Does someone know where I can buy or rent the tools needed to replace the hammer nose bushing in a K frame gun? I have a 3 inch 65-3 that apparently has head space problems and I need to replace this bushing.

As posted eariler use two center punches.

The two punches are used for the hammer nose rivet not the bushing.

I don't believe S&W ever made the staking tool available to anyone other than Authorized Repair people. You will probably have to send the gun back to S&W. That being said, I believe headspace is regulated by the bushing on the ejector/ratchets.

KAC

Sorry I miss read the post.

Actually, headspace is determined by the length of the yoke tube, and can be corrected by use of endshake washers if it is out of spec. The tube itself can be "stretched" with a special tool the forms a grove in the tube itself thereby stretching or lengthening it, and is basically what the factory does on repairs.

No problem John. KAC,the problem with this revolver is not the amount of headspace.The gun has apparently had other problems that someone "tried" to repair and made things worse.What happened apparently was the hammer nose was striking off to one side and finally pushed metal away so that the hole in the nose bushing is not round anymore.Due to this when hotter loads(.357 pressure) are shot the primer tries to extrude into the side of the nose,locking the gun up.
I have the bushings,I just thought someone might have the staking tool I could rent/buy -whatever!!

"Actually, headspace is determined by the length of the yoke tube, and can be corrected by use of endshake washers if it is out of spec. The tube itself can be "stretched" with a special tool the forms a grove in the tube itself thereby stretching or lengthening it, and is basically what the factory does on repairs."

Gun 4 Fun
Actually, the length of the yoke tube has nothing to do with setting headspace. The procedure you describe controlls endshake. If the cylinder has too much headspace and no endshake, no amount of yoke tube stretching will remove the excess headspace. If the cylinder has too little headspace and you shorten the yoke tube you can get more headspace, but only with a result of excessive endshake.

Milton
Yep, sounds like a return to S&W for the repair. I doubt anyone who has this tool would be willing to part with it.

KAC

Head space on revolver cartridges is controlled by the boss on the extractor. The center bearing surface of the extractor should never be rubbed down or the gun can become a paper weight.

Pistol cartridges are controlled by the chamber depth. Pistol cartridges are also tapered not straight reamed like revolver cartridges.

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I have restaked the bushing with a center punch, then cleaned it up with a hard stone.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Some revolvers headspace off the cartridge mouth and there are many pistols that use non-tapered brass.