.38 Double Action Mod 2 Top Break Safety

[Trail Boss]

Does the .38 Double Action Model 2 have a half-cock safety? (Made about 1883 according to the serial number.) The one I am about to buy does not seem to have a half-cock. Also, what is the purpose of the "freeing groove." Don't understand the need for it.
Thanks in advance.
Trail Boss

 

[cgt4570]

I think you are confused. A 'Safety' model doesn't have an external hammer, so it sure doesn't have a half cock. I assume you mean a .38 DA. The early ones had the extra set of wide grooves around the cylinder (like all the .44 DA' have). This allowed for carrying all the cylinders full with the cylinder held between chambers. (unlike Colts where it was necessary to lower the hammer on an empty chamber, reducing a 6-shooter to a 5-shooter.)
Yes, I'm pretty sure there should be a half cock notch, even on the early ones (my later ones have it). Otherwise, if you closed the cylinder briskly, the firing pin would protrude and could possibly fire a round!

 

[Trail Boss]

.38 Double Action Mod 2 Top Break

This is not a Lemon Squeezer/New Departure, but the 38 DA Mod 2 Top Break (with hammer). Was there originally a half-cock notch on the hammer? If not, you would have to put the firing pin between the cartridge rims in the cylinder, and there would indeed be a danger of the firing pin protruding and possible firing a cartridge when closing the action sharply. I have carefully examined the rocker and do not understand the need for the freeing grooves around the cylinder. Would appreciate other expert opinions. Finally, if the gun originally had a half-cock notch and it is now broken off, I will not buy the gun, so would like to know for sure. Thanks. Trail Boss

 

[cflier]

The only S&W 32 or 38 top break with an external hammer that did not have a half cock notch was the 32 Single Action. All 38 Double Action top breaks left the factory with a half cock notch.
Mark

 

[opoefc]

Often in guns this old, years of old grease , powder, grit & dirt have built up inside the action and impeded the half cock notch doing it's job. Tell the seller to take off the side plate ( correctly & carefully), clean out the crud, lightly oil the action, and the gun may work just like it was designed to do, with a 1/2 cock position for the hammer. Ed #15

 

[My Eye!]

I think that calling this a "half cock" is a little misleading. It's closer to 1/8th cock, or "safety notch" if ya ask me. I guess that I think of "half cock" as the position of the hammer on a Colt style single action where the hammer is about half way back, and the cylinder is free wheeling.

At any rate, I've started using this "safety notch" when carrying my top break DA's as opposed to lowering the hammer between two cartridges. What made me change to doing this was when I noticed that with some of the cases that I had reloaded, the rims were rounded or chamfered in a way that made it possible to index the cylinder with very little force to the next lock-up position which left the firing pin resting directly on a primer. I decided that keeping the hammer retracted to its safety notch was preferable.

Jim

 

[SNW REV]

Bring To Top

 

[hmont]

I just purchased a 2nd model .32 DA topbreak that will not quite hold on half cock, so I took off the sideplate and discovered that the first notch on the hammer was not angled enough to hold the sear where as full cock was just fine . I am afraid the remedy would be a new hammer or to recut the half cock notch, sounds tricky. I could not pass on the gun because it has a 4 digit serial number mgf 1880 and authentic floral- wild turkey grips.

 

[edsfixit]

1880 SECOND MODEL - .38 S&W cal., cyl. 3 1/4,. barrel

.38 DOUBLE ACTION SECOND MODEL
- .38 S&W cal., cylinder same as above, 3 1/4,. barrel, blue or nickel finish, "S&W" monogram checkered hard rubber grips in black or red. 115,000 mfg. 1880-84. Serial range approx. 4,001-approx. 119,000.

1880 Smith & Wesson 3.25" barrel .38 DA.5 shot, stamped on barrel is SMITH & WESSON,SPRINGFIELD.MASS,USA-PAT'D

Jan 17 July 11 65 Aug 24 69 July 25 71 Dec 2 79 May 11 & 25 1880 Serial 75xxx
looking to see what it really is ??

 

[rjb1]

I just bought a .44 DA Frontier that seems also to not have a proper half-cock notch. The hammer tip protrudes through the back of the frame and I assume this is not the way it should be. (I definitely haven't tried it, but it looks like sharply closing the action would fire a round, probably out of battery.)

Someone mentioned earlier that the side plate should be removed "properly and safely" to try to assess the problem.

Can someone explain the proper procedure for removing the sideplate on the older S&W's (especially if that procedure differs from modern S&W's)?
Does anyone have experience with the hammer-protrusion problem?

Thanks,

Joel