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I'm posting this in the event it helps and encourages others that it is possible to make replacement parts that function well, especially when there are no schematics or parts lists on Gun Parts Corp or other sites for our German hunting or target rifles.
The first image shows a .32 bullet for scale in the background, and a broken Front Sight Retaining Spring in the foreground. In-between is the spring steel replacement spring that I made up the other night in about 1/2 hour. Luckily, I'm a 3rd generation locksmith (no longer working in that trade) and the older mortise locks used springs, so I've had some experience replacing springs, and I had some spring steel scraps too.
The piece of spring steel was the right thickness but started out 1/8" or so larger in width, but I carefully and slowly (so as not to create heat and ruin the temper of the spring steel) brought it down to the right width, leaving a larger block on one end where it had to be carefully drilled for the retaining screw. Filing down the excess width around the screw was the toughest part, but a set of magnifying lenses (head-band style) and small Swiss files allowed me to do that, with the small part retained in a small hand vise. (By the way, those hand vises are really handy when working on small gun parts where you may need to see the part from several angles, which isn't so easy when it's secured in a large bench vise.)
Going slowly, and with various Swiss needle files, I was finally able to shape the retaining tab so it would fit into its slot under the screw. A slight bend "up" at the screw, and down & up at the right place on the new spring (which is upside down in first pix below) now holds the front sight securely in place, as shown in the last image.
Good luck with your gunsmithing (or is it "Waffenschmiedekunst"?).
Old No7
The first image shows a .32 bullet for scale in the background, and a broken Front Sight Retaining Spring in the foreground. In-between is the spring steel replacement spring that I made up the other night in about 1/2 hour. Luckily, I'm a 3rd generation locksmith (no longer working in that trade) and the older mortise locks used springs, so I've had some experience replacing springs, and I had some spring steel scraps too.
The piece of spring steel was the right thickness but started out 1/8" or so larger in width, but I carefully and slowly (so as not to create heat and ruin the temper of the spring steel) brought it down to the right width, leaving a larger block on one end where it had to be carefully drilled for the retaining screw. Filing down the excess width around the screw was the toughest part, but a set of magnifying lenses (head-band style) and small Swiss files allowed me to do that, with the small part retained in a small hand vise. (By the way, those hand vises are really handy when working on small gun parts where you may need to see the part from several angles, which isn't so easy when it's secured in a large bench vise.)
Going slowly, and with various Swiss needle files, I was finally able to shape the retaining tab so it would fit into its slot under the screw. A slight bend "up" at the screw, and down & up at the right place on the new spring (which is upside down in first pix below) now holds the front sight securely in place, as shown in the last image.
Good luck with your gunsmithing (or is it "Waffenschmiedekunst"?).
Old No7
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