Pre 27 needs a new hand….. ASSISTANCE NEEDED!

[71vette]

I’ve had an old five screw pre-27 3.5 inch for many years that looks like it had an interesting life before it came to live with me. It was refinished apparently many years ago as that refinish has warn pretty well. Even blued the trigger and hammer. For me it’s a shooter and I do really like that it has some character. It wears some diamond magnas that I ended up getting as a gift off another forum. Anyway, I’ve noticed that it’s been having some timing issues recently while testing some hand loads. I took it to my local smith a couple months ago and he gave it a good tear down and clean. Said it might need a new hand plus spring, but Roy isn’t just a “parts swapper” so he wanted me to shoot it some more after his inspection.

Finally got back to the range with it and she’s still got issues. I dropped it off last week to have Roy fit a new hand. She will continue to be shot but treated lovingly in my care.

 

[OutWest50]

It's always a good practice to keep those old irons in good working order! Enjoy many more years of shooting that 27.

 

[71vette]

Spoke to Roy this morning. He’s called Smith three different times and they are unclear on what the replacement part number is. Would any of you fine folks be able to assist on locating a replacement hand and hand spring for a five screw pre-27? It’s an “S” prefix of course and the serial puts it around ‘54.

Thanks much!

 

[Hondo44]

Is your timing issue a lack of “follow up“? In other words the cyl does not quite go all the way to lock up when you cock the hammer slowly. This is the most common issue on revolvers with many rounds fired.

Most often the fix is slight peening of the cylinder ratchet notches back to their original shape. They are softer metal than the hand. Your gun will be good for another 20 years.

It’s very simple. Suggest Roy consult his gunsmith manuals for the process. Check out the ratchets with good lighting and use magnification to see where the ratchet surface contacted by the hand is burred. Very gently peen the burred edges with a flat tipped punch back into shape. Everyone that has done this has fixed their follow up issue.

 

[71vette]

Is your timing issue a lack of “follow up“? In other words the cyl does not quite go all the way to lock up when you cock the hammer slowly. This is the most common issue on revolvers with many rounds fired.

Most often the fix is slight peening of the cylinder ratchet notches back to their original shape. They are softer metal than the hand. Your gun will be good for another 20 years.

It’s very simple. Suggest Roy consult his gunsmith manuals for the process. Check out the ratchets with good lighting and use magnification to see where the ratchet surface contacted by the hand is burred. Very gently peen the burred edges with a flat tipped punch back into shape. Everyone that has done this has fixed their follow up issue.

No, it doesn’t reliably contact the ratchet once it gets a little hot or slightly dirty. Everything works fine if it’s spotlessly clean and cool. Last outing I fired one cylinder full of magnums and it started “skipping”. I can manually advance the cylinder and all is well.

 

[Hondo44]

Will the cylinder advance more reliably with the barrel pointed down?

The hand has a coil spring in the top of the trigger with two legs. There’s two pins (possibly one) on the bottom of hand that the spring legs applies tension against. But it either works or it doesn’t. You only need a new hand if pin(s) are bent or broken. Or a spring if a leg is broken broken off or mid-installed. Go on line to gun parts distributors ( Numrich Parts) for spring or hand.

 

[71vette]

Will the cylinder advance more reliably with the barrel pointed down?

The hand has a coil spring in the top of the trigger with two legs. There’s two pins (possibly one) on the bottom of hand that the spring legs applies tension against. But it either works or it doesn’t. You only need a new hand if pin(s) are bent or broken. Or a spring if a leg is broken broken off or mid-installed. Go on line to gun parts distributors ( Numrich Parts) for spring or hand.

Yes, it seems to. I was thinking really hard about just replacing the spring.

 

[Hondo44]

I would inspect your spring. Here's a new spring:
Smith & Wesson Model 27 Parts | Gun Parts Corp.

Scroll down to this:
Hand Torsion Spring, New Style, For MIM Trigger, .56"
Replacement Smith & Wesson Model K, L, N Frames Hand Torsion Spring, New Style, For MIM Trigger,



It's for the current model but it will work by shortening the legs to match the length of your old spring.

 

[71vette]

I would inspect your spring. Here's a new spring:
Smith & Wesson Model 27 Parts | Gun Parts Corp.

Scroll down to this:
Hand Torsion Spring, New Style, For MIM Trigger, .56"
Replacement Smith & Wesson Model K, L, N Frames Hand Torsion Spring, New Style, For MIM Trigger,



It's for the current model but it will work by shortening the legs to match the length of your old spring.

I will give that a shot. Thanks!

 

[DETROIT]

Your smith doesn’t sound like he’s 100% with old smith Wesson revolvers. I would get the revolver back, order the replacement spring and a power customs hand hand. Handgun Parts for Sale: Glocks, 1911's & More | MidwayUSA or Smith & Wesson Model 27 Parts | Gun Parts Corp.