Hi all
Just picked up a pocket positive 1937 model 32 long. Online purchase.
Using colt revolver checkout found here. there is one cylinder that don't advance when trigger is pulled or hammer is cocked. (It will carry up about 20% of the time)
Also when hammer is pulled back the bolt don't retract until the hammer is moved about .050 using feeler gauge.
The .050 is a estimated guess but the bolt movement is not instant.
Lockup is tight on all cylinders, I don't have a range rod to check barrel/cylinder alignment.
I'm very handy and can repair most things but everything I read about colt lockwork screams tricky work.
Seller offers 3 day return which is a option. As for my mechanical ability I completely tore down and reassembled a colt 32 pocket hammerless (difficult) but sucessful, won't do that again.
Thanks for any info/help.
Regards
Mike

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The only way to know what's going on is to take off the sideplate and study the parts. I don't know this particular gun, but suspect it's very similar to a Python action. In that case, you need to know what you're doing before changing anything. There are interacting parts, where if you change one thing, you have to go around and change the others to match. If you mess up one of those, you have to go around again to make everything match that. It can be like a dog chasing it's tail. Parts can be hard to come by and expensive.

If you know what you're doing, it is often something simple and easily fixed. This one may just need the tail of the cylinder stop slightly bent inward, and a ratchet repaired, but that is just a WAG, not having the gun on the bench to look at the parts.

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protocalldesign.com

First, the gun only has a single cylinder! Do you mean the cylinder will not rotate on one chamber? Colts are completely different than S&Ws mechanically so nothing that applies to a S&W works with a Colt. Is the mechanism clean and lubricated? Have you checked the ratchet for a damaged tooth that the hand may not be engaging properly? Is the bolt (coltese for cylinder stop) retracting when the hammer is cocked, or is it still up and locking the cylinder?

Protocol Design is completely correct, DO NOT mess with trying to modify parts to correct a problem in a Colt revolver. Parts fitting in a Colt is extremely critical, and a very tiny change in one part can affect everything! Fitting of the bolt is one of the most critical portions of the Colt mechanism. There are very few gunsmiths capable of working on Colt revolvers anymore, but trying to diagnose a problem on these revolvers without being hands-on with them is futile, especially for anyone who has to ask this sort of question on an internet forum!

Other than taking the sideplate off cleaning and lubricating the action, and closely observing how the parts are interacting. I cannot give you any better advice at long range!

Finally, you cannot check cylinder timing with a range rod! They are only intended to check for gross mis-alignment that would result in bullet shaving and possible injury to surrounding people.

Hi all
I have read about colt revolvers and know that not many people can repair them.
The cylinder will not rotate on one chamber.
It's lubricated.the bolt is retracting and popping back up like it should.
I looked at the teeth and don't see a damaged one, better look with a loupe.
Probably just send it back as it would cost too much to repair and the seller has a 3 day return so I can't really do much to investigate.
Thank you.
Mike