I have a Safety hammerless that I believe is a first model with a stuck ejector cam

[Calidora]

I have a Safety hammerless first model that I've been restoring and I've run into a problem. I cannot remove the ejector cam. Somebody seems to have pushed the ejector cam catch into the cavity where the Cams hook moves. This has caused it to get stuck and I am unable to get any tools in there to remove the catch. I've taken it to gunsmiths in my area and they can't get it out either. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on what should be my next move.

It's the 5" barrel that is original to the gun that has the cam stuck

 

[wlw-19958]

Hi There,

I am unable to advise you on this problem. It may help to use a
tapered punch that you can put through the pivot hole to re-
align the ejector cam. Then you may be able to push the cam
down enough that you can grab it with pliers.

I did notice something. I am not sure but there looks like there
might be a crack in the cam. See Pic.

Cheers!
Webb

 

[Calidora]

Hi There,

I am unable to advise you on this problem. It may help to use a
tapered punch that you can put through the pivot hole to re-
align the ejector cam. Then you may be able to push the cam
down enough that you can grab it with pliers.

I did notice something. I am not sure but there looks like there
might be a crack in the cam. See Pic.

Cheers!
Webb

The ejector cam won't budge. The catch is so far in that it has wedged it into eject position.

That just might be a crack. I'll have to check. If it is that would make it easy to go with the only solution I thought of. Drill a small hole into the part of the cam catch that I can see and using a pointy implement push the catch out enough to turn the cam and get it out. Unfortunately I don't have a drill press and I don't trust my hands to be steady

 

[mmaher94087]

I have never experienced this type of problem. so take this with a grain of salt. Grasp the muzzle and tap the round pivot area facing down on a block of wood and see if inertia will help move the cam catch back into its slot.

 

[Calidora]

I have never experienced this type of problem. so take this with a grain of salt. Grasp the muzzle and tap the round pivot area facing down on a block of wood and see if inertia will help move the cam catch back into its slot.

I will try this and get back to you. Thanks for the help.

 

[mmaher94087]

Another thought, as my mind wanders, ... as it usually does. I have a set of dental picks. One has a right angle about 1/8". Could this be poked into the Joint Pivot hole and used to manipulate the cam catch back in place? Your photo #2 shows a recess that might allow the pick to catch the narrow part of the cam and move it back to center. I'll call you if I wake up at three in the morning because I thought of something else.

 

[Calidora]

I tried something similar but it didn't budge. I'm going to spray it with a penetrating oil and give it another shot.

 

[Alk8944]

Have you removed the barrel from the gun? The extractor cam and latch are easily removed if you remove the barrel pivot and barrel from the gun. What confuses me is why the latch isn't being cammed in when the barrel is fully opened! The real problem is probably varnishing or rust between the barrel "ears". I am assuming the photo of the extractor cam is not from your gun. Once the cam and barrel are out of the gun cleaning everything everything is easy.

 

[mmaher94087]

Calidora, the more I think about this, the more I believe the Whack-A-Mole method might work. Since both the extractor cam hook and the cam catch are both in the same slot in the extractor housing (aka quill) under the barrel, nothing can move until the cam catch moves. Since the barrel is useless as it is now, and you have nothing to lose, whack the heck out of it and see what happens.

 

[mmaher94087]

It further occurred to me that if the cam hook can be pulled slightly towards the barrel catch (rearwards) that this might take pressure off the catch and allow it to move easier.

 

[Calidora]

Have you removed the barrel from the gun? The extractor cam and latch are easily removed if you remove the barrel pivot and barrel from the gun. What confuses me is why the latch isn't being cammed in when the barrel is fully opened! The real problem is probably varnishing or rust between the barrel "ears". I am assuming the photo of the extractor cam is not from your gun. Once the cam and barrel are out of the gun cleaning everything everything is easy.

The 3" barrel that is on the frame works fine but is not the original one that goes to the gun. The 5" battle is the one with the stuck cam and the one that goes with the rest. I could technically just leave it like that but I would prefer it it be numbers matching plus the 5" barrel has a much better bore. The smaller one has a lot of pitting

 

[rct269]

Picking a nit, perhaps; but spraying it with penetrating oil strikes me as a poor alternative to submerging it in (Kroil, to be specific), and soaking it for a good loooooooooong time---several days---and keep an eye out for a change in color, and/or foreign matter making itself known---an indication of a measure of progress.

That's a not so SWAG, simply because I've never encountered a situation where the bits and pieces didn't come right out like they're supposed to.

Ralph Tremaine

 

[Calidora]

Success. Took me long enough

I finally got that ejector cam out of there. I ended up using a carbide drill bit and a dental tool to put a divot into the cam catch and using the dental tool I slowly pulled it out.(Y'all can see in the image, I put three divots in the catch before I was able to take it out)That took much longer than I thought it would

 

[orbruce]

I have a Safety hammerless first model that I've been restoring and I've run into a problem. I cannot remove the ejector cam. Somebody seems to have pushed the ejector cam catch into the cavity where the Cams hook moves. This has caused it to get stuck and I am unable to get any tools in there to remove the catch. I've taken it to gunsmiths in my area and they can't get it out either. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice on what should be my next move.

It's the 5" barrel that is original to the gun that has the cam stuck

Assuming it is a 38 caliber this is not a 1st Model Safety. The 1st Model had the release on the side of the barrel, not the "button" type that is on your gun. Most likely is a 2nd Model. None of this helps with your problem however.

B. Mower

 

[wlw-19958]

Hi There,


Judging from the pics, it is a .38 caliber and the barrel release
is the type used on the third model .38 New Departure.


Cheers!
Webb

 

[Calidora]

Assuming it is a 38 caliber this is not a 1st Model Safety. The 1st Model had the release on the side of the barrel, not the "button" type that is on your gun. Most likely is a 2nd Model. None of this helps with your problem however.

B. Mower

Thank you for the info. Thankfully I did end up solving the problem.

 

[Calidora]

Hi There,


Judging from the pics, it is a .38 caliber and the barrel release
is the type used on the third model .38 New Departure.


Cheers!
Webb

Thank you for the information. I'm still learning about these old guns.

 

[raljr1]

I'm proud of your effort. I often tell Mrs in situations like this, "Resistance is futile. My perseverance will prevail."

 

[Calidora]

I'm proud of your effort. I often tell Mrs in situations like this, "Resistance is futile. My perseverance will prevail."

Exactly. There was nothing that was going to keep me from getting this gun working right again. My friends were telling me. But it's not even worth the effort. You are just losing time and money. I said. That's not the point. Just buying a new revolver might be cheaper but I would not have the experience I gained working on it. It wouldn't be something I brought back to life. This gun would have been put back in Grandpa's box by many others but now I have basically put it back into action. there is more pride in that than just buying a new one.

 

[desi2358]

Exactly. There was nothing that was going to keep me from getting this gun working right again. My friends were telling me. But it's not even worth the effort. You are just losing time and money. I said. That's not the point. Just buying a new revolver might be cheaper but I would not have the experience I gained working on it. It wouldn't be something I brought back to life. This gun would have been put back in Grandpa's box by many others but now I have basically put it back into action. there is more pride in that than just buying a new one.

Well said! There is pleasure and pride in learning how to repair these old guns and it's particularly true when there is a family connection. I repaired (rebuilt!) the buttstock to an old single shot 16Ga shotgun that had belonged to my grandfather some years ago. It had been broken and had many layers of tape from "tightening" it up over the years. Could have looked for another stock but was happy to spend my time doing a solid repair to it. It looks much better and will be passed on to one of my grandsons some day. ........ You did well, glad you got your grandpa's revolver repaired and useable again!