Inspect those used revolvers carefully.

[browningautorifle]

I think they rose out of my price range.

Deals are always available...if you're looking. You don't have to pay the moon.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Very well said Seaspriter.

I'm on almost exactly the same grounds as you and Aragorn as far as handguns, especially revolvers.

I learned a huge amount from a couple of our resident experts today that I will remember always, and I would have never had a clue if not for this site of top expert members and contributors.

[Aragorn243]

Deals are always available...if you're looking. You don't have to pay the moon.

I guess I should at least look. I honestly don't do much of that other than the local gun shop. I go to gun shows and ignore the handgun tables. At the local shop I at least ask them if any are surplus. Never are.

[WarPig1976]

Thanks for the kind words fellas. Just passing on some tips to the like minded learned over the years by what PL calls an enthusiastic amateur.

Started the repair process last night. Managed to remove the galling and scratches with some file/ 600 grit paper/ 00 steel wool work. Same finish work can be accomplished with the proper scotch brite pads.
Attachment 62250

This guy really did a number to this revolver. It's hard to tell in the photo but he bent and galled the hammer stud. God only knows but he had to beat on the hammer with a hammer!. Also slightly bent is the trigger stud.
Attachment 62251Attachment 62252

The crux of the problem. The SA sear has been at the very least polished beyond safe, but I suspect he filed on it too. Notice the chunk missing on the left hand corner of the SA sear. The block of steel jutting from the hammer is the DA sear. It's polished too but that's no big deal and has no bearing on SA. No pics of the trigger but all he did there was polish the top in an attempt to smooth the DA pull. Bought a replacement just in case, if I don't use it I got a spare.
Attachment 62253Attachment 62254

Everything I need is ordered so hopefully by next weekend this thing'll be back down to fighting weight. I'll keep you guys posted.


Don't know why the photos uploaded side ways?

[WarPig1976]

Deals are more common then one would think. I've never paid over $450 for a revolver including this one, I don't buy new mind you.

[Aragorn243]

Sideways photos:

Did you take them sideways and then rotate them before uploading them?

I've had that problem quite a bit, usually on facebook. For whatever reason, some photo sites will revert the photo back to it's original form. How they read this I do not understand, I'm not a computer geek. Only solution I've found is to convert them to bmps after rotating them and then convert them back to jpgs.

If you didn't take them sideways, I have no clue.

[Vincent]

The SA sear has been at the very least polished beyond safe, but I suspect he filed on it too.

Yes. Looks like file marks.

Very nice thread, WarPig. I usually steer away from revolvers if I suspect Bubba might have messed with them. You are making reconsider that.

[browningautorifle]

I go to gun shows and ignore the handgun tables.

Now you see...that's where I found my Mod 18 S&W. Wanted one for years and finally found it. It was marked wrong, as a 617. Also found a 6" mod 10 S&W...does that shoot nice! At least worth a look...

Managed to remove the galling and scratches

The beauty of a stainless gun. No re-blue after and you can make it look right yourself.

I usually steer away from revolvers if I suspect Bubba might have messed with them

I bought a Mod 64 2" that a friend had owned(he had deceased). He'd drilled 2x1/4"holes in the barrel for vents, removed the spur, attempted to make it DA only(unsuccessfully) halved the thumb latch for speed reloading... I bought it because I had access to the parts and had a trigger job done at the same time. Now it's about perfect and one of my favorites... You see a diamond in the (very) rough...and rescue it.

[WarPig1976]

Did you take them sideways

No, on my phone with the phone vertical. Now that I think about it I usually have it horizontal but had to hold the stuff so it was easier holding vertical. Odd....

Thanks Vincent, but gotta say no matter how many kits you build I'm still steering clear...

[WarPig1976]

Got it all put back together and it's good as new. Turned out the trigger was toasted too so new hammer and new trigger. Got lucky because both dropped in and gave a 3 1/2 pound SA pull and passed the hammer test so no other fitting was required.
Attachment 62485
Attachment 62486
The cylinder end shake was corrected using .002 stainless shims. End shake is the back and forth slop of the cylinder. I used a total of three to take up .006. All you do is place'em inside the hole for the extractor rod.
Attachment 62487
The cylinder gap is on the wide side but I'll get around to fixing it, have to buy the jig to set the barrel shoulder back. Other then that I'm happy total cost was under $100 bucks and I'm still ahead of the game. I'm going to smooth the trigger and bob the trashed hammer so I'll do some posts on that soon.