bnice wrote on Jun 4
th, 2016 at 8:37pm:
is the spring with the hole in it for a walnuthill?
The Walnut Hill (Model 417) had a coil spring strut much like the 1915 Favorites.
I observe that deHaas shows the 1894
Favorite as having a cantilevered spring with a hole in it. The spring is firmly screwed down to the lower tang, and the hammer is shaped to accommodate it. (I cannot confirm, as I have yet to acquire one in that period.)
That fact might account for Wisner's having identified an "intermediate" spring style for the 44. The early Favorite "bow" mainspring is close enough to the 44 "bow" mainspring that a casual observer might be forgiven for thinking that they are the same part, and by extrapolation might mistakenly believe that the 44 copied the Favorite's cantilever style spring at some time. It didn't.
I believe the Wisner catalog is in error, twice over. First in listing a "holey" spring for the 44, and second for listing the 12AB spring for both the 44 and the early Favorite. While the 12AB spring
does fit into and function in both rifles, the OEM Favorite spring was of .042" thickness, while the OEM 44 spring is .065". The Wisner spring is .055", splitting the difference, but not to the advantage of either. In the 44 it works, but won't provide quite as positive a hammer blow, and in the Favorite it takes two hands to cock the hammer, as Redsetter and I can both testify.
Pending positive identification of the O.P.'s rifle, I believe what he wants to order is the 12AB spring.
Oh, and Joe? I believe your Dad was holding either the rifle or you upside down.