Posted: 1/14/2017 10:04:48 PM EDT
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I recently picked up this old Springfield ultra compact in a trade. I decided to order a new recoil spring for it, but I've noticed a couple things.
Here's the pistol: 
The slide is as far back as it will go. It's impossible to release the slide via the traditional "slingshot" method, so i immediately figured there was a recoil spring guide or plug issue. Here's the recoil assembly that's in it now: 
As you can see, the reverse plug is all chewed up. It's the style of plug that goes completely inside the slide and is held in via a little shelf machined into the slide, pictured here: 
My issue is that I can't seem to find that style of plug available anywhere. They all have the little tab on them for indexing in a notch in the underside of the slide, which this gun doesn't have. All the egw assemblies seem to either have the little tab or have part of the cup machined off (Rock Island style?). Does anyone know where I can procure a plug like this, or know of a complete drop-in assembly that I can order? This is a bull barrel style setup, if that matter. Thanks for any help! |
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@badgerking Is there any way you could snap a pic of the guide rod/plug setup in your UC?
I called Springfield today. You guys were right, they were helpful! It took a few people to look in to the history of the gun, and a couple phone calls back to me with follow up questions to get it straightened out. Apparently the gun was built in 1991, then promptly went through their custom shop for a couple visits. From what they're seeing, the gun started out as a two-tone model with a stainless frame, but then had the frame colored (somehow...) to match the slide, then it went back through the shop for an accurizing treatment and trigger upgrade. The very nice lady there said they had moved all their records post 10 years old to a different server, so some of the records aren't terribly complete now. Anyway, $45 later, I should be getting a bag of parts in the mail soon! Looking forward to getting this little beast tuned back up! |
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Update (since I know everyone here is dying to know):
Springfield has no idea what parts to send me. Apparently, after digging through more old invoices, they've discovered that the pistol is a "full custom job" They requested that I email them all manner of pictures of the entire gun, slide only, internals, old parts, new parts, etc. The lady that I was dealing with was going to forward all the pictures to the custom shop and see if they could figure anything out. They said that if they can't find anything, I may have to send the gun in and let them see it in person. I really hope to avoid this, but we shall see. They said to expect a call back in a couple days. |
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Quoted:
I recently picked up this old Springfield ultra compact in a trade. I decided to order a new recoil spring for it, but I've noticed a couple things. Here's the pistol: The slide is as far back as it will go. It's impossible to release the slide via the traditional "slingshot" method, so i immediately figured there was a recoil spring guide or plug issue. Here's the recoil assembly that's in it now: As you can see, the reverse plug is all chewed up. It's the style of plug that goes completely inside the slide and is held in via a little shelf machined into the slide, pictured here: My issue is that I can't seem to find that style of plug available anywhere. They all have the little tab on them for indexing in a notch in the underside of the slide, which this gun doesn't have. All the egw assemblies seem to either have the little tab or have part of the cup machined off (Rock Island style?). Does anyone know where I can procure a plug like this, or know of a complete drop-in assembly that I can order? This is a bull barrel style setup, if that matter. Thanks for any help! So the slide is stuck in the first picture and that's as far back as you could move it? How did you get the recoil spring assembly out if the slide won't move? Seems to me that it should be simple to determine exactly what is binding the slide and relieve it. The spring retainer definitely is a suspect with that damage but finding where its hitting and figuring out what to do about it shouldn't be rocket science. Okay, assuming you did get the slide to move and even be removed, there's the comment that it would not release with the 'slingshot' method. This is normal if there is an empty mag in the gun pushing up on the slide stop. Sometimes its difficult to even use the slide release with an empty mag in. Removing the magazine is always the first step in disassembly of any pistol. |