Don't you hate it when you lose a piece???

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  • Doublehelix

    Master
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    15   0   0
    Jun 20, 2015
    1,874
    38
    Westfield
    Ugh! This is the second time this has happened to me in the last year.

    I was upgrading the trigger in a new SIG P320 X-Five with the Grayguns Competition Kit, and when I got to the very end (last step), a small spring cap was not in the parts tray, or anywhere else to be found. I was on my hands and knees with a flashlight for 30 minutes looking in every nook and cranny for the danged thing, and never did find it. Nothing went flying that I remember, it just wasn't there when it came time to reassemble.

    This happened once before with a small spring cap for a S&W Victory .22 pistol that I was doing a trigger job on, but that time, it slipped and the spring and cap went flying, I found the spring but not the cap. This time however, Murphy came by and took it out of the parts tray when I wasn't looking.

    Dang.

    Ordered a new one, costs $10.50 to get the cap, spring and slide lockup lever (I just need the cap), and then $6.50 for shipping. Probably won't get here for another year or two, or at least it feels that way.

    Does this happen to anyone else? I learned with the S&W to install the tiny spring and cap inside of a large Ziplock bag to catch it in case of a SPROING! All of my parts go into a small magnetic tray to hold them, but this cap was some sort of plastic, so the magnet did not hold it.

    My gun room is the same room I use for reloading, so it has a ton of stuff in it. Not easy to find small wayward pieces.

    I need to find a way to cover the bottom shelves with doors or something to prevent thing from rolling under the bench behind all the ammo cans, that would help.

    Any other strategies??? I am thinking a small plastic baggie to hold small parts, and then put the baggie in the magnetic tray...

    Now I am stuck with a non-functional gun that has a brand new trigger job that I am dying to try out, and the weather outside is 58 degrees and perfect for shooting! :xmad: I am not a happy camper! I guess I will have to shoot another gun today.
     

    4651feeder

    Expert
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    3   0   0
    Oct 21, 2016
    1,186
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    East of NWI
    Had a Winchester magazine spring retainer let go on a pump while changing barrels out, heard it ricochet off the overhead floor joists in basement. That's the last it was ever seen or heard from again.
     

    MarkC

    Master
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    2   0   0
    Mar 6, 2016
    2,082
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    Mooresville
    When changing out the mainspring housing on my 1911, the cap and spring went SPROING. My son and I found the spring, but the cap is still missing.

    Now, like CM, I have small parts for my AR's and 1911.

    Not the first time this has happened, won't be the last. However, it goes long enough between happenings that I get careless and don't take all the appropriate anti-sproing precautions.
     

    55fairlane

    Master
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    4   0   0
    Jan 15, 2016
    2,216
    113
    New Haven
    Been there done that, I pulled the spring loaded charging lever out of my 10/22 only to find the spring keeper,did not keep the spring.....hit me in the eye as it let go......found the parts.....4 years later as I was cleaning the room out to move.....what a PITA.....
     

    halfmileharry

    Grandmaster
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    65   0   0
    Dec 2, 2010
    11,450
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    South of Indy
    Springs can sneak off in the blink of an eye so I keep springs seperate in zip lock baggies. The rest of my parts go in a magnetic base parts bowl to keep them from getting knocked away.
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
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    Speedway area
    Springs can sneak off in the blink of an eye so I keep springs seperate in zip lock baggies. The rest of my parts go in a magnetic base parts bowl to keep them from getting knocked away.

    Have you ever lost a piece only to find it days later stuck to the magnet on the bottom of the bowl.........:):

    I have.
     

    halfmileharry

    Grandmaster
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    65   0   0
    Dec 2, 2010
    11,450
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    South of Indy
    Have you ever lost a piece only to find it days later stuck to the magnet on the bottom of the bowl.........:):

    I have.

    When you were putting my "Kimber"???? back together and dropped a piece on the floor I think we found 4 or 5 pieces to other guns. Then you found it on the magnetic dish. LOL!
    So... I think the answer is "YES" to your question.
     

    Sigblitz

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    9   0   0
    Aug 25, 2018
    14,583
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    Indianapolis

    Working on a magnetic mat is a good idea. It keeps small parts from rolling away while you're working with them. It's beyond me why, when trying to be so careful, things fly across the kitchen, again and again.

    Oops again. Hit reply with quote. That's ok, I enjoy a good laugh.
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
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    Speedway area
    Working on a magnetic mat is a good idea. It keeps small parts from rolling away while you're working with them. It's beyond me why, when trying to be so careful, things fly across the kitchen, again and again.

    Oops again. Hit reply with quote. That's ok, I enjoy a good laugh.

    If you let the parts stay in the magnetized bowl to long they become magnetized. Just enough to mess with you when assembling the gun...:):
     

    Sigblitz

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    Aug 25, 2018
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    Indianapolis
    I've seen a good gun mat that's lightly magnetized. I wanted to get one and now I don't know where it is. Maybe Brownells or something.
     

    Doublehelix

    Master
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    15   0   0
    Jun 20, 2015
    1,874
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    Westfield
    Have you ever lost a piece only to find it days later stuck to the magnet on the bottom of the bowl.........:):

    I have.

    This has happened before, and was one of the first places I check nowadays. In this case, it was a plastic piece, so no magnets.


    If you let the parts stay in the magnetized bowl to long they become magnetized. Just enough to mess with you when assembling the gun...:):


    I love this! Happens all the time.
     

    455 Beretta

    Plinker
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    3   0   0
    Sep 20, 2013
    118
    18
    WLaf
    Next time, go into your bedroom, camp under the covers with a flashlight like you did when you were a kid, and disassemble fugitive-prone gun parts in there, lol!
     
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