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Old 11-23-2008, 08:05 PM
2152hq 2152hq is offline
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The outside edge of the hand only contact the ratchet on it's initial push, then the second step takes over. Only the inner edge of the hands lower step contact the ratchet teeth to move the cylinder into FINAL position.
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The upper part initially pushes the cylinder partially around so the second step can engage it. It's the lower engagement tooth of the hand that gets the brunt of the wear and is usually worn too short (or burred over) to move the cylinder the needed few .000" into postion.
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A longer hand or stretching the hand will sometimes work but be aware that the hammer/trigger movement is more on SA than it is on DA.
So a gun that times on SA with it's longer hand movement, may not time on DA. Get it to time on DA and it may jam up on SA because the cylinder is locked into position by the bolt with the hand still pushing against the ratchet and your thumb providing the power trying to cock it. It's a very touchy mechanism to time correctly. I'd recommend Kuhnhausen's book as haggis did if you've never worked on a Colt DA before. Even if you have, it's full of good info and tips, good to have around if you work on revolvers. And don't try to lengthen the DA strut, it will cause other problems.
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I've had better luck stretching the hand by crimping them aginst a small section of triangle shaped file slightly blunted in my mill vise. I put the hand against the stationary vise jaw with the pin inward, place the file piece against the hand about midway accross it and then a piece of scrap steel to protect the moveable vise jaw and close it up. If everything's in allaigment, a firm tightning of the vise will press the hard somewhat blunt triangle shaped file into the hand and do what a peening job does but a bit neater and more controlled.
One crimp will get about .004" in additional lengthening. It doesn't bent them at all lengthwise like a peening job often does and all that is necessary afterwards is to lightly stone the slight burr off the ends of the crimp.
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Colt DA parts are not cheap,,hands can run $25/30 and up if you can find them and most of them come from 'parts' guns that didn't work well to begin with.
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