Contender hammer springs fatigue over time and should be replaced periodically.
These are our own custom hammer springs.New manufacture with rear tail shortened so it does not bind inside the grip or buttstock. Otherwise it is the same as the TC factory Contender hammer springs.
If the headspace is correct as measured with our Headspace Indicator, the ammunition is good, and the lockup is complete, misfires suggest it is time to replace the hammer spring. This spring is under constant tension therefore must be replaced more often than other springs.
This is fairly easy to do and does not require complete disassembly of the frame. Take the grip or buttstock off the frame. Remove the largest pivot pin from the frame, the hammer pivot pin. The hammer comes out the top of the frame. Easiest method for reinstallation is to cut a short section of rod to fit inside the width of the hammer and install the spring into the hammer or better yet we use a 3/16 pin punch available to purchase here. I Install the hammer into the frame and tap in the pivot pin. The short "assembly pin" keeps the spring in place while the pivot pin is driven in. In the shop I simply put the frame in a padded vise being careful to clamp over a supported part of the frame so as to not crush the thin sides of the frame, insert the hammer into the frame, line up the holes with a 3/16 punch and capture the spring with the 3/32 punch from one side while I tap in the pivot pin from the opposite side. It is a bit awkward, but not hard to do. Just push on the coils from behind to line up the opening in the coils with the pivot pin. Stainless and blued frames use the same spring in all models of the same type.
Note: These are our own manufacture TC Contender Hammer Springs, not TC factory issue. You might be replacing a spring that has two legs, that's ok this spring will work and is much stronger.
Due to the width of the opening in the hammer it is not possible to make the spring stronger than factory stock springs by using heavier gauge spring wire. One coil can be dropped to make room for larger diameter wire, but this structurally weakens the spring. Simply replacing old fatigued springs with a fresh spring periodically has proven to be the best approach to keeping an adequate hammer strike to prevent misfires and to insure consistent ignition. One problem that has always plagued the Contender is spring fatigue aggravated by over stressing the spring when the rear tip of the spring hits and binds on the inside of the grip/buttstock. The factory springs have always extended just a bit too far to the rear, slightly past the back of the grip/buttstock tenon of the frame. This problem was recognized by Pachmayr for example many years ago, and thus subsequent production Pachmayr grips have a cut out for the spring in the steel liner inside the grip. Look on the inside of most grips/buttstocks, and you will see dimples/scratches in the grip/buttstock where the factory springs dig into it. I have always ground some off the tip of the factory springs to alleviate this problem. Our springs are made just enough shorter to prevent them from binding inside most grip/buttstock.
Be sure to watch our youtube video install
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