Please help me Diagnosis my Ailing R&M 51’ Conversions

[Dalion]

I have two Uberti R&M 51' Navy conversions in 38 Colt/Special.  I am unable to cock the hammer without manually rotating the cylinders at the same time.  Now if I point the pistol straight up I can cock them with ease.  It is only when they are held level or pointed downward that they fail to operate properly.  Has anyone had this experience before and if so what needs to be fixed?  I would appreciate and help you all can lend.

Shootist Dan

[Joe Lansing]

    Does this happen empty or loaded?

                                      J.L.

[Dr. Bob]

I'm no gunsmith, but I think that you have a broken hand spring.

[River City John]

I'm no gunsmith, but I think that you have a broken hand spring.

My first guess too, Dr. Bob.
When I broke my handspring it would only cock when I pointed it down. Gravity was pulling the hand down to engage the rachets. It wouldn't cock when pointed level or upwards because the spring was not pushing it against the ratchets. Just the opposite of what Dalion described.

Dalion, if you put it on half-cock and turn the cylinder do you still hear the clicks of the hand riding over each rachet in all holding positions? If at some point the cylinder spins free without hearing those clicks then your handspring is either broken or compressed.


RCJ

[St. George]

I've worked on more than one revolver over time, and this is indicative of a hand spring replacement.

A simple job - and when you detail-strip the piece, be sure to look for the broken spring when you clean it, since you don't want that floating around in there.

VTI will have replacements - get yourself a couple, and don't try shooting for speed, since that's an additional load on the piece and they weren't built for that.

Good Luck!

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Dalion]

I've also posted this on the Gunsmithing forum.

The guns are not new.  I've had them about 9 months and the problem has been progressive.  I bought the guns from a gunsmith new, and he slicked them up and they work well until about four months ago when they started to jam.  I found some metal burrs on the cylinder ratchet which I carefully cleaned up but the problem is now severe as the guns wouldn't work at all.  The cylinder spins freely when in half cock and there are no marks on the cylinder face from dragging on the barrel.  I put in a washer in from of the arbor to resolve the fit issue and haven't had a problem with that.  I guess I could send them back to the gunsmith I got them from but I sure hate to be without them.