Tool for the job?

Is there a tool to mount those split detent springs (they are mostly round, but with one flat end meant to fit inside a notch) that keep in place the two trigger assembly retaining pins of Remington shotguns, specifically the model 870, the model 1100, and the model 11-87?
What is the name of that tool? It is really hard to place them properly without some type of tool. I realize that this question is a bit off the topics of this forum, but I am sure that there is someone here who can help me.

Thank you

Are you looking for the staking tool? Try Brownells if that is what you want.

Thank you--but I've looked at the pictures of what Brownell's shows as staking tools and I haven't seen anything that would seem the right tool. I was thinking more of some kind of pliers similar to those used for gear retaining rings, those rings with two little holes near the open part. The retaining springs that I am getting are shaped like a C, but with one flat section that goes from one end toward the other end touching it but not being attached to it. The flat part locks inside a cut near the end of the tube inside which goes the pin. The pin has grooves close to both its ends, and when it is tapped through that tube, the flat end of the spring goes into the groove and locks the pin in place. My problem is trying to open that spring and push it around the tube until the flat end locks in the cut. Without a tool (or maybe because I am not doing it right) the dang spring... springs out of the five thumbs that I have on either hand. The old springs, though they have loosened with age (and that's why they need to be replaced--they pop out every time I disassemble the trigger group), are still hard to stick back in place. I imagine that the new ones will be a pain to mount without the proper tool--if there is one for the job--which I do not even know.

Do you mean circlips or E clips?

There are tools, such as this one for inserting and removing them.


And this one just for E clips.


Hard to tell from your description what the part looks like. Photos would help.

The retaining clips that the OP is speaking about look like a capital letter D with a break in it for expansion. I install these by holding the straight portion in the slot and then rolling the curved section over the top of the axis tube. Many times I can do this with just thumb pressure but sometimes I use a piece of delrin rod to press it over the end.

Thank you

guncrank said:

The retaining clips that the OP is speaking about look like a capital letter D with a break in it for expansion. I install these by holding the straight portion in the slot and then rolling the curved section over the top of the axis tube. Many times I can do this with just thumb pressure but sometimes I use a piece of delrin rod to press it over the end.

Click to expand...

Thank you