I have the multi finger Clarke sear spring and my mags don't drop free like they should.
I can see a shiny spot on my mags and on the spring if I look in the mag well.
Is this typical of the Clarke spring or is it just poor installation?
Sounds like the spring is slightly cocked - be sure the lip on the bottom edge is fully in its slot when you slide on the MSH. I use the 4 leaf in 6 pistols and have never had an interference problem.
Check to see if the locator tab is protruding through the magwell. If you replaced the disconnect, check to see if the bottom corner is doing likewise.
Locator tab is not protruding. It is the trigger return spring portion (#3 on Clarke's diagram) that is rubbing. #2 the disconnector part looks like it is flush to the magwell and has no shiny spot. You can actually see that the trigger return spring bend is in the magwell a little bit. I disassembled and you can see a shiny spot on the trigger return portion.
I had a spare Clarke and reassembled with that. Same deal, you can see the spring protruding into the magwell a little.
I didn't replace the disconnect and it doesn't appear to protrude.
Pistol in question is a kimber custom target, pre series 2. I put S+A magwell on it, I'll compare that with the original. I'll probably order a regular sear spring. I pulled my plunger tube and the spring looked like someone had folded it in half at some point so I need to spring shop anyway.
Any thoughts on what would push the spring in there so much?
Quote:
Any thoughts on what would push the spring in there so much?
If you mean the plunger spring, it's supposed to have a little kink in it toward the center. This is to prevent it from flying out when the safety lock (manual safety) is removed. One of the little things that some guy named Browning thought of.
You'd be suprised at the number of aftermarket springs that come these days without the kink. Others do it too excess.
Actually I was still referring to the sear spring but the little kink is exactly what the plunger spring has. Guess that doesn't need replacing.
That's interesting.
Just FWIW, the safety/slide stop spring is not only supposed to have a kink in it, the plungers are supposed to have small ends with grooves for the ends of the spring to fit into. The whole thing thus is a unit and the army issued replacements as a unit. As Old Fuff says, the spring and plungers should stay in place when the safety is removed. Unfortunately some makers seem not to have understood that, or decided to save a few cents, and some of the springs have no kink and the plungers are straight. The result is that when the safety is taken out, the plunger and spring make like Peter Pan and sail off into never-never land.
Just for reference, swapped out the clarke for a more traditional style spring, an Ed Brown hardcore. Mags shoot out of the magwell again. My guess is that I could have shortened the #3 leg on the spring and it would have bowed less, but now that it is fixed I probably won't experiment.