M frame cylinder endshake

[Hondo44]

steelslaver,

Well it's darned good enough to illustrate the custom modification to people not familiar with this great adaption.

And in the case of this thread, the function of the frame lug.

 

[delcrossv]

Seems there's a groove in the stop stud.

Imgur: Stop stud

 

[Hondo44]

I can't see it well because of the glare.

I see a front edge of the stud which I think is what you call the groove with a large bump behind it. Has the groove been filed on?

The cyl should not move back past the right angle groove to contact the bump. The rear edge of the groove is what stops the cyl from hitting the bump.

Peen the rear edge of the right angle of the groove to make it flare up higher and stop rearward movement of the cyl.

 

[delcrossv]

The groove looks like it's been worn into the stud (bump). It's small and interrupts the smooth sweep on the front of the stud (it isn't straight but curved). I'll try to get a better picture.

In other weirdness, the extractor rod is square on this one. Is that common to 1st models? Also, the yoke is held in with a drift pin. The forward sideplate screw is really short and has no machined end for the groove in the yoke shaft, but there is a pin in the right place to do that (???)

 

[Hondo44]

The square shaft is correct for 1st models. I don't know about the 2nd model, but the 3rd, last model is round like other Hand ejectors.

The 3rd model has a yoke retention system w/screw like later HEs.

 

[delcrossv]

Update: I checked the cylinder last night with it in the frame, and there's is some (about 1/32) of fore and aft slop. The whole gun is loose (compared to my 3rd Model), but times fine and the chambers line up with the bore consistently. Ill try to upload more pictures of the groove tonight.

Of interest is the S/N - 189. Grips are scribed with the same number. So I'm guessing 1st month of production?

 

[delcrossv]

Update: improved pics

As you can hopefully see there's a small groove/step below the stop stud face, that's what the cylinder is overriding:

link to the original image

Stop stud with good camera

 

[Hondo44]

Yes I can see clearly that the lug is in pretty good condition. The cyl is supposed to ride on the lowest surface of the stud in front of the step and NOT GO above the step.

Push the cyl all the way forward and see if it will ride in front of the step. Peen the vertical surface of the step with the punch parallel to the barrel, until the cyl cannot jump over the step. It won't take much, just peen gently along the vertical surface repeatedly.

 

[delcrossv]

Thanks Jim, got it. With the barrel facing down, it clears the step easily.

Gotta get some teeny pin punches.

 

[Hondo44]

Thanks Jim, got it. With the barrel facing down, it clears the step easily.

Gotta get some teeny pin punches.

About 1/8". Smaller punches leave a bunch of little nicks. Ideally the punch is flat and the width of the entire shelf.