.44 Hand Ejector, 2nd Model Update

Mike, It's easier than you might think. Get a large vise. Put the frame in the vice jaws with a piece of wood between the jaws and the trigger guard and likewise between the jaw and the top of the frame. Slowly apply pressure while observing the trigger guard shape. It will gradually bend back to it's correct curvature. At least it always did for me. Ed
 
David,
Congratulations! It looks like you've got a worthwhile project -and, a 5" bbl. to boot!
When I found my original finish .44 HE, 2nd Model in the Texas Hill Country a couple of years ago, members here told me "5 inchers" were not commonly seen. Like many revolvers back in that time, the original stocks were replaced with "Pointer Pup" stocks.
(I've since gotten a pair of Keith Brown, non-medallions.)

Please keep us posted on your progress.
-Bill

SN 27212, Moments After Purchase for a Cool $1,100


Left Side View, for Reference
 
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David,

Putting it back together is a great idea. Hopefully, all will go well and it will function as it should. If not, then is the time to contact an Alex Hamilton or Andy Horvath. I would be reluctant to let a gunsmith who is unfamiliar with old S&W revolvers learn on one of mine.

Looking forward to hearing of the progress and a range report.

Kevin
 
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Congrats on your project and keep us posted. I have a 5" 2nd model that shows its mileage but does good on paper.
137fd83a04fa909d3ec9a2cdbbbde884.jpg
 
It takes almost as much to write it as to do it:

No real secret, and glad to share just what has been successful for me in the past using some old auto bodywork techniques.

The good news is, it's very easy to fix especially since it's not 'kinked' and I have re-curved a few. The trigger guard is fairly easy to bend. It's like doing body work on a car by placing a 'dolly' under the areas that need to be raised and hammering on the outside of the trigger guard next to the dolly, not over the dolly.

Use a piece of round metal like steel pipe or even a piece of rounded hard wood as a dolly, as large of a diameter as just fits in the trigger guard, and clamp horizontally in a vise, one end sticking out the side of the vise. Wrap pipe with several layers of masking or duct tape. Hang the gun on this 'dolly' upside down with the trigger guard up. Now take a heavy rawhide mallet or steel hammer padded with several layers of tape padding.

Hold the gun with left hand (if right handed) so the middle of the flattened area rests on the dolly. Tap the trigger guard with the padded hammer on the left and right sides of the dolly. Do not tap the guard directly above the dolly. Keep moving the trigger guard over the dolly. You'll raise the flattened guard a little bit at a time by moving the guard back and forth on the dolly. Don't attempt to raise the dent all at once. The dolly will raise the metal in the area between your taps incrementally to restore the curve. Move the gun around on the dolly as you tap so the curve is restored evenly.

It's critical to have another undamaged trigger guard to constantly refer and compare to. You'll be surprised at how easy this can be to fix. The guard is very malleable. If the guard doesn't reshape, tap a little harder.

Because of the tape padding the surface finish will not be dinged or affected and the repair can be virtually undetectable.

Hope this helps, good luck, and any questions, don't hesitate to ask,
 
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Going to try to order parts to get started. Do not see .44 HE, 2nd Model listed. Are the 1917 parts the same? Looks like everything is available except for the hand and the upper side plate screw.

Talked to Ten Ring Precision in San Antonio. He thought $450- 500 for the project. I thought that sounded a little steep.
 
Yes 1917 parts will work but both parts you need are out of stock at Gunparts.

Other parts suppliers to try:

'Guns & Gun Parts' (Recommended by S&W)
(413) 732-9938
983 Westfield St
West Springfield MA 01089-3813
EMAIL: [email protected]
Guns n Parts - New and Used Guns Bought and Sold. no parts list here.

Liberty Tree Collectors Phone:207-285-3111
139 Main Street, Corinth, ME 04427
Email:[email protected]

Samuel Simmons specializes in reproduced screws and old parts
221 English Hulse Rd
Pocahontas, AR 72455
E-mail: [email protected]
Sam is "hoxycarman870" formerly "ruffkat" on eBay & Gunbroker

GUN GARAGE on Ebay (for screws)
http://stores.ebay.com/Gun-Garage

George Dye
"Salt Lake Collectibles Co."
P.O. Box 57433, Salt Lake City, UT, 84157
phone (205)502-2026

"Aonepawninc" http://stores.ebay.com/aonepawninc
has a bunch of old S&W parts for sale. They are very customer oriented and have very reasonable prices.

Dave Bennett: Parts and guns from 1900 up to 1970's.
e-Mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.22ammobox.com

Jack First: Large selection of Pre- and Post-WWII parts.
Phone: 605-343-9544
Reproduced firing pins for 22/32 Kit Gun and HFT

Jim Horvath: Many parts for all S&W's (large and small) from 1860 up;
can reproduce parts.
e-Mail: [email protected]

Jeff Lee: Lee's Gun Parts (an extensive supply of gun parts, including S&W) Mike who works for Lee has 45 M25 barrels.
(Open to the public on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays).
3401 W. Pioneer, Suite 2, Irving, TX 75061
Phone: 972-790-0773
Lee's Gun Parts

Jan Matlega: Parts for Pre-WWII S&W hand-ejectors.
Mail Address: 528 Eddy Glover
New Britain, CT 06053
Phone: 860-229-6872

