I have been willed a Smith & Wesson Double Action Top Break revolver. It is a nickel plated 4th Model in .38 caliber, 5 shot. It's serial number 372628 puts it in the early stage of the 4th model. I have found a book with a cut away view of a similar model which I used to disassemble it. The gun is missing parts and does not function. The parts I have determined which are missing are the trigger spring and the hand spring.
I have two requests, where can I obtain the missing springs and does anyone have a cutaway/exploded diagram of this EXACT revolver I have? (There may be more parts missing which I don't know about!) I would like to see how the missing parts are fitted into the revolver. I really don't plan on shooting it but would like to have in back into a working state. Thanks.
Of course the first place I would look is ebay. They often have gun parts for early S&Ws. If nothing there, don't give up, just keep checking back. Second, check two places, gunpartscorp.com and Jack First, both can be found with a Internet search. One more place to use is the WTB section on this Forum. Post the specific parts you need and see if any member here can provide some of what you need. Last, but not least is to find a beater 38 DA and scavenge parts.
Problem is that is what you already have. The gun has been heavily buffed, already scavenged for parts for another gun most likely. Missing all kinds of stuff including pins, pivot screw, several pins (which you can make) and apparently some internal parts as well. I understand it may be a family heirloom, but it will cost more than the gun is worth to gather all the parts you need and it still may not work properly when reassembled. Every part in these old top-breaks were hand fitted and drop in replacements seldom work as the original without fitting, so may require a gunsmith to fit all the parts so they work the action properly. If it has a lot of family attachment, go for it, but if not, you can buy working 38 DAs for $150. Good luck with your project.
Hello Mr. 99, have one just like yours I got from my G-Dad when I
was 9 yrs old. Totally un-functional. Still have it on my desk as a remembrance. I was the only kid playing cowboy with a real gun!
Real schematics showing parts in correct relationship are not usually seen for such old guns. They would have a drawing or engraving of parts laid out on a table but with no information as to how to put them together.
David Chicoine did a book on old guns, but I don't know if he covered the small top breaks.
The gun is not missing alot of parts. I have the gun disassembled when I took the picture. All pins, trigger, hammer, springs are there but just not on the gun
Thanks for the picture in post #5. That will help a lot to make sure I have all of the parts, springs, etc.
Take Gramp’s revolver to a framing store and have a real nice display frame made for it. Then hang it on the mantle for all to see. Adding a couple of parts to it won’t make it any more precious and leaving it “as is” will preserve it as it was when Grand-dad had it!
Take Gramp’s revolver to a framing store and have a real nice display frame made for it. Then hang it on the mantle for all to see. Adding a couple of parts to it won’t make it any more precious and leaving it “as is” will preserve it as it was when Grand-dad had it!
Not a bad idea. Adding the two springs will make it "whole" again and that would have been the way Gramps would have wanted it.
Wolff sells an assortment of V springs. Pick the one closest and start filing to fit the space available for the trigger spring.
The old picture of the hand spring is not clear.
JB Wood did a book on gun repair. He did some wild and wonderful bending of piano wire to serve in place of factory springs. He even made a #164 cylinder stop out of one piece of wire.
Help with Grandfather's Top Break Revolver
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