SLIGHTLY MODIFIED "THOR" MAINSPRING INSTALL.

[Heinmot]

Again, thanks to all for your assistance with the Luger.

Some comments regarding the mainspring replacement:

First, thanks to John Sabato for giving me the site for Thor's mainspring installation instructions. They were a BIG help.

I used a Wolff 36 lb mainspring. This is, in spite of being 1 1/8 inches LONGER than the original, 2 lbs lighter than standard, according to Wolff. What a monster to get on the "guide rod"! I looked, I tried a time or two, and gave up.

Evidently, in spite of my Nordic heritage, "Tori" swings a bigger hammer than my spindly frame can manage!

So, I have a modification for "STEP FIVE" of Thor's excellent install method.

Here t'is:

Just slip the spring over the guide rod, gently apply some pressure and hook it on a coil, and then, because it is a spiral, just TWIST THE SPRING WITH PLIERS TILL THE HOOK ENDS UP WHERE YOU WANT IT. No huffing and puffing required.

As for the getting of the assembled spring/guide rod in the frame and over the recoil lever, Heh, Heh, Heh. I REALLY have no intentions to arm wrestle Mr Thor, I can tell you!! I gave that process up before I tried...

So, I padded my vice with leather, put a wood block in the vice window, turned the frame upside down and rested it on the block. The pressure on the sides of the frame doesn't have to be much, and truthfully, from what I could surmise, shouldn't be, since it looks easy to crush it. That's where the wood block came in. Virtually all the pressure for this step is DOWN on the block, so very little side pressure from the vice is needed.

Thus, with spring and guide rod assembled as per Thor's instructions {with a tapered rod in the hole}, I had two hands available. I lifted the recoil lever and placed a screwdriver under it {to keep it in position to receive the guide rod hook; remember, the frame is upside down}, then I slipped the hook end in the frame window, aligned the hook with the opening, gave the whole a little push and "POP" it slipped thru the window and snapped over the recoil lever in one movement. It took maybe about 4 seconds. No strain, no great pressure to speak of.

With somewhat different tools, following Thor's guidelines, with a little different approach, all went well.

Again, thanks to all!