SC 1903A3 Safety lever

My SC 03A3 numbered 471XXXX is finally being cleaned. It is sporterized.

I disassembled the safety from the bolt sleeve. The plunger/spring will not separate from the safety as my firearms assembly/disassembly manual by JB Woods says it will. Now that I'm putting it back together I can't get the plunger to override the safety to get it back into its track. I've tried using a bladed screw driver to lift the plunger up so I can get it back into its track but I can't lift it high enough.

Does anyone know of a way to get this safety back into the bolt sleeve?

Thanks,
Mike

The plunger should nearly go all the way back up into the flag of the safety. But the spring is very stiff once the coils are pushed together.
More than likely it has some accumulated debris preventing it from doing so, like rust or other dried crud.
i would apply some solvent, work it free and check to make sure the hole at the top of the flag if it has one allows fluid to weep through it.
When you levered it off it probably drove the plunger into impacted grease rust or some other hardened matter.

I normally use a large jeweler's screwdriver to lift the plunger and get the lever back into position. As a matter of note, Springfield Armory made a special hand tool for reinstalling the safety lock. I have one. It's very similar to a jeweler's screwdriver.

Good Luck! And Merry Christmas!

J.B.

Thanks Doco and John for your replies.

I placed a few drops of Breakfree CLP into the plunger/spring and let it sit for an hour. I used a small slotted driver to lift it up into its recess. I noticed it moved further up than my earlier attempt. I heated it up using my heat gun until the CLP started smoking. After it cooled down I used my Panavise as to squeeze the safety back into the bolt sleeve as I lifted the plunger up. The plunger lifted up over the rim and sat down in its track. Success!

Thanks,
Mike