Posted by David Williamson on September 20, 2013, 9:41 pm, in reply to "Hammer Guns"
Dick, if you are mainly concerned in taking the locks apart, you can safely take the bridle off. You will have to compress the sear spring to take the pressure from the sear. Remove the screw, and take it out of the small fit the one leg is in. As far as taking the bar action mainspring out, it can be a bear to put back in. You have to compress it take the pressure off the tumbler and to take the long leg out of the stirrup. It comes out easily enough but putting it back can be a hassle. Take it apart as far as the mainspring with some cotton swabs (Q tips) dipped in acetone.
To compress the sear spring and mainspring (if you go that far), I use a thin pair of needle nose pliers. To take the whole lock apart is also sometimes a hassle as the hammer does not want to come off the tumbler. If you get it/them off, you will be able to clean a lot of grim beneath them on the outside and inside.