I fell into one of those good buddy deals,,,you know the ones that usually cost 3 times as much if you paid retail.I bought it sight unseen but just had to have it,paid tooo much for it ($450.00) and did not even shoot it much,,,till later.Well I went shooting one day and the thing locked up,,wouldn't rotate the cyl...It took a while but could tell the gap was too close from the barrell to cyl. so ,,hey it's adjustable just unscrew the barrell nut from the shroud and back out the barrell.......WRONG....yep..someone striped the nut because they did not have the right tool for the job.Took it to a gun smith,,he giggled,shook his head, and said he was sorry,another gun smith said he could fix it charged me $70.00...it worked for about 6 or 8 shots,,then when it got hot same thing happened, locked up. So should I have it cut off and buy another barrel and shroud or just shoot it for targets,,bang bang bang, let it cool down while I'm shooting my Redhawk,,bang bang,bang.......It still shoots straight but sometimes now it has light primer strikes and wont always go off,,,one of those lessons in life the hard way hey.
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Dan Wesson,,,to cut or not to cut
- Thread starter VTR996
- Start date
ChickenHawk
New member
I agree with John. Send your gun to Dan Wesson. I have one as well, and had to send mine in a few months ago. They're slow, but they did a good job.
While you are at it, you might consider buying a new wrench kit from them. The new wrench is shaped like a doorknob (rather than the old plastic butterfy-type things).
Regards,
ChickenHawk
While you are at it, you might consider buying a new wrench kit from them. The new wrench is shaped like a doorknob (rather than the old plastic butterfy-type things).
Regards,
ChickenHawk
PugetSound5
New member
What caliber and model is that gun?
Sounds like the previous owner(s) messed up. For the .357, DW sells nuts for $8 and a 4" barrel is $43. Maybe you could get a better street price by ordering via a local gun shop.
From your explanation of the problem, I don't see why you'd need to buy a new shroud. The tool is $27. The central part is used for the nut; one side for the front sights and the other for the grip.
The recommended gap is .006" for the .357, and that's the size of the feeler gauge that DW packed with the guns (at least the older ones). On some higher DW calibers, I believe that the recommended gap is smaller. I asked questions on feeler gauge stuff on this board and I was told by some users that they actually set the gap on their .357 smaller than .006". Whatever you choose, you should still use a gauge though...
I have a copy of an old gun rag article on DW revolvers and two of the tips they give is that the nut should not be very heavily tightened, but simply kept firm. To prevent stripping when you unscrew the nut, the trick is to apply slight pressure downward on it with the tool while you turn counterclockwise. It works. Taking the nut off without the proper tool makes no sense, $$$ or otherwise.
PS5
Sounds like the previous owner(s) messed up. For the .357, DW sells nuts for $8 and a 4" barrel is $43. Maybe you could get a better street price by ordering via a local gun shop.
From your explanation of the problem, I don't see why you'd need to buy a new shroud. The tool is $27. The central part is used for the nut; one side for the front sights and the other for the grip.
The recommended gap is .006" for the .357, and that's the size of the feeler gauge that DW packed with the guns (at least the older ones). On some higher DW calibers, I believe that the recommended gap is smaller. I asked questions on feeler gauge stuff on this board and I was told by some users that they actually set the gap on their .357 smaller than .006". Whatever you choose, you should still use a gauge though...
I have a copy of an old gun rag article on DW revolvers and two of the tips they give is that the nut should not be very heavily tightened, but simply kept firm. To prevent stripping when you unscrew the nut, the trick is to apply slight pressure downward on it with the tool while you turn counterclockwise. It works. Taking the nut off without the proper tool makes no sense, $$$ or otherwise.
PS5
Swamp Yankee
New member
VTR996
Sorry to hear of your problem. Few things you can try depending upon how daring you care to get. By the way, which model DW is it?
1- Check the barrel to cylinder gap at each chamber. Should measure at least .003 inches at each position. Do this check with the gun horizontal. If you find a substantial difference (more than .004 inches) from one chamber position to another this is problem unrelated to the barrel.
2- Check around the barrel and make sure there is no accumulation of lead and crud which would make the cylinder drag.
3- Ask the "smith " how he fixed the gun if the barrel nut wrench recessses are stripped out. My guess he may have filed or ground down the end of the barrel to increase clearance between the cylinder. Look for burrs. If he actually backed the nut off I would hope he didn't re-install the damaged barrel nut but replaced it.
4- Now down to the part where you decide to try a repair or send it back to DW. The barrel threads are very fine and easily damaged or cross strarted. In trying to tighten and trying to remove the nut, the wrench or facsimile in use, probably kept slipping and you guessed it rounded off the slots.
First create a new slot in the nut. You'll need access to a milling machine. (If your really daring a drill press may work) Make a slot by plunging a 1/16th end mill into the nut. Be carefull not to touch the barrel or shroud. Using a punch and hammer against the new slot turn the barrel out of the frame. Once the nut is above the shroud, vise grips should be the weapon of choice on the nut backing it off. This works only if the threads in the frame are ok. Once the assembly breaks free from the shroud it should turn easily.
5- If you choose not to try making a new slot try a small screwdriver and hammer against what is left of the existing slot and see if the nut will drift loose. Once free of the shroud it should turn easily.
6- If you get the barrel nut and barrel off be sure to order a new nut from DW.
7- If worse comes to worse FedEx to Dan Wesson.
Hope this helps. Let us know how you make out.
Take Care
Sorry to hear of your problem. Few things you can try depending upon how daring you care to get. By the way, which model DW is it?
1- Check the barrel to cylinder gap at each chamber. Should measure at least .003 inches at each position. Do this check with the gun horizontal. If you find a substantial difference (more than .004 inches) from one chamber position to another this is problem unrelated to the barrel.
2- Check around the barrel and make sure there is no accumulation of lead and crud which would make the cylinder drag.
3- Ask the "smith " how he fixed the gun if the barrel nut wrench recessses are stripped out. My guess he may have filed or ground down the end of the barrel to increase clearance between the cylinder. Look for burrs. If he actually backed the nut off I would hope he didn't re-install the damaged barrel nut but replaced it.
4- Now down to the part where you decide to try a repair or send it back to DW. The barrel threads are very fine and easily damaged or cross strarted. In trying to tighten and trying to remove the nut, the wrench or facsimile in use, probably kept slipping and you guessed it rounded off the slots.
First create a new slot in the nut. You'll need access to a milling machine. (If your really daring a drill press may work) Make a slot by plunging a 1/16th end mill into the nut. Be carefull not to touch the barrel or shroud. Using a punch and hammer against the new slot turn the barrel out of the frame. Once the nut is above the shroud, vise grips should be the weapon of choice on the nut backing it off. This works only if the threads in the frame are ok. Once the assembly breaks free from the shroud it should turn easily.
5- If you choose not to try making a new slot try a small screwdriver and hammer against what is left of the existing slot and see if the nut will drift loose. Once free of the shroud it should turn easily.
6- If you get the barrel nut and barrel off be sure to order a new nut from DW.
7- If worse comes to worse FedEx to Dan Wesson.
Hope this helps. Let us know how you make out.
Take Care