Apple a Day
New member
Anyone know where I might find , ideally, a computer animation of a revolver's action or some good diagrams that go through it in steps?
THanks in advance.
THanks in advance.
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Revolver action
- Thread starter Apple a Day
- Start date
You might try Jerry Kuenhausen's workshop manuals for both S&W and Colt revolvers. I'm currently reading his S&W manual, and it's good. Picked it up at the Orange County gun show last weekend for $18.
I'd like to see that revolver animation, if there is one, too. I know there's one on the web for the 1911, but I haven't seen one for revolvers.
I'd like to see that revolver animation, if there is one, too. I know there's one on the web for the 1911, but I haven't seen one for revolvers.
We have a description of how the Python works in the DA mode. Along with a parts diagram, it will help you to understand how the action works once you remove the sideplate and work the trigger. Unfortunately, you have to wait until the search function is restored to find it. Look for it under my name in the Smithy Forum.
Given time (not for the next week as I've got cops from Luxembourg dropping in), I'll try to write an equivalent for the S&W.
Given time (not for the next week as I've got cops from Luxembourg dropping in), I'll try to write an equivalent for the S&W.
Apple a Day
New member
I have seen the one for the 1911 and was hoping that there might be an equivalent for a revolver. Neat stuff. I am still hoping to find one somewhere. I will keep looking.
saintdavid
New member
Videos
Check With American Gunsmithing Institute. If they have a course on the revolver model it will have cutaway views of the workings. You can usually find an ad for AGI in Shotgun News.
Check With American Gunsmithing Institute. If they have a course on the revolver model it will have cutaway views of the workings. You can usually find an ad for AGI in Shotgun News.
Note: The following was written from memory without the benefits of having a S&W before me.
If you want to remove a sideplate on the S&W revolver, here's what you're going to see (if you don't know how to remove the sideplate, post the question here and I'll repost):
Hold the gun in the left hand and let the left hand operate the trigger slowly. As the trigger is depressed to the rear, the nose (front portion) dips forward and approaches the shelf of the cylinder stop. Concurrently, the tail rises and approaches the double action sear located on the hammer. The hand, which is mounted on the trigger, begins to raise to engage the extractor on the cylinder. Finally, as the Rebound Slide begins acting under the influence of the trigger, resistence is felt as the Rebound Slide Spring begins compressing against the post in the frame. As the Rebound Slide starts to move rearward, the hammer block is pulled away from the hammer.
Continual pressure on the trigger causes the trigger nose to contact the shelf of the cylinder stop. This forces the cylinder stop to tilt downwards, compressing the cylinder stop spring and causing the "ball" of the cylinder stop to disengage from the notch in the cylinder. When contact between the cylinder stop ball and the notch on the cylinder is broken, the cylinder, is free to rotate.
Now, as the trigger is pulled to the rear, the hand protrudes from its window in the frame and engages the extractor. This forces the the extractor upwards and with the cylinder stop disengaged, the cylinder begins to rotate counter-clockwise.
Simultaneously, the trigger also engages the double action sear on the hammer, causing the sear to pivot back against the hammer. As the double action sear is arrested in its rearward travel by the hammer, continual pressure causes the sear/hammer upwards, pivoting on its pivot pin and causing the hammer strut to pull the mainspring down, compressing it.
The Rebound Slide is pushed further to the rear by the trigger. As its spring is compressed, the hammer block is pulled away from the hammer.
As pressure builds up on the trigger, the trigger nose disengages the cylinder stop. Pressure from the cylinder stop spring forces the cylinder stop to pop back up into its position of rest. It thus jumps through the cylinder stop window in the frame and bumps against the cylinder; awaiting the forward leading edge of the cylinder notch.
The hand continues its engagement against the extractor. This causes the cylinder to rotate until the cylinder stop locks itself into the cylinder stop notch, arresting any further rotation of the cylinder.
The trigger continues rotating upward against the Double Action Sear of the Hammer until it bypasses the Double Action Sear altogether. Pressure from the mainspring pushes the hammer strut back, forcing the hammer to rotate forward and the firing pin to strike out from the firing pin bushing in the frame. The firing pin strikes the primer, grinding the metal of the primer against the anvil and igniting the priming compound. A flash is emited through the primer hole into the cartridge. This in turn burns the propellant which builds up gas, forcing the bullet to leave the case. The bullet leaves the case, travels out of the cylinder, pass the barrel-cylinder gap, and into the forcing cone where it begins to engage the rifling. The lands of the rifling engage the bullet, imparting upon it a spin which causes the bullet to fly straighter when it exits past the muzzle.
