Dixie Gunsmithing
Moderator Emeritus
If you run into an old Iver Johnson or H&R top break revolver, that is having a problem with the cylinder not wanting to rotate, some times this is not caused by either the hand of the cylinder stop, but loose locking of the frame at the latch.
Grasp the barrel and the grip with two hands, and see if there is any slop in the barrel wanting to lift from the frame, due to the latch being loose. It does not take much, just a small amount of slack. If you have this problem, open the revolver, cock the hammer, and with a small ball pein hammer, swell the metal, (toward the hammer), of the two lugs that the latch fits over, by striking the back corner of each. This does not take much to do, only a few good raps, and do not wail on them. Afterward, the lugs will then need to be fitted by filing.
Another test, is to take off the grips, place the frame in a padded vise, and lift up on the barrel, applying pressure upwards, to see if the cylinder will rotate properly, when cocking or pulling the trigger. If it rotates properly, then you have found the culprit.
After peining the lugs, first file the sides of the lugs, (the top corner on each side), and between them, making them flat with a pillar file, to make sure that nothing hampers the two haves swinging closed, and then, gradually, with only a few file licks at a time, reshape the rear cam surface of the two lugs so that the latch will close over them. Keep checking the fit with every two file licks. The trick is to get the slack out of the hinge joint, with the latch easy to lock and lift.
I just helped a neighbor bring another old Iver Johnson back to life, showing him how to perform these steps. With a little work, what was once a revolver with the cylinder hanging up at every trigger pull, came back to life.
Note; the hinge joint can loosen too, and that might have to be adjusted also.
Grasp the barrel and the grip with two hands, and see if there is any slop in the barrel wanting to lift from the frame, due to the latch being loose. It does not take much, just a small amount of slack. If you have this problem, open the revolver, cock the hammer, and with a small ball pein hammer, swell the metal, (toward the hammer), of the two lugs that the latch fits over, by striking the back corner of each. This does not take much to do, only a few good raps, and do not wail on them. Afterward, the lugs will then need to be fitted by filing.
Another test, is to take off the grips, place the frame in a padded vise, and lift up on the barrel, applying pressure upwards, to see if the cylinder will rotate properly, when cocking or pulling the trigger. If it rotates properly, then you have found the culprit.
After peining the lugs, first file the sides of the lugs, (the top corner on each side), and between them, making them flat with a pillar file, to make sure that nothing hampers the two haves swinging closed, and then, gradually, with only a few file licks at a time, reshape the rear cam surface of the two lugs so that the latch will close over them. Keep checking the fit with every two file licks. The trick is to get the slack out of the hinge joint, with the latch easy to lock and lift.
I just helped a neighbor bring another old Iver Johnson back to life, showing him how to perform these steps. With a little work, what was once a revolver with the cylinder hanging up at every trigger pull, came back to life.
Note; the hinge joint can loosen too, and that might have to be adjusted also.