Revolver Headspace and Dry Firing

[Tom-Fairfax]

I recently had to have the headspace on one of my Charter .38 spl. revolvers adjusted by a gunsmith because the cylinder was almost rubbing against the frame. This resulted in a number of light strikes. The revolver hasn't been fired much or dropped or otherwise damaged. Can anyone tell me if occasionally dry firing it may have contributed to this problem?

 

[brickeyee]

Can anyone tell me if occasionally dry firing it may have contributed to this problem?

Pretty unlikely.
Especially since headspace is controlled by the recess cut in the cylinder back, not he cylinder position in the frame.

 

[Roughedge]

You may need a longer firing pin. Take it back to the smith and explain your problem. He may need to add a shim washer to the front of the cylinder to move it back a little. Does it have a pined firing pin or a transfer bar?

 

[drail]

Charters use a frame mounted beryllium firing pin and a transfer bar ignition system. The design of the crane is kind of fragile on Charters and can be damaged quite easily by rough handling. Heavy handloads will also take a toll on these guns. They were made made to be fired with only standard pressure loads and really are a gun that should be carried more than shot. Dryfiring should not be a problem on a Charter though I have seen some with broken firing pins. My guess is that these broke just from poor metallurgy. For years Charter calimed that their firing pins were "unbreakable". I have one that was built in 1986 and have dry fired the snot out of it. It doesn't seem to have had any bad effect on it so far.

 

[Tom-Fairfax]

Drail: What you say makes sense. The gunsmith pointed out that the cylinder was loose. He also told me that it took two pairs of hands to get it fixed. Since I'm shooting 112 grain ammo, it appears most likely that something in the crane assembly was causing the problem. I hope it stays fixed.

 

[drail]

HA! Working on Charters can sometimes require 3 or 4 hands. Don't ever take the cylinder release apart unless you want really to spend some hours in frustration trying to figure outhow it goes together and how you're going to hold all of the parts to make it happen. The first one I did took two people holding little springs and parts in perfect alignment. I really do love these guns though. You can carry one all day and almost forget you have it on your belt.