Cimarron Transitional Conversion gunsmith in the Wichita, KS area

SlowJack · December 11, 2023, 02:58:54 PM

Long story but I picked up 3 guns from an FFL at the same time and neglected a check of the cycling and action on a .38 5.5". At home it was locked up tight and the only tight screw was the ejector housing screw and the screws were a bit buggered. Barrel would not come off. I have another transitional model is .45 and have delt with sticking barrel before. I called Cimarron and talked with Greg and he was convinced that the gun was ok and just needed heat and the barrel would come off and i could take it apart and put it together. So I used my oven to heat and was able to knock the barrel off after a few hours work and found a buggered arbor end. I started to clean it up with emery cloth and noticed it was bent at the section the wedge passed through. So I called Greg back and sent it to them. This was back on Oct 11th. Just received it back today and it seems the bolt is not releasing when I move the hammer back on 3-4 of the chambers. On 2 or so it works fine. The barrel comes off easy and there is a new arbor. Work order states they also replaced the wedge, cylinder, and hand. The cylinder goes on very tight and appears to drag on something when first trying to remove it and kind of pops into place that last little bit when putting it back on.

I really do not want to send it back and wait another 2 + months to be able to shoot it. I am not able to do repairs and full disassembly and spring replacement are about the extent of my abilities. I can either just shoot it like it is and see if the parts wear in or take to a local smith. I would prefer to take it to a local smith that is really good to have it working properly but I do not know of any. Seem to recall an ad on Armslist a year or so ago but I cannot find anything using the search function now. Thanks in advance for any help with this.

RoyceP · December 11, 2023, 09:08:35 PM

If I use google it comes up with 6 gunsmiths in the Wichita Kansas area. Have you talked to those guys?

SlowJack · December 11, 2023, 09:39:36 PM

I can call around again tomorrow. Much more call for semi auto pistol and AR and such work. I have dealt with well-known smiths that specialize in 1800's firearms out of state but was hoping to get someone within driving distance. Just thought it was worth the time to post to see if someone had a recommendation.

Professor Marvel · December 12, 2023, 03:21:24 AM

Quote from: RoyceP on December 11, 2023, 09:08:35 PM
If I use google it comes up with 6 gunsmiths in the Wichita Kansas area. Have you talked to those guys?

Here's a problem
once they getthe correct FFL ANYBODY can put u a sign and advertise that they are a gunsmith.
few can provide bona fides pertaiing to any sort of training that we require.

especially C&B and conversions.

Interview the possible smiths first, ask how many SAA and C&B and conversions they have worked
on and require contact info for all of them. that will weed out a lot.
Then go through the hundreds of posts here on CAS ( esp those by Goon and Coffin and Larsen Pettyfogger)
about tuning. Ask the smiths some "hard questions" that these guys already answered.

Like "What are the Problems with Uberti that Piettas dont have?
What are the three things an open top HAVE TO have done?

throw in some "wringers" like "how do you lengthen the cylinder bolt stop?"
how often should you replace the wedge?

that oughta weed out a lot

this is why we have the plethora of self-help articles here and on the former Open Range and the SASS websites.

I myself would rather trust Mike at Goons' Gunwerks than anyone in my 5 state area.
that's cuz Coffin is waaaaaay over the other side of the Mississippi ( and retired).

My soultion to these problems was to buy the Kunnhausen and a whole carload of cheap C&B basket cases
and work on themuntil I could do it myself. And I am still no where near as good as Mike at Goons or Coffinmaker

BTW it actually sounds like your gun should go back under warrenty until it is right....

yhs
prof marvel

DeaconKC · December 12, 2023, 09:33:08 AM

Aaaaaand, most GOOD gunsmiths are already busy. so expect a several month wait to get your gun back form someone well known. It is worth the wait if you have other guns to run. I would send it back to the factory, it will probably be quicker and hopefully no charge. I would add Boomstick Jay to the list of smiths to consider, while he has only done rifle work for me, he has a very good reputation for open tops as well.

Coffinmaker · December 12, 2023, 10:16:14 AM

PLUS ONE fer the Perfesser

I understand your frustration. You sent it back once and it still isn't right. The Open Top design guns are finicky to say the least. I you can't DIY, you need to write a letter outlining the problems still present in the gun and ship it back to Cimarron. Include what you sent it back for the first time. And by the way, don't talk to "Greg" again as he obviously knows nothing and just wants to get you off the phone and avoid having the gun sent back.

None of the problems you describe are acceptable. They (Cimarron) should be replacing ALL the screws as well. None of the screws should be "buggered."

Just as a "quickie," buy a Spring Clothes Pin and take it apart. Turn the two halves back to back in the gap between the Cylinder Face and the Barrel Lug. Tap 'em together and the wedging action will remove a stubborn barrel toot sweet.

