Need help with a hand

[len917]

Have my 15-3 at gunsmith for quite a while now.
I had a squib and the bullet lodged between the case and barrel not allowing the cylinder to turn.
I had to bang it open to get the bullet out.
Skipping ahead, the smith replaced the yoke and the hand and the hand is loose and won't turn the cylinder. What will make the hand behave like it is supposed to so I can use this revolver?
The smith is still working on it.

 

[armorer951]

The torsion leg of the hand spring has probably come off of the hand pin, or perhaps it was never tensioned properly when the repair was attempted. The trigger and hand will have to come out, and the hand spring leg re-set.

As shown in the illustration, the longer leg of the hand spring sits on the small tensioning pin at the base of the hand, and thus, forces the hand forward. This "longer leg" of the spring must be pushed in and up, inside the cavity of the trigger as the hand is reinserted. You can use a small pin punch to manipulate and tension the spring leg. While the leg is tensioned, the hand can be re-inserted into the trigger. It helps to have a small padded vise to hold the trigger while attempting this re-assembly. (third hand)

 

[fleabus101]

And they' re fun to reset if they pop loose

 

[len917]

Thank you Armorer 951. It worked, picking up my baby tomorrow.
Thanks again
Len917

 

[len917]

To Armorer 951
Got my m-15 back today. Very clean and tight.
Double action is very quick but single is my concern. I have to pull the hammer way back before it clicks into place. Is this a problem? will is ease up after use? Trigger pull is great too on S.A.

 

[armorer951]

If it "carries up" properly. That is, if you pull the hammer back slowly (gun safe and unloaded) the cylinder should rotate fully and the cylinder stop should engage the upcoming cylinder slot just prior to, or just as the hammer locks back into single action. Is this the same hammer and trigger you had prior to the incident and repair? It should behave exactly as it did before, prior to the incident.

 

[len917]

Yes it is the same trigger and hammer.
Yes it "carries up" properly.
Everthing feels tight with no unwanted movement from the yoke or cylinder
I now feel good about it--THANK YOU
Len

 

[Hang-Fire Hank]

NO BANGING !!

I had to bang it open to get the bullet out. QUOTE]

You BANGED the cylinder open?! Good Grief, Len! Don't EVER do that again. Have respect for the mechanism!

Buy a heavy-duty aluminum rod to put down the barrel & tap the bullet back into the case, if it's stuck between the barrel & case. I bought mine at ACE Hardware.

If you ever have another squib that's up into the barrel, the alum rod will knock the bullet down past the forcing cone & fall out from there.

Hank M.

 

[armorer951]

If your "gunsmith" checked and confirmed your barrel cylinder alignment after replacing the yoke, you should be good to go. (to the range)

 

[len917]

I had to bang it open to get the bullet out. QUOTE]

You BANGED the cylinder open?! Good Grief, Len! Don't EVER do that again. Have respect for the mechanism!

Buy a heavy-duty aluminum rod to put down the barrel & tap the bullet back into the case, if it's stuck between the barrel & case. I bought mine at ACE Hardware.

If you ever have another squib that's up into the barrel, the alum rod will knock the bullet down past the forcing cone & fall out from there.

Hank M.

Never thought of that.
The base of the bullet was still in the case so it wouldn't have been difficult to push it back in.
Another tool for my range bag
Thanks

 

[ken158]

Have my 15-3 at gunsmith for quite a while now.
I had a squib and the bullet lodged between the case and barrel not allowing the cylinder to turn.
I had to bang it open to get the bullet out.
Skipping ahead, the smith replaced the yoke and the hand and the hand is loose and won't turn the cylinder. What will make the hand behave like it is supposed to so I can use this revolver?
The smith is still working on it.

After re-reading your issue, it makes me wonder why a smith replaced the yoke and his ability to do that properly when he couldn't reset the torsion spring in the trigger? The replaced yoke must have been a used part and fitting is critical for the proper function of your revolver. Guessing your "banging" the cylinder open caused the yoke issue…

 

[len917]

After re-reading your issue, it makes me wonder why a smith replaced the yoke and his ability to do that properly when he couldn't reset the torsion spring in the trigger? The replaced yoke must have been a used part and fitting is critical for the proper function of your revolver. Guessing your "banging" the cylinder open caused the yoke issue…

Yup, it did. I'll never do that again

 

[len917]

Went to range this AM. Shot about 50 rds. Other than not being sighted in properly for accuracy, everything felt real good.
Thanks all for your advise and help
Len917

 

[len917]

to armorer951--still having a problem with single action hammer cocking at exactly the end of the pull-this was not the way it was prior. Is the
re an adjustment that can be made to have it cock/lock in a normal position without me hoping that when I get to the end of the pull it will lock. sometimes the cylinder will turn to the next position w/o fully cocked. I'm going back to the gunsmith Monday for him to look at it.

 

[armorer951]

In post #7 you indicated that the gun carried up properly. Is this a different issue? You indicated the "gunsmith" replaced the hand. Did he give you the old parts back that he replaced?

If the hammer and trigger are the same, the fully cocked hammer position hasn't changed, unless the hammer cocking notch or the trigger bevel has been altered...... are you indicating the gun is no longer carrying up fully in single action? As I previously indicated, a slightly wider hand would help if the timing is late, and the cylinder no longer carries up fully.

If you have the old hand you could compare the current (new) hand measurement (width) to the old one. Has the SA trigger bevel been stoned or altered?

 

[len917]

yes I do have the old hand--I will compare the two when it comes apart on Monday
The hammer doesn't carry up fully to cock maybe 1 of 6 rounds- sometimes 2 of the 6. I guess that is a timing concern
Nothing on the trigger or hammer has been altered by the gunsmith.
Otherwise it's still shooting great and accurate at 25 yds
I'll keep you posted--Thanks for your help
Len

 

[len917]

Took the m15 back to smith. I told him to replace the new hand with the old one he replaced. He smoothed it out, took of some burrs, reassembled it as instructions of armorer951. Picked it up today, went directly to the range, other than needing resighting, it shoots like it is new. Cylinder turns and sets solid, hammer pullback is back to normal. Now I have to sight it in.
Thanks all for your help
Len917

 

[minconrevo]

Hard to beat the accumulated knowledge of a good S&W Pistolsmith. A typical general gunsmith won't have it for this particular application. Len917: your gunsmith likely learned a bit from this. Likely he learns a little everyday.

 

[len917]

Hard to beat the accumulated knowledge of a good S&W Pistolsmith. A typical general gunsmith won't have it for this particular application. Len917: your gunsmith likely learned a bit from this. Likely he learns a little everyday.

Learn he did.

 

[Troystat]

A wood dowel will also work for tapping a bullet back down.