Colt Woodsman Problem - No Not THAT Problem!!!

[oneskilledshooter]

Not the usual problem!

This is a first series. I have field stripped, cleaned and reassembled it quite a number of times and have never had a problem before.

When I reassembled it it seemed fine, but when I pulled the slide back under the normal spring tension when it went to the most rearward position the plunger captured the spring inside again. So then the slide could be slid back and forth freely with no spring tension. If I cycle the slide a few times it will release the spring in the slide again, but it will capture it again without touching the plunger.

When the slide is under spring tension (uncaptured spring) the plunger is loose.

Any ideas? I am going nuts! I have stripped it and reassembled it several times, no luck. I can't find any tips anywhere!

Help!

 

[alpining]

Sounds like something is propping that plunger in the partially open position, sometimes snagging the end of your recoil spring guide rod. I'd say one more disassembly is in order, and check for some object lodged between the roof of the slide and the rod capturing leaf spring.

 

[Mukinfutch]

I am guessing the spring, more like a flat piece of metal iirc,holding the plunger up has lost tension.
Try to bend it up and bring tension back, forcing the plunger up. Hope that makes sense, it's kinda hard to explain. It's been a
while since I had mine apart.

 

[oneskilledshooter]

Thanks for the ideas guys! I tried to get that leaf type spring out but couldn't figure out how. Tried to bend it a little while it was still in the slide, that didn't work either. I ended up spraying a bunch of G96 in there and letting it soak. Lifted the spring up to flush out from underneath it. Reinstalled and it seems fixed! I don't know if its going to last because there is no positive pressure on the plunger, but it seems ok for now.