80 series safety levers..what's the secret?

[Cap]

to getting them back in place?

I detail stripped my 80 series for the first time the other day.

wadda royal pain getting the levers back in place.

the hammer lever wasn't tremendously difficult, but man-o-day did i struggle getting the one that goes with the sear/disconnect

any tips to make it easier?

Thanks


..l.T.A.

[DuckRyder]

It is hard to explain but it just gets easier.

You can use any tool of appropriate size to hold them in place from the off side while you install the sear/disconnect/hammer.

[log man]

I'll give it a shot Cap. From total strip and cleaning. Trigger first, then mag catch, Now piggy back the sear on the disco and put in place and slip in sear pin, okay the sear and disco have to be squared up to let the pin go through, but once in push the pin back out part way, just to the sear, looking in from the back, with tweezers hold the trigger lever so the bird head is facing to the rear and the tweezers are holding it low by the neck, LOL, slip it between the sear and frame and position as best you can, as soon as you can tell that you've at least blocked the sear pin push gently against it to hold the lever and turn the frame so you are looking at the right side sear pin hole in frame and with the tip of the tweezers or a 1/16" punch square up the lever through the hole and push the pin through. Okay, now is a good time to insert the plunger lever slip it in place and it will drop in like a puzzle part and insert hammer and...........Practice makes perfect. :)

LOG

And a picture.http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/rr85/logpics/45samp6.jpg

[kcshooter]

I know your pain, Cap, and here's the secret:

A small blob of grease.

Holds em in place like glue. I use a small pin punch or firing pin to align them at that point and once you get them set, the grease keeps them from sliding around on you.

[CDogg]

I use that trick with the grease too and it does work. I actually took apart a series 80 before I did a series 70 and since my workhorse is a 70, its much easier now

[RickB]

Or, make a slave pin from a toothpick. Assemble everything on the pin - which is as long as the opening in the rear of the frame is wide - outside the gun (the grease trick works here too, to keep everything together), then put the whole assembly in the frame. Use the sear pin to push the slave pin out the other side.

[Cap]

very good

thanks Gents

Rick, I'll try your slave pin suggestion.
Seems like it may work best for all ten of my thumbs...


..L.T.A.

[tombstone]

I use both of kcshooter's and Rick B's tricks - a little of a very thin grease, and a round toothpick from right-to-left. Then the sear pin is inserted from left-to-right and it pushes the toothpick out. With only a little practice, this makes the process go smoothly.

[Hawkmoon]

any tips to make it easier?

Toothpicks.

[egumpher]

Hello,

1. Place the frame in a wood or plastic jaw vise.

2. Place the disconnector or hammer in the frame.

3. Partially engage its pin until the pin flush with the side of the disconnector or hammer.

4. The insert the lever to align the holes with a pair of tweezers while I finish pushing the pin through.

Then eat a Piece of cake.

Rgds
Eric

[dewalt2]

I use Log's method. I can (after many times) now detail strip, clean, lube and reassemble in about 30 minutes. And I work slow....
My best,
Walt

[Dave Berryhill]

1. Drop the sear and disconnector into the frame, poke a 1/16" punch into the sear pin hole to align the holes and then insert the sear pin. Once you get the sear pin started into the sear you may need to hold the frame with the right side up so that the sear and disconnector will rest on the left side of the frame. You may also need to insert the punch into the sear pin hole on the right side of the frame and re-align the holes in the disconnector and sear.
2. Put an empty magazine into the frame and then hold the frame with the muzzle end facing down. Gently pull the sear pin back until it is flush with the right side of the sear. Drop the sear safety lever into place on the right side of the sear and push it forward with the tip of the 1/16" punch until it looks like it is in position. The magazine keeps the safety lever from falling into the mag well.
3. Push the sear pin to the right. If you're lucky it will go into the hole in the safety lever. More likely it will push the safety lever against the right side of the frame.
4. Keep pressure on the sear pin to hold the safety lever in position and turn the frame so the right side is facing up. Look into the frame hole and you will probably see that the hole in the safety lever is off-center. Put the tip of the 1/16" punch into the sear pin hole and move the safety lever so that its hole is aligned with the sear pin hole.
5. Push and twist the sear pin and it will go right through the safety lever and into the right side of the frame.

It takes much longer to explain than to actually do it. It only takes me a few seconds.

[log man]

1. Drop the sear and disconnector into the frame, poke a 1/16" punch into the sear pin hole to align the holes and then insert the sear pin. Once you get the sear pin started into the sear you may need to hold the frame with the right side up so that the sear and disconnector will rest on the left side of the frame. You may also need to insert the punch into the sear pin hole on the right side of the frame and re-align the holes in the disconnector and sear.
2. Put an empty magazine into the frame and then hold the frame with the muzzle end facing down. Gently pull the sear pin back until it is flush with the right side of the sear. Drop the sear safety lever into place on the right side of the sear and push it forward with the tip of the 1/16" punch until it looks like it is in position. The magazine keeps the safety lever from falling into the mag well.
3. Push the sear pin to the right. If you're lucky it will go into the hole in the safety lever. More likely it will push the safety lever against the right side of the frame.
4. Keep pressure on the sear pin to hold the safety lever in position and turn the frame so the left side is facing up. Look into the frame hole and you will probably see that the hole in the safety lever is off-center. Put the tip of the 1/16" punch into the sear pin hole and move the safety lever so that its hole is aligned with the sear pin hole.
5. Push and twist the sear pin and it will go right through the safety lever and into the right side of the frame.

It takes much longer to explain than to actually do it. It only takes me a few seconds.
Yep this is the method I use except for the mag, I nail the lever with the sear pin and then turn the gun so the right side is facing up.......

I'm sure you meant the other left side. :)

LOG

[Dave Berryhill]

Thanks. Yes, I meant right side up and I edited my post to correct that. Try it with a magazine. It makes it very easy to drop the sear safety lever into position.

[CDogg]

I can now detail strip, clean, lube and reassemble in about 30 minutes. And I work slow....
My best,
Walt

Im still at an hour and a half from slide assembly to frame assembly. Im OCD and I make sure things are cleaned and lubed perfectly :D My back starts to hurt close to an hour of slouching putting it back together. I do my maintenance work on the floor infront of my TV lol!