Pawl spring screw on Uberti 1873 SAA

[BReeves]

If you have ever taken a Uberti SAA apart and ran into the plunger/spring/screw that puts tension on the pawl. It is under the back strap and the screw is about the size of a grain of rice. I'm not sure how to reinstall the spring and screw without having the screw launch into parts unknown. Just finished putting my Taylor's Ranch Hand back together after cleaning up the machine marks and installing Wolf bolt and hammer springs.

Yep you guessed it, launched that little screw trying to reinstall it, never to be seen again. Not wanting to have the gun out of commission while waiting on parts started thinking about making the screw. Discovered it is an M3 X .5 MM screw and I just happened to have a few M3 hex set screws. The neat thing about using a set screw is you can hold it with an Allen wrench while getting it started against the spring tension. Have no idea how one can get the stock slotted head screw started without 4 hands and two sets of tweezers.

Main issue I found cleaning up this gun was grit left over in everything from the factory. Just cleaning up and oiling everything would have made a big improvement in how smooth the action is. Maybe this tip will save someone a little trouble.

 

[SHOTGUN12]

Been there .... done that.

I have a good strong magnet that comes in handy for recovering these types of insanely small lost components.

Someone at Uberti (or wherever), should be beaten severely about the head and shoulders for using screws

or springs this small, when not necessary.

As for installing that screw, I have a Uberti .45 and have been down that road also. Maybe not the perfect

approach .... but I apply a small drop of super-glue to the head of the screw then attach it to the tip of the screwdriver.

This enables the screw to be held securely enough to get it threaded into its hole. I’ve had to do this several times and works fine.

Next time you remove this screw, use a small knife tip or razor blade to clean out any glue remaining in the

slot of the screw head.

 

[BReeves]

Hadn't thought about using super-glue, luckily I have several of the hex head screws. Left over from my model airplane days, think they were used in wheel collars. Have heard you really do not need the screw but wasn't comfortable with the spring length on my gun being long enough to eliminate the screw.

Took apart my Blackhawk to install a Wolf trigger spring, it doesn't use a screw, just a spring and plunger held in by the back strap. Not sure which is more troublesome, both have the ability to launch parts.