Gunsmith help in KS

[SlowJack]

Howdy pards.  I have a pair of Navy Arms 51Richards converson revolvers that need some work.  The cylinder is not linning up with the barrel.  When it was fired the bullet would force the cylinder into alignment.  I could see the "travel" marks on the cartridge primers and on cylinders where the cylinder stop notches are cut.  When I put a wooden rod down the barrel I feel the lip of one side cylinder. 

Is anyone local (KS) up to this.  I talked with Steve Young (the Rosi 92 guy in TX) on this several years ago.  He said he could do the work but shipping costs make it expensive.  Much rather have someone local where if I weren't happy with it I could have them work on it some more without paying again for shipping.

Darrell Johnson has done a bit of work for me and I sure do like what he did, but he seems really busy with the other stuff that he does.  I seem to remember a gunsmith up near Topeka (NW of Auburn) that worked on a pair of the same revolvers for another pard years ago.  Seems he had a bunch of trouble with them and don't know how that ever came out.  I'd be willing to travel to Oklahoma or SW Missouri.  I get to Colorado and Utah 2-3 times a year also.

Thanks for any help on this.

[St. George]

Sounds like you have a timing problem.

Replacement of the hands may make all the difference - as might swapping the two between your revolvers.

Before you get too worried - try that and see how everything works.

And while you're doing that - look carefully for any burring that may be present - or any high spots.

Stone that away, clean and oil - and try.

And don't change any of the factory angles...

Good Luck.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[SlowJack]

Thanks for the reply pard.  That is something to think about and maybe discuss a bit.

If it was a hand problem wouldn't I be able to move the cylinder to let the cylinder stop move into the notch in the cylinder?  The cylinder would either be over or under rotated and could be moved as the cylinder stop would not be fully in the notch on the cylinder.

The thing is when I cock the revolver the cylinder stop is fully in the notch in the cylinder.  When it is fired, the bullet is forced into the barrel and moves the cylinder forward out of the notch.

Both revolvers have this problem but one is worse than the other.  I can change the hands but I don't understand how this will help.

Part of the reason I don't want to ship it is that I will get an action job and maybe improve some but still not be right.  Then have to send it  back, or to someone else.

Thanks again for the reply and keep them comming pards.

[St. George]

When you pull the trigger - the hand is forced forward against the cylinder's 'star' - effectively 'locking' the piece into battery.

If the hand is pushing 'too' hard - meaning that it's slightly too long - that 'might' be the problem, right there.

This is one of those things that has to be seen to be appreciated - but if you swap between the two - you don't lose anything beyond the time it takes.

Were you to ship it for an action job - the 'smith would be pretty much bound to ensure that everything was up to snuff.

If he can't do that - he's just taking your money and swapping out springs.

Not that anyone'd do that...

Head over to Barnes and Noble's and look at a copy of Dave Chicoine's 'Gunsmithing the Guns of the Old West'.

A quick review may explain this more fully.

Again - Good Luck.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Dalton Masterson]

If you are still having a problem, you may give Lonnie at Run N Iron a call. He is in Nebraska, but close enough to Kansas for a small trip. He also goes to several gun shows and to Hill City for the Annual in Kansas.
www.runniron.com
Good luck. DM

[Ace Lungger]

Slow Jack,
Give Dave Baldwin at Freedom Gun Shop in Chetopa Ks. 620-236-7177, he been smithing since 1964, he has tons of parts and knows his stuff! i think that my next pair will be the Uberti 1851 Navy Conversion in 38 special. I sure would like to shoot one before I buy a pair

Hope this helps.
If you go down to his shop, let me know, I live in Oswego and would like to meet you. Still looking for someone that shoots at Neodasha, so I can find out about there club.
Happy Holidays
Ace

[SlowJack]

Thank ya pards.  Good to have choices close to home.

Ace, I've never shot at Neodasha.  I've shot at Pittsberg years ago, Hutch, Chapman, and I really like the range and folks at Garnett(Parker).  Been trying to get back to see those folks for a few years but they have had a string of bad weather in the winter when I can make it up that way.  It's been goin on 3 years since I've been to a shoot.  I do have a pair of 60 RM's in .44 Colt that I like to shoot with my 66.  I shoot Goex in them.  This pair of 51's I have are in .38 Colt and were made by ASM I think.  They have the Richards 1st model style conversion ring with a firing pin but the RM style barrel and ejector.  I've have even considered trying to get cap-n-ball style barrel's installed on them to make them a more accurate Richards 1st models.  Steve said he has done a number of these and the problem is with the bolt.

If you'd like I could meet you and we could go up to a shoot at Garnett (Parker).  Your welcome to try out my 60's if you like makin smoke.