[Ron Wood]

In my opinion (which doesn't amount to much) the proper way to remove the mag release button spring is from the top, not at the bottom. As Dave is experiencing, sometimes the spring sits too deeply in the release button to come out when pushed to the side. If you look at the top of the spring there is a ridge that sits in a detent in the frame slot. If you press down on the forward edge of the ridge with "a little wood stick" (it needs to be good hard wood like the osage orange that cuticle sticks are made from) so that the ridge clears the detent, then you should be able to push the spring toward the rear of the gun and the spring will slide out of the slot in the frame. It doesn't hurt to clean up the top of the spring and slot with solvent and oil to get as much of the hard gunk out of the way before you try to push it out. Assembly is the reverse...put the bottom of the spring in the release button and slide the top back into the frame slot.