DFariswheele: Thoughts on a Colt Action Job

D

Doug.38PR

Moderator
DFariswheele
I was wondering what your thoughts were on getting an action job. Is there a downside to getting one, is there a risk of ruining the gun? How much is it roughly?
My 1944 OP is a good revolver as far as pointing it and going bang. As far as a "service" revolver goes it is as Pittsburg Hangun put it "Within factory specifications." However there a few little occasional snags and draggings that just don't feel quite right. My arm get's really tired really fast when trying to pull off a shot with this OP. The action 70 percent of the time flows through normally. HOwever, occasionally I will get a little hang or jerk in the cylinder (no it is not hanging on the bolt) where the cylinder will turn in a slow pull and then stop as though being resisted by something. I need only give it a little extra pull in my finger to adjust to it. It just feels a little clunky at times. NO it is not powder under the ratchet I have scrubbed under there as many times as I know how to. NO it is not binding against the force cone, I've looked for that. My arm gets tired having to tense it so in adjusting to the occasional clunk while trying to keep the sight lined up. Also, I can feel the action getting tighter and tighter as the trigger and hammer go back. It also feels like the bolt is dragging a little on the cylinder. I know that is what it does, but I am not supposed to feel it or notice it or have to fight against it at all am I? With my 1961, It pulls through smoothly even though the action is still a tad tighter on that gun.
My S&W Highway Patrolman however, has the same level of resistance from front to back in the action (meaning I can't feel it getting tighter and tighter. I just pull the trigger back slowly and it just eases back.)
What are your thoughts on an action job? Are they worth it? Do they last? Who can do them? Does Pittsburg do a good action jobs?
 
Most of the really great Colt tuners like Reeves Jungkind are either dead or retired, but there is still one place I will recommend for proven quality Colt work.

Although the Colt factory does good action work, I doubt they'll work on an old Official Police.

In your case, I highly recommend:
Cylinder & Slide
245 E. 4th St
Fremont, NE 68026
http://www.cylinder-slide.com/


C&S is one of the three Colt repair services I will recommend.
C&S is a true custom shop and I mostly recommend them for custom alterations and action jobs for Colts.

In your case they will work on your OP, and will both do a trigger job, and also fix whatever is causing the rough trigger pull.

C&S is SLOW, EXPENSIVE, and one of the best custom shops in the world.
You get just what you pay for, and with C&S you're paying for a world-class pistolsmith.

You'll certainly get that. These people are GOOD.

As for trigger jobs in general.
A Colt revolver action job will last for the life of the gun.
Whether it's worth it to you, is strictly a matter of personal preference.

I "grew up" on Colt revolvers so the progressively heavier, "stacking" trigger pull feels normal.

There are two types of Colt action jobs.
One type, usually done by Jungkind and the other Masters, eliminates the stacking. You have a more S&W-like even pull all the way through.

These type action jobs require major modifications to the action and cost more.

The second type is where the stacking is still present, but it's so smoothed out, that it feels much better.
These require much less physical changes, and usually cost less.

I believe C&S can do either.
 
ohhh. I just checked out their website with the link you gave. You've caught my interest.
You say colt's have that "stacking" effect? I suppose by that you mean the gradual tightness and resistance you get when pulling back on the trigger.

Strange, every Python I've ever handled (same action and internals as the Official Police) is the smoothest action I've ever felt. The trigger just breezes back.

I want my Official Police gun Pythonized! The tightness or stacking as you put it comes from the strenght of the main spring right? Python springs I suppose are made a lot lighter. In order to Pythonize my OPs wouldn't it just be a simple matter of replacing the mainspring?
 
No.
All the mid-frame Colt's used the same spring.

The difference between a Python and an Official Police is the amount of hand fitting and tuning done to the action at the factory.

Colt revolvers tend to "stack" or get progressively heavier as the trigger is pulled. People who are used to S&W or Ruger's often complain that the trigger just doesn't "feel right" to them.

If you want your OP to feel like a Python, it's going to need custom tuning. A new spring will not do it.
 
S&W gets away from the stacking by having a second pressure point on the trigger and hammer, which takes over when the hammer strut starts to move to the horizontal. This shifts the leverage and takes out the "stack".

Believe it or not, that can be done with the Colt, and I have seen one it was done to. All it takes is to figure out exactly what to do, then make a new hammer and trigger!

Jim
 
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