Some advise please...

L

leesa

Inactive
Hi there,

My husband has a starting revolver used for sports events. I was messing around with it yesterday and now it seems the hammer is out of position and not sitting flush against the gun as before. I dont think the hammer is going to hit the firing pin now as its too far back, so Im worried that I might have broken the gun. :eek: Not sure what I might have done but is there anyway I can fix it? I have attached at photo showing the position the hammer is currently stuck in.

Hope some one can offer me some help/advise.
Thanks
 

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Can you unload the thing? Start there. Even with blanks, you don't want one of those going off while you're messing with the hammer.

Then - with NO ammo in the cylinder, and the cylinder in the closed, ready to use position, can you pull the hammer back by hand, without using the trigger? I'm not really sure if you can normally cock a starter's pistol (allow the hammer to click into it's rearward position). It might be double action only (pull the trigger, the hammer cycles).

I would imagine the hammer has simply found it'self into half or quarter cock position. There's likely nothing broken. It just needs to be pulled back to it's rear most position to get it out of it's current state.

In single action guns (cowboy pistols) that position it's in is where you deliberately put the hammer in order to remove the cylinder for cleaning. It's a perfectly normal feature.

Again, get the blanks out of it before experimenting, please.


Sgt Lumpy - n0eq
 
Some starter guns have what is called a "rebounding hammer." This makes sure that the gun isn't inadvertently fired if dropped once the cylinder is loaded, but before any of the charges are fired.
 
leesa, as was said, please do ensure that this starter gun is EMPTY of it's ammunition. It does sound as if you aren't all too familiar with firearms and the TV & movie industry has a done a very skilled job at convincing many folks that "blanks" aren't "dangerous" but as anyone here can tell you, that's nowhere in the hemisphere of the truth.

In fact, I can easily name two different Hollywood actors that have been killed as a result of blanks and I can't even imagine how many other "not famous" people have been harmed or killed by them. If you wish to read some interesting stories, direct your searched to "Jon-Erik Hexum" and "Brandon Lee"

We'd like to help you ensure that this starter pistol isn't broken -- but your safety is more important at this point. At the very least, this starter gun could blast a finger right off your hand...easily.

You might consider placing it in a box and taking it to a gun store.
 
Hi,

Thanks for the replys, much appreciated. Sorry, I should have mentioned that I like in the UK.....

We do not have any blanks for this gun at the moment. Even if we did, I wouldnt even dream of loading them never mind cocking the hammer! I am fully aware of the damage they can cause.

Yes, it would be a good idea to test a blank, but, as we dont have any and I have nowhere "remote" to test the gun (police would probably be around in 10 minutes if I was to test at home!), Im a bit stuck.

However, going by your comments, do you think it will work ok then? Is it just a small issue that can be easily fixed through a bit of usage/firing? Im hoping that when it is used, it will be fine, otherwise everyone will be left at the starting line :( and ill be in trouble with my husband! :eek:

Thanks again
 
If you are certain you have no ammo in the cylinder (sorry, even if it seems obvious, we are safety nuts in general! ;) ) then try this.

--Open the cylinder all the way. We might help more on this if you posted pictures or could find model/brand info that we might search for images. Chances are, there is a round pin that goes through the middle of the cylinder that holds it in place and allows the cylinder to spin or "revolve" around it.

Typically, this pin would be drawn FORWARD and out of the gun, toward the muzzle end (toward the BAD GUY!) to open or remove the cylinder.

Remove this pin or pull it forward as far as you can.

--put the cylinder in place, properly, so that this pin can be pushed all the way BACK in place, towards the SHOOTER, so that the revolver is put completely back together and is functional. Sometimes, getting the pin to move this last little bit and CLICK in to place is difficult. If it's not fully in place, it can/will keep the revolver from operating properly

--when you have the pin and cylinder in place properly, then put the revolver in your right hand and use your right thumb to draw the HAMMER rearward, while keeping your finger WELL clear of the trigger

When you pull it all the way, it should lock in place, cocked--and ready to fire

--now put your right thumb on the HAMMER and hold it in place while you PULL the trigger with your right index finger

Gently allow the hammer to come to rest, but keep your finger ON the trigger

While your finger continues to depress the trigger, observe that hammer

Is it FULLY to rest, where it would hit the blank? Sitting FLUSH, as you described in your post?

If NO, then try:
--with finger still depressing trigger, attempt to lightly push further the hammer so that it DOES sit flush. It may go forward a bit, make contact, and rebound when you take pressure off the hammer. This is what Mike Irwin alluded to in his post.

If that works, then the pistol is in fine working condition.

If it still will not go forward, I'd attempt to again cock the revolver, then pull that trigger as normal and see what happens. Keep your finger ON the trigger even after it has "snapped" or "fired" and observe where the hammer comes to rest now.
 
One of the first rules of gun safety . . . DON'T PLAY WITH GUNS . . they are not toys. Even a starter pistol could cause injury under the right circumstances - the first that comes to mind is having it discharge in an enclosed space (a room) and damaging your hearing. That said . . .

I hope you got it figured out . . . safely.
 
new "starter guns"...

It looks broke to me. :D
?; Why doesn't he use one of those super high tech flash-noise devices they created in the post-09/11/2001 era?
I saw a media item about it(for the 2004 or 2008 Summer Olympics). It makes a noise & flash but it's not a firing weapon or gun(firearm).
Sports groups & schools now use them instead of the old starter guns.

ClydeFrog
 
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