Poppert's Gun Parts: http://www.poppertsgunparts.com/
P.O. Box 413
Glenside, PA 19038
Tel: 215-887-2391 Fax: 215-887-5816
Email: [email protected]

Phil Saccacio: Phone: 540-456-6405
e-Mail: [email protected]

Dave Szilagy: Manufactures parts for older S&W's.
Mail Address: 3107 Electric, Lincoln Park, MI 48146
e-Mail: [email protected]

Mike Veilleux: Guns and Gun Parts
All Parts inc. for Pre- and Post-WWII S&W's.
Phone: 413-732-9938
e-Mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.gunsnparts.com

S&W Parts; antique and new
[email protected]
Ph: 352 394-7412
 
JADARE said:
Going to try to order parts to get started. Do not see .44 HE, 2nd Model listed. Are the 1917 parts the same? Looks like everything is available except for the hand and the upper side plate screw.

Talked to Ten Ring Precision in San Antonio. He thought $450- 500 for the project. I thought that sounded a little steep.
Click to expand...

Yeah, IMNOHO, that's waaay too high. If you were closer, I'd do it for nothing, get to get another old .44 Smith back in shootin' condition.
 
JADARE said:
Waiting on a hand. A couple of other issues to address, but getting there.
Many thanks Mark. Much appreciate your efforts.
Click to expand...




You are welcome, I just want to know who threw this gun off the Hoover dam! :D


Interestingly, the yoke and side plate number to the gun and the yoke has the detent hole, but the frame does not have the corresponding indent, flat as a pancake!


The cylinder release rod was bent and stuck in the ejector star hole, a little persuasion and some brass hammer tapping got it back in line.


The trigger guard was a bit of a challenge, but it came around and as soon as the hand gets here, we'll see how the star reacts.



The other issue is that the elector rod will not latch as if the barrel is bent upwards, I have checked for a bent rod, but it is not the culprit, very odd, this gun had a rough life!


Mark
 
The barrel may have been bent upwards in the same calamity that bent the trigger guard. A tight fitting rod in the barrel bore could be used as a "persuader" to realign it.

We see yokes drilled for the cyl hold open detent used in the late pre war period but without the detent pin and spring installed. Just old inventory.
 
Hondo44 said:
The barrel may have been bent upwards in the same calamity that bent the trigger guard. A tight fitting rod in the barrel bore could be used as a "persuader" to realign it.

Thanks, I thought about barrel solutions, I am looking for the correct "persuader" :D

Something weird about beating on other peoples guns. ;)
Click to expand...
 
Together Again

Went to Oklahoma yesterday and picked up the gun. Many thanks to Mark(Mbrgr1). He cleaned and reassembled the gun and repaired a couple of problems.
The trigger guard was bent and the barrel was bent upward. The barrel still needs to come down a bit and the trigger guard may not be perfect, but the gun functions.
We had a fun shooting session at Mark's place yesterday.
Besides the .44, we shot several of Mark's guns and several of mine. Of Mark's guns we shot a .44 HE, 2nd Model, his recently acquired .455 HE, a K-22 Combat Masterpiece, a 6MM Flobert single shot, (very interesting gun) and a Spanish copy of a .44 Triple Lock.
Of my guns we shot a pre-war K-22 Outdoorsman, a Registered Magnum and a 4 screw .22 Jet.
A good time was had by all.
 

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Excellent. If you don't find a rod to tweak the barrel let me know and I will turn one from some brass round stock. But it doesn't look to bad. I suspect that the frame is tweaked a bit tight behind the barrel junction rather than the barrel itself being bend. If it shoots well I would probably leave it be.

Sometimes instead of leaving well enough alone and striving for just right, I have caused more of a problem than I set out to fix.:rolleyes:
 
steelslaver sent me a rod to align my barrel. Actually, the barrel is straight, but pointed up slightly. So the problem is the frame is slightly out of whack. The rod is threaded, so a pointer can be attached. The point should align with the firing pin hole. When it does, adjustment is complete.
The point right now is just a bit low on the firing pin hole. A whack or 2 should correct the problem.
I am out of town for a few weeks. When I return, will go to the local gunsmith and see if he can provide the whacks necessary for the project.
Without further ado, here is the:

steelslaver Persuader, MKI
 

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JADARE said:
steelslaver sent me a rod to align my barrel. Actually, the barrel is straight, but pointed up slightly. So the problem is the frame is slightly out of whack. The rod is threaded, so a pointer can be attached. The point should align with the firing pin hole. When it does, adjustment is complete.
The point right now is just a bit low on the firing pin hole. A whack or 2 should correct the problem.
I am out of town for a few weeks. When I return, will go to the local gunsmith and see if he can provide the whacks necessary for the project.
Without further ado, here is the:

steelslaver Persuader, MKI
Click to expand...


I beat that frame like a red headed stepchild!, so it will be interesting to see how that works, I was thinking hydraulic press, if I had one, I would have tried it! :D
 
As good as I can get it. Tweaked on the frame a bit and got pretty close with the alignment tool. It shoots good, so I am done.
Many thanks to all that helped. Especially Hondo44, Mbrgr1 and steelslaver.
Three shots offhand at 7 yds. Group measures 11/16" overall. Subtract bullet diameter and think that is .26" center to center group size. Ammo: Federal .44 Spl 200 gr SWCHP.
 

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