As a absolute last ditch effort to get to the bottom of this I decided to take a look at the manual which came with the pistol and found clear instruction:
![Image](http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa458/trboatworks/IMG_1695.jpg)
![Image](http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa458/trboatworks/IMG_1696.jpg)
Honestly I didn't want to wrench on the slide with a screw driver so got the ideal to make up a small toe jack to fit up on the pistol in the place of the weight.
The is the problem with having a milling machine and metal lathe- very low threshold to just knock something out..
The thing works like a champ- slight turn on the allen key and the slide is opened just enough to remove the spring neat:
![Image](http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa458/trboatworks/IMG_1682.jpg)
![Image](http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa458/trboatworks/IMG_1694.jpg)
![Image](http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa458/trboatworks/IMG_1698.jpg)
![Image](http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa458/trboatworks/IMG_1697.jpg)
![Image](http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa458/trboatworks/IMG_1689.jpg)
![Image](http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa458/trboatworks/IMG_1690.jpg)
Don't laugh guys- I know a practiced hand has that spring out fast enough but I like the perfectly controlled lift of the toe jack which allows me to pull the spring and place another in with no fuss.
I have some 208's build a bit later and they rely on a rotation of the pin to remove the spring- these old gals need the frame pried open a bit.