Magazine Indicator Spring

[canuck]

While doing a major teardown and cleanup of a recent acquisition, I noticed something amiss.
So, I checked the stable and sure enough, out of over two dozen 8/81/1900 rifles, four were assembled incorrectly.
Just a heads up for those of you who, like me, are shadetree gunsmiths - the magazine indicator spring has a little tab that must be engaged with a small slot in the sidewall of the receiver. Its very easy to miss this upon re-assembly.
Looks like some more work at the bench in the near future for me as I tear down the other four to correct someone else's boo-boo

Correct


Not correct

[Hibby83]

Good eye catching it.

Gotta line up the rear hole up, all the while squeezing that little spring and pushing the tab in the small machined cutout.

There was at least one or two in my collection that I could see they were assembled that way for a period of time. The inner rail had the smallest of a depression from the carrier group riding over the tab of the spring, just like the correct one you have pictured above.

[81police]

an important area of inspection for sure! and an easy mistake to make (along with putting the magazine spring in backwards).

Thanks for posting this canuck

[Rifleman]

My 1938 Model 81 35 Rem caliber came to me like that also. Had alot of previous disassembly/assembly with my two other 81's (300 Sav) and noticed right away after I received it. It appeared it had been shot some like that although there wasn't any wear from the spring installed incorrectly on the inner rail as Hibby83 posted, the top of the spring was a bit shiny from the carrier bolt riding over it.

Called the seller who I bought it from, he had posted he had fired it and it worked as designed. He advised he had shot around 10 rds with it before advertising it on GB and it shot ok. He had bought it from a guy selling off his Dad's estate guns. When I tore down my first 81 I had installed the spring correctly but it popped out of the slot, noticed it before firing, sooooo...had to reinstall. As 81Police posted easy to do and a needed check before firing. Works fine after reinstalling, doesn't pop out of the cutout.

[ranman]

When this spring wiggles out it can will problems as it slows the bolt. Good photos

[Phyrbird]

Not only that, when up/out it will wear the spring a lot, can cause action to not feed, will have effects with empty mag lock back! Embarrassing when the rifle is sold pending firing a full magazine, Even if you fix the issue, the buyer looks at it funny. TRUE
These springs are not in stock anywhere, many have the little curl that holds in place broke off, more have worn thin due to this very assembly problem.
All because we don't pay attention when everything is back together.