How difficult is it to install and fit a new hand to a revolver?. I’ve also heard of stretching the existing hand to get the gun back in time.
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Hand fitting
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Not length as much as thickness.
Stretching the hand is an exercise that is sometimes done when working on the old style V spring Colt DA revolver mechanism.
The Colt works differently than the S&W in that the hand actully pushes and then holds the cylinder in position by way of the ratchet tooth so the cylinder locking bolt can fall into position.
The S&W hand slides by the rtchet tooth as the cyl bolt drops into the locking slot.
If the Colt lacks in 'carry-up', meaning the cylinder will not revolve quite far enough to allow the locking bolt to drop into it's notch,,then stretching the hand (peening the hand) will lengthen it by a few .000".
That small amt will SOMETIMES revolver the cylinder that extra tiny amt so it locks in position.
Some seem to feel it's an instant sure-all for Colt DA revolver timing issues and go to it right away. That can cause more issues than it fixes.
It is a useful way to adj the mechanism, but not the only thing to be done and there are limits to what it can do.
It ust be kept in mind that once stretched/lengthened,,the hand will give it's extra length and extra long push to each of the 6 ratchet teeth,,not just the one or two that are haveing slow carry up. So you can be creating a new problem of cocking and the cyl not locking up. The cyl stalling before the bolt drops on the other chambers at the same time.
Colts are different for sure.
The Colt works differently than the S&W in that the hand actully pushes and then holds the cylinder in position by way of the ratchet tooth so the cylinder locking bolt can fall into position.
The S&W hand slides by the rtchet tooth as the cyl bolt drops into the locking slot.
If the Colt lacks in 'carry-up', meaning the cylinder will not revolve quite far enough to allow the locking bolt to drop into it's notch,,then stretching the hand (peening the hand) will lengthen it by a few .000".
That small amt will SOMETIMES revolver the cylinder that extra tiny amt so it locks in position.
Some seem to feel it's an instant sure-all for Colt DA revolver timing issues and go to it right away. That can cause more issues than it fixes.
It is a useful way to adj the mechanism, but not the only thing to be done and there are limits to what it can do.
It ust be kept in mind that once stretched/lengthened,,the hand will give it's extra length and extra long push to each of the 6 ratchet teeth,,not just the one or two that are haveing slow carry up. So you can be creating a new problem of cocking and the cyl not locking up. The cyl stalling before the bolt drops on the other chambers at the same time.
Colts are different for sure.
AS noted above, S&W time on the WIDTH of the hand. Colts time on the LENGTH of the hand. It isn't that hard to fit an overwidth hand to a S&W. You need a special tool, a weird looking squiggly file to open up the hand window, and you need to have some time and know what you are trying to do, but it isn't physically hard. Metal filed away can not easily be replaced.
Most of the time a slightly wider hand will work without adjusting the slot.
Hands are specific to frame size.
Check and adjust your end-shake first.
Also, if there is any slack in the ratchet to cylinder setup, it may well carry up when the chambers are full of brass and not when empty
Hands are specific to frame size.
Check and adjust your end-shake first.
Also, if there is any slack in the ratchet to cylinder setup, it may well carry up when the chambers are full of brass and not when empty
-BTM-
Member
I never thought of that! Going to check slack on Bob the 586 with some brass in.
DO NOT
Steelslaver is right on advising cylinder clearance checks....however DO NOT cut (as in 'file-Dremel- or any other way) the Hand's window. Your gun will never be the same-whereas you can toss away a hand for a few bucks if you booger it up...
If you like, PM me with your model as I may have a few gently used hand's in my part's collection. Also if you have a digital caliber, send me the width (in mm please) of the current hand (Height-width) and width of hand's window. a pic of the hand's nose would be good too... do you still have the internal hand spring and 'rebound block' lever?
Steelslaver is right on advising cylinder clearance checks....however DO NOT cut (as in 'file-Dremel- or any other way) the Hand's window. Your gun will never be the same-whereas you can toss away a hand for a few bucks if you booger it up...
If you like, PM me with your model as I may have a few gently used hand's in my part's collection. Also if you have a digital caliber, send me the width (in mm please) of the current hand (Height-width) and width of hand's window. a pic of the hand's nose would be good too... do you still have the internal hand spring and 'rebound block' lever?
