing how they work.

All the best.

:)
 
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