The 3 pin lock used a bridle that encapsulated the mainspring. The two pin lock was the latest style and was used till the end of production. All cost saving features and not always the best ideas.
A friend had bought a "elsie" hammer gun and watching him shoot it he was balking when pulling the trigger, I asked him what was wrong and he said the trigger was hard to pull and didn't know when it was going to go off. I used my trigger pull gage on it and it went to 15 lbs. and still didn't fire. Took it home and took the lock plate off and had to file the sear where it engaged the tumbler. Got it to 4 lbs and he was very happy.
The 5 and 6 pin bar action locks are smoother working but there is a stirrup that connects the mainspring to the sear, if that breaks finding one is another thing and you cannot use a right side to a left side and vice versa or you will break that one trying to cock it.
The mainsprings are interchangeable and somewhat easier to find sometimes on eBay.
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