SlowJack · December 13, 2023, 07:43:21 PM

Thing is to send the revolver back again I have to contact Greg. I sent him an email 2 days ago and waiting for a reply. When I received the revolver back was the first time I could cycle the revolver. I have not even fired a round through it and it's going on 3 months since I bought it. I was hoping there was a really good smith close that would be willing to do the work. There are a number of SASS clubs in the state and I think I will check the web sites to see if I can find a smith advertising. If not send some e-mails to the clubs for a decent CAS smith in the state. Right now it is just an expensive paper weight I have. Guess what bothers me the most is that the revolver was sold and shipped to me in that condition. That is not acceptable on any level and others had to know of it's condition. And not just the first time but the second.

Thank you for all the replies. I may end up shipping it one of the smiths recommended. If anyone does have a recommendation of a very good smith in Kansas I will keep checking back. I just don't know if the problem is with the cylinder, arbor, or something else.

SlowJack · June 09, 2024, 10:32:13 AM

A nearby gunsmith talked me into letting them send this back to Cimarron to be fixed last December. I was in the hospital last week and will be going back for surgery. Real good chance I might not come back out on my own. Does anyone know what I need to do for one of my sons to be able to pick up the gun when it finally is shipped back? I called Cimarron and they are still waiting for parts for it.

Abilene · June 09, 2024, 12:33:59 PM

I guess I'm late to this party. Was dealing with estate issues when it first came around. The comment about the cylinder being hard to push onto the arbor at the end and then it pops into place, that sounds like you did not have the gun on half-cock and the bolt head was pushing against the cylinder.

As for your son picking up the revolver, I do not know. Possibly he can give it to your son as your proxy with your permission or it may be that you need to give the gunsmith permission to transfer the gun to your son, which would require him to fill out a 4473. I would call the FFL and ask him, before your surgery.

Best of luck to you healthwise and gunwise.

SlowJack · June 09, 2024, 08:23:28 PM

Quote from: Abilene on June 09, 2024, 12:33:59 PM
I guess I'm late to this party. Was dealing with estate issues when it first came around. The comment about the cylinder being hard to push onto the arbor at the end and then it pops into place, that sounds like you did not have the gun on half-cock and the bolt head was pushing against the cylinder.

As for your son picking up the revolver, I do not know. Possibly he can give it to your son as your proxy with your permission or it may be that you need to give the gunsmith permission to transfer the gun to your son, which would require him to fill out a 4473. I would call the FFL and ask him, before your surgery.

Best of luck to you healthwise and gunwise.

That was my thinking with the problem with the gun. The cylinder was too low in the frame causing that pop and so low the bolt would not drop far enough before the cylinder started rotating. The cylinder is lower in the frame than any other revolver I own. They said when I called they have ordered and new cylinder, barrel, and hammer.

My son and I are going shooting tomorrow and will stop by and ask what we need to do. I thought about maybe just a bill of sale as Kansas law permits private sales without federal approval. Then the gunsmith most likely will charge and do federal paperwork if I am not alive to pick up the revolver.

Tascosa Joe · June 10, 2024, 07:50:23 AM

The gunsmith at Gun Guy's in Ottawa, KS is pretty good. His name is Colby and he is there on Friday and Saturday and he is a REAL gunsmith, not just a parts changer on Glocks.

Abilene · June 10, 2024, 09:40:24 AM

SlowJack, now that you explain it that way, I think you are exactly right. My 2nd Type II had the same issue. The bolt wasn't dropping fast enough, or the head was too tall. It put a line around the cylinder immediately just from checking to see if it was unloaded. There was no way to get the bolt to drop earlier, so I shaved the bolt head down with sandpaper, keeping the angles the same, until it cleared the cylinder and it has been fine since. Again, good luck!

SlowJack · June 14, 2024, 09:49:47 PM

Quote from: Abilene on June 10, 2024, 09:40:24 AM
SlowJack, now that you explain it that way, I think you are exactly right. My 2nd Type II had the same issue. The bolt wasn't dropping fast enough, or the head was too tall. It put a line around the cylinder immediately just from checking to see if it was unloaded. There was no way to get the bolt to drop earlier, so I shaved the bolt head down with sandpaper, keeping the angles the same, until it cleared the cylinder and it has been fine since. Again, good luck!

Thank you for the recommendation. I will keep this in case the revolver is sent to me a third time in need of work. I have some other projects that I might send that way if not.

SlowJack · June 14, 2024, 10:05:47 PM

Quote from: Abilene on June 10, 2024, 09:40:24 AM
SlowJack, now that you explain it that way, I think you are exactly right. My 2nd Type II had the same issue. The bolt wasn't dropping fast enough, or the head was too tall. It put a line around the cylinder immediately just from checking to see if it was unloaded. There was no way to get the bolt to drop earlier, so I shaved the bolt head down with sandpaper, keeping the angles the same, until it cleared the cylinder and it has been fine since. Again, good luck!

They have ordered a new barrel this time so I think maybe the trouble is a low arbor. Maybe caused by the barrel.