Releasing the trigger results in the following: the spring in the rebound slide pushes the rebound slide forward. This causes the trigger to cam forward, lowering the tail and raising the nose. The nose slips back above the shelf of the cylinder stop (you'll see the cylinder stop slip slightly downward and then pop back up into its position of rest when this happens) and the tail slides past the Hammer's Double Action Sear. It comes to rest between the Double Action Sear and the single action notch of the Hammer. As the trigger cams foward, the hand also disengages the extractor and withdraws from the window as it begins to be pulled down by the hammer. Further movement of the rebound slide causes the hammer block to slip up and between the hammer and frame.
The above, if I haven't missed anything, is how the S&W revolver functions in the DA mode. The single action mode is very much alike, but as it's late and I'm tired, that's a story for another day.
If you want to remove a sideplate on the S&W revolver, here's what you're going to see (if you don't know how to remove the sideplate, post the question here and I'll repost):
Hold the gun in the left hand and let the left hand operate the trigger slowly. As the trigger is depressed to the rear, the nose (front portion) dips forward and approaches the shelf of the cylinder stop. Concurrently, the tail rises and approaches the double action sear located on the hammer. The hand, which is mounted on the trigger, begins to raise to engage the extractor on the cylinder. Finally, as the Rebound Slide begins acting under the influence of the trigger, resistence is felt as the Rebound Slide Spring begins compressing against the post in the frame. As the Rebound Slide starts to move rearward, the hammer block is pulled away from the hammer.
Continual pressure on the trigger causes the trigger nose to contact the shelf of the cylinder stop. This forces the cylinder stop to tilt downwards, compressing the cylinder stop spring and causing the "ball" of the cylinder stop to disengage from the notch in the cylinder. When contact between the cylinder stop ball and the notch on the cylinder is broken, the cylinder, is free to rotate.
Now, as the trigger is pulled to the rear, the hand protrudes from its window in the frame and engages the extractor. This forces the the extractor upwards and with the cylinder stop disengaged, the cylinder begins to rotate counter-clockwise.
Simultaneously, the trigger also engages the double action sear on the hammer, causing the sear to pivot back against the hammer. As the double action sear is arrested in its rearward travel by the hammer, continual pressure causes the sear/hammer upwards, pivoting on its pivot pin and causing the hammer strut to pull the mainspring down, compressing it.
The Rebound Slide is pushed further to the rear by the trigger. As its spring is compressed, the hammer block is pulled away from the hammer.
As pressure builds up on the trigger, the trigger nose disengages the cylinder stop. Pressure from the cylinder stop spring forces the cylinder stop to pop back up into its position of rest. It thus jumps through the cylinder stop window in the frame and bumps against the cylinder; awaiting the forward leading edge of the cylinder notch.
The hand continues its engagement against the extractor. This causes the cylinder to rotate until the cylinder stop locks itself into the cylinder stop notch, arresting any further rotation of the cylinder.
The trigger continues rotating upward against the Double Action Sear of the Hammer until it bypasses the Double Action Sear altogether. Pressure from the mainspring pushes the hammer strut back, forcing the hammer to rotate forward and the firing pin to strike out from the firing pin bushing in the frame. The firing pin strikes the primer, grinding the metal of the primer against the anvil and igniting the priming compound. A flash is emited through the primer hole into the cartridge. This in turn burns the propellant which builds up gas, forcing the bullet to leave the case. The bullet leaves the case, travels out of the cylinder, pass the barrel-cylinder gap, and into the forcing cone where it begins to engage the rifling. The lands of the rifling engage the bullet, imparting upon it a spin which causes the bullet to fly straighter when it exits past the muzzle.
Releasing the trigger results in the following: the spring in the rebound slide pushes the rebound slide forward. This causes the trigger to cam forward, lowering the tail and raising the nose. The nose slips back above the shelf of the cylinder stop (you'll see the cylinder stop slip slightly downward and then pop back up into its position of rest when this happens) and the tail slides past the Hammer's Double Action Sear. It comes to rest between the Double Action Sear and the single action notch of the Hammer. As the trigger cams foward, the hand also disengages the extractor and withdraws from the window as it begins to be pulled down by the hammer. Further movement of the rebound slide causes the hammer block to slip up and between the hammer and frame.
The above, if I haven't missed anything, is how the S&W revolver functions in the DA mode. The single action mode is very much alike, but as it's late and I'm tired, that's a story for another day.
Here's a brief animation
http://science.howstuffworks.com/revolver2.htm
http://science.howstuffworks.com/revolver2.htm