I have a 32 top brake issue. The hammer will not stay in the cocked position. I am not familiar with this old of a gun. Would like some help on correcting the issue if I can. Thanks for help up front!

Attached Images

S & W 1-32.jpg (198.9 KB, 77 views)

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Flipper

It could be a number of things.

if you cock the hammer and manually push the trigger forward, does the hammer stay cocked?

Mike

Can you carefully remove the side plate and take a look at the hammer notch and trigger tip?

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

It will stay but if you touch it it will move forward.

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Flipper

Yes I can. What should i be looking for please.

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Flipper

Just a bit, but most of the time it will relese with no issues.

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Flipper

Yes, What should i be looking for?

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Flipper

It's probably dirty. Try spraying the action with brake/carb/parts cleaner until the effluent runs clear, relube and see if is better.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

I also recommend cleaning the action. Often old oil turns gummy (and will combine with any dust or dirt that gets inside as well) and interferes with proper fit. Best to carefully remove the grips and sideplate as it allows better access when flushing out the action.

If that fails to restore proper function, in my own experience, it is likely that either the hammer notch or the sear is damaged. Usually the result of the gun having been dropped though sometimes it's due to someone trying for a "hair trigger" and screwing up the fit of the parts...... Still most old guns I encounter with an issue such as yours usually only need a good cleaning. Good luck with it!

Just wanted to note that your revolver breaks open on the bottom, not the top. It is typically called a tip-up style revolver that required the removal of the cylinder to load or unload. You have a "32 Model 1 1/2 Second Issue" made from 1868 to 1875.

As for your cycling issue, these guns are quite fragile, they wear, they are tinkered with, and normally either a broken spring or a worn part is the culprit. Chances are that the sear at the top of the trigger or hammer notch is worn out. They can be sometimes stoned to work again. The other option is that someone has gone in with a Dremel tool and ruined the hammer or sear, so nothing can be "fixed". That would require the replacement of the spur trigger and hammer. Those parts will be near impossible to find.

A gun that will not hold cock is a very dangerous weapon and should not be shot until the issue is resolved. When you have your sideplate off, look at the bottom of the hammer and trigger sear engagement. Look for any signs that someone has ground anything around that area. You can remove the stocks, remove the mainspring and remove the hammer without too much trouble to see the slot. If worn, there are ways to slightly change the angle of the slot in the hammer, but a very small amount of work can be too much, so a gunsmith might be your best option to fix the interaction between the hammer slot and sear.

So, questions to answer are is the interaction between the sear and the hammer intact and unmolested? Does the trigger return after pulling it back? Is there any dried grease or debris inside the mechanism? If possible, take a picture of the lower end of the trigger and sear to post here.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

I agree with the above and will add that your Model 1 1/2 is a .32 Rim Fire. Clean first; stone if necessary and change parts in that order. No power tools or files. Trigger and hammer sear engagement photo(s) would help.

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Mike Maher #283

My one burning question, why worry about if if cocks?
Are you going to carry it and shoot it?
Its over 100 years old, it deserves a rest. And ammo aint cheap.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

I couldn't have said it better. The most recent shootable .32RF ammo I saw sell at auction sold for several $ per round!
I have a small handfull in my cartridge collection. I've touched off exactly 2 rounds in 25 years just to say I'd shot a couple Remington rifles I own. One is a Model 1-1/2. The other is a deluxe Model 4.

There are a couple companies that make reloadable brass that uses an offset .22 blank as a primer, black powder and a round ball you seat with your thumb.
They aren't cheap either and you have to make sure that the cartridge doesn't role in the chamber or else the rim won't line up with the hammer firing pin.

All that said, if it's just a worn single action hammer notch, any decent gunsmith should be able to stone it so it holds cock safely.
If the notch is completely gone (or the trigger spur is broken off) they can still be salvaged by micro-welding and re-cutting. Not exactly cheap, but not as expensive as it sounds. The welding part is pretty inexpensive. Plenty of non-gun companies do that for small precision parts. They just build it up so it can be re-cut. It's the gunsmith's time to cut it back to factory shape that will cost the most.
Good luck!

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Chris
SWCA #2243 SWHF #292

I shoot all my 32 rimfires, but do have ample ammunition. Personally, I would not own any type of gun that does not function properly, and have repaired many antique gun over the years. There is something about making things right that calls to me when dealing with these historic old S&Ws. Revolvers that don`t work are not worth anything more than the value of their parts. A working Model 1 1/2 tip-up will be worth much more than a parts gun . . . plus the OPs gun is 150 years old not 100.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

I have a similar gun (ser.#378__) but the main spring is missing! Anybody know where I can get one?

Oinker - Jack First appears to have that mainspring. They list it as for a 1 ½, 2nd:
S&W 1-1/2 mainspring #786-23 – Jack First Inc.

Thanks for the info! I'll get right on it!!

Sorry for the late reply to my question. I did call it a top break my fault, I keep a bunch near the CPU as i was typing. I just like fixing if I can. I have just picked up most of the guns over the years, Never want to shoot it at all. I work a lot and will check the items you talked about as soon as i get time. Its clean on the inside as i clean and oil all when i get them. My grand son will have a very nice collection some day. Thanks for all the info.

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Flipper