Hello, I have just bought a German shuetzen rifle with an Aydt action, 8.15X46R caliber. Overall very good, the bore is excellent, little if any rust anywhere. Problems I am missing the front sight, rear sight/diopter, sear and mainspring. I have looked at the different posts and found useful stuff but I am still struggling. The sights I'll worry about later,my issue is with the maisnpring. I have looked at the diagrams in Alte Scheibenwaffen, especially pages 245 and 246. It looks very much like what I have but I cannot figure out what shape the mainspring should have; crescent blade won't work since there's nothing to hold it under pressure forward, and the lever has a deep slot and is too far to press against the spring. So should it be V shaped? It does not seem to be from the various pictures in the book. Once I get the spring figured out I'll move to the sear. 

Quote:

Pat, link with names & contacts info that can help you.  I would start with Bill Loos, even with the spring & sear
295 Lake Breeze Park
Rochester, NY 14622-1948
(585) 544-1027
wjl55@frontiernet.net 
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I recently made a new spring for an Aydt. The spring is a single leaf mounted in the hammer with the other end bearing on the lump on the forward part of the breechblock. The curve has to be right or there will be interference issues with the lever. The sear also has it's spring mounted directly to it, usually with a dovetail.

Steven Durren

Nothing holds the forward end of the spring against the breechblock except the tension of the spring itself. The spring is held rigidly in the hammer and with no up or down movement at that end. The spring extends forward and rests against the lug on the breech block. The angle of the spring in the hammer is such that the hammer is held in the forward position. When the hammer is cocked the middle of the spring will curve upward but should not touch the breechblock. Look at the patent drawing on page 244 where it appears that the hammer and spring are made as one piece.

Steven Durren

Did you remove the hammer from the breech block? Most Aydts have a hole and slot to contain the main spring. The main spring has a round profile at the end that slides into the slot/hole. 

         Joe.

My Haenel Aydt had an original mainspring broken but still in place.  The person who made my replacement said he made the replacement spring with a doll's head on the end that retains it.  The doll's head is what holds the mainspring in place.

Brilliant, the pictures have been extremely helpful, and yes, what I thought was some sort of a step was in fact the broken stub of the mainspring. I have made a new spring, just needs tempering, brazed on a new trigger lever, the double set trigger now works fine. I made a plywood template for the sear, it's working so I have the main dimensions and pivot point. I'll use the schematics from the Alte Scheibenwaffen book, scale them to fit and make a new sear, I have the right thickness steel. Fingers crossed, but I could be shooting my rifle by mid February. No small thanks to you guys, you have been very helpful. I'll let you know how things go.

DW.  Last year at one of the OGCA shows a dealer in German Schyetzen rifles was showing me and others six or eight different 8.15 / 46R cartridges.   Ledball