Revolver won't shoot!!!

[AKexpat]

@g.willikers

Blame it on all the would be gunsmiths whose skills are largely imaginary.

Are you one who relies upon the LGS to do repairs without knowing any certifications concerning various firearms other than that the LGS employs as a "gunsmith"? If so, I can understand your mindset. I would not trust a run-of-the-mill LGS gunsmith over my informed skills based upon 30+ years of experience at the kitchen table/workbench and lots of literature. Information is paramount.

Fortunately, not too many attack revolvers.

I agree, but there are things such as judicial spring rate replacements that work just fine, as in the Wolff spring kits for the SP101 or the 1911. Kitchen table gunsmithing without a Dremel or a file, just parts replacement. Any sear/hammer/trigger work on revolvers should be left to an expert. I replaced my SP101 factory springs with a 8# trigger spring and a 10# hammer spring.

The original springs were terribly heavy and it now feels like a J-frame .38, and I have had no FTF with it using Federal 129 gr Hydrashoks.

Think of all those home made ARs and 1911s that must be out there, just waiting for an unsuspecting buyer.

Now you are getting into what I call "Lego" guns. If one is adept with how an AR or a 1911 functions, ANY knowledgeable person can modify or repair them, and ANY knowledgeable person can detect 99% of flaws caused by a home gunsmith, and the parts are easily replaced and most all are directly interchangeable, some requiring a degree of fitting.

Waaaayy back in the early 90's (before the Clinton AWB) I built two AR-15's using stripped lowers and parts from QPC/Bushmaster without a hitch (caveat: I had several books about disassembly/assembly including the USMC M-16 manual). Both guns ran perfectly: one was a HBAR fluted 20" barreled rifle with A2 stock and sights, the other was an M4 barrel with a soldered AK-74 muzzle brake with A1 sights and a tele-stock. Both with 30-rd mags loaded with 28 rounds each (another thread). All were stock triggers/hammers and worked as advertised. Not great, but the 20" AR would put 5 shots in a ragged 1" hole at 100 yards from a rest (1-9" twist with PMC 5.56 55 gr ammo).

I also have an AMT Hardballer .45 (my truck gun: not pretty) that I got in 1992 for a screaming deal, replaced the soft pins and other parts with blued carbon steel parts, throated the barrel (Kuhnhausen). It works with Federal 230 gr Hydrashoks and (long ago) handloaded Speer 200 gr HP (Flying Ashtrays).

I never looked back.

I also built a stripped-frame-up 1911 .22 LR (Ciener Conversion) pistol last year w/SARCO/Numrich/Wolff parts that has a nice trigger pull of 4.5-5# and works flawlessly with pretty much any ammo as I replaced the Sarco 23# mainspring with a Wolff 19# spring.

If these guns were for sale, I would guarantee the functionality to the buyer.

Buying a used gun is like buying a used car: buyer beware. If the buyer's knowledge is adept, there should be no surprises.

I would never buy a gun from an internet seller without handling/checking it out in person, which is pretty much not possible.

Off Topic:

As an aside, I am playing around with a 2014 Pietta 1851 Colt .36 replica. On the list: better nipples, squareback brass trigger guard (Colt 1851 Navy 1st Model) with a Pietta shoulder stock, and re-configuring the grip/gripframe to conform more closely with the original using a spare Pietta brass grip frame.

That's my new project. I have all of the HD/SD guns I need.

Just my $.02 worth.

Jim

 

[Rookie21]

Driftwood- I conducted both tests and single action locks up good before the hammer reaches its "cocked" position. Double action locks up but right before the hammer drops. Kind of close. But it's definitely in battery before the hammer falls. I went to a local gunsmith who had a part in stock - I bought it from him. Once I had the gun apart and back together two or three times I could really see all the relations between the parts and dissasembly and reassembly was no longer a problem. Fitting the new cylinder stop made me nervous but I learn how to work on my own guns because I can't always afford a good gunsmith. If it's above my pay grade then I save up the cash for the work but something like this I thought I could handle.

 

[James K]

Fortunately for a lot of "gunsmiths", real and pretend, S&W's tend to be pretty straightforward. Parts tend to perform one or two functions, not like the Colt DA's where a part like the rebound lever can do several jobs, and the even older Colt DA's like the Model 1877 where even slight wear can reverberate down through the timing with unpredictable results.

Jim