S&W 31-1 (presentation and timing question)

[LLC]

(You can click on the links or pictures, to see photographs.)

I receive my 1977 model 31-1 chambered in .32 S&W long last week !

I'm pretty happy with this revolver, even if it was very dirty.

I took time to disassemble it then to clean carefully everything. The trigger pin was a little bit bowed so it was painful to extract this part, but I didn't noticed anything wrong inside the gun.

It probably was what we call, in France, a "defense gun".
Until 2005, every French citizen was allowed to own a hand gun (revolver until .357 S&W mag. caliber, or semi-automatic pistol until 7,65 Br.) for defense. Now, only range shooters or hunters can legally own firearms…
Anyway, most of time the "defense gun" was just put in a drawer during years, and never shoot more than a few rounds. Unfortunately, they often develop some rust on the cylinder, where it was in contact with the drawer wood, or some rag.

I had to use steel wool to remove red spots and, even if the cylinder is still a little bit marked, it looks nice now.

I share with you some pictures of the cleaned revolver :





I have a question about timing. (All the tests were done with A-Zoom dummy rounds.)

When I cock "normally" the hammer, or if I press the trigger in double-action, everything works well.
The cylinder is locked before the hammer is fully cocked or, in double-action, before it falls.

But, if I do the movements slowly, the cylinder is not fully locked. If I just touch it, I can hear a "clic" which indicate the lock goes in place. The cylinder can't move in any direction, but it is not really locked.

I guess the hand don't "push" the cylinder enough…

What do you think about this ? It is normal ? Is the gun unsafe ? Is the strange trigger pin at the origin of this ?

Can I do something to easily fix this problem ?
(Rather than to ask a gun-smith to change the hand ? (This will probably cost more than the revolver price ! ;-))

Thank in advance for your advices and comments !

 

[Truckman]

It may be nothing more than a spring starting to weaken...A set of Wolff springs might cure it......Ben

 

[teletech]

I don't have any small-frame Smiths that new anymore but the one's I do have all lock up before the hammer falls. It's unusual for a Smith to have timing issues (particularly compared to another popular revolver maker's products) but it does sound like yours needs a little attention.
Have you verified all six chambers have the same timing issue?
The options are the hand, the cylinder ratchet, or the cylinder bolt or bolt window. I'd say the first thing to check is to use a well-fitting timing/range rod to determine that the cylinder is well aligned with the barrel when the bolt is in to rule out bolt issues. After that I'd start thinking hand based on your description.
Your trigger pin should be held in position by the frame and side plate, if it's crooked out of the frame the side plate is likely to hold it in alignment with the side plate on. They are fairly brittle so I'm reluctant to suggest trying to straighten it at all since if you break it, that's bad.
Cleaning with bronze wool is less effective at rust removal but it's also vastly less damaging to bluing. I'd recommend exhausting that option before failing over to steel wool.

 

[Diego]

Greetings from Spain! You've got a nice model 31. I did not know that French people could own personal defense handguns up until such a late date as 2005. I think italians still can own handguns for home defense. In Spain, gun laws are being made more and more restrictive, almost every year. Surprisingly, owning handguns was much easier during Franco's government. Up until 1977, the members of the "Somaten" (a civilian organization aimed at providing support for defense of the country during wars, riots, etc) could own and keep rifles and handguns for this task, and obtaining a handgun license for sport was quite easy. Then, the Somaten was disbanded and requisites for owning sport handguns have been made very restrictive. Nowadays we need a license to own even muzzleloader, Flobert and Lefaucheux guns!

 

[LLC]

Thank you very much for your answers.

The chambers look very well positioned with the barrel. Maybe I need a specific tool to confirm this visual inspection.

The "almost locking" phenomenon happens with all the chambers, but not every time I cock slowly the hammer. I don't really know. It is maybe normal with a so small and light cylinder : the inertia is maybe not enough…

Hi Diego !
Even if the possibility to own a handgun for defense existed, only a few people bought them.
France is a hunter country. We are still 1,3 millions (for a 67 millions total population).

You can find 12 gauge double-barreled shotgun almost everywhere here ! It is probably the favorite French kind of firearm !

The legislation (especially because of European directives) becomes regularly worse. But we still can enjoy nice little revolvers now, so we try to defend our rights and we go to the range as often as possible !

 

[Green Frog]

Thank you very much for your answers.

The chambers look very well positioned with the barrel. Maybe I need a specific tool to confirm this visual inspection.


Hi Diego !
Even if the possibility to own a handgun for defense existed, only a few people bought them.
France is a hunter country. We are still 1,3 millions (for a 67 millions total population).

You can find 12 gauge double-barreled shotgun almost everywhere here ! It is probably the favorite French kind of firearm !

The legislation (especially because of European directives) becomes regularly worse. But we still can enjoy nice little revolvers now, so we try to defend our rights and we go to the range as often as possible !

I was surprised to read about 12 ga being the favorite in France. I’ve only been there a few times and didn’t have a chance to learn much about French shotguns… however, I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Hungary and Slovakia and a little in Germany, and I got the impression that for hunting, especially, 16 ga was much more popular. The only way I’ll ever be able to afford a nice drilling will be because so many Americans these days “turn up their noses” at the sixteens.

Here in the US, it seemed like in the last Century, every farmhouse had a single, double or pump shotgun in 12 ga by the back door. Farmers have the same need whether in rural Europe or the rural US. More alike than different, I’d say. Some of our most rural areas are being invaded by political correctness, so I don’t know how much longer this will last.

Froggie

 

[LLC]

Today, we only have a few shotgun manufactures in France, like Chapuis or Verney-Carron.

In the old times, just after the Second World War, the Manufrance factory still made "Robsut", "Idéal" or "Simplex" shotguns which were the state of the art popular, inexpensive, but well-made tools for hunting rabbits and birds.

There were also a lot of little gun shop or gun-smith syndicate which proposed "artisanal" production.

Of course, we found (and we still find) English (for the richests), Italian (Beretta…), Belgian (FNH, Browning) or German (Merkel) shotguns.

The 16 was probably the most common gauge, but the 12, dues to the large available kind of shotshells, become, as far, the preferred !

 

[M29since14]

LLC, before you do anything more to your revolver I suggest you shoot it a bit. You’ve indicated that you cleaned it thoroughly and that you suspect it has been fired very little. In your shoes, I would begin using it and after a few hundred rounds (500 or so) you will know more about it’s condition. Use it briskly, but not abusing it, so that it carries up properly. After you’ve used it awhile, give it another careful cleaning and see if your concerns remain. Do not use anything to lubricate the gun except maybe a drop or two of the lightest oil you have. I doubt that the springs need to be replaced at this time. What you describe would not concern me if that were my revolver. As long as it carries up in normal operation I would not adjust it.

I’m a bit concerned about the trigger stud. Given that this could be a serious problem if it breaks, please be sure to not put any unnecessary stress on it, such as cycling the action when the sideplate is removed.

 

[H Richard]

Looks like a very nice piece. I have been fond of the 32 Long. This is a 3" 30-1 I had recently, the only difference is the round butt vs. the Sq butt of the 31-1.

These little guns are wonderful shooters, and great training aids for new shooters. Not too much recoil and great accuracy. What part of France are you located in? I spent a year stationed at a U S Airbase at Chaumont Fr. back in the early 60's. I very much enjoyed the area and the people.

 

[LLC]

@ M29since14 :
Thank you very much for your advice. I think I will do exactly the way you describe and shoot this revolver before trying to fix something which actually work !
Anyway, the shift is so low, I think I don't risk anything in case the lock is not totally engaged.

@ H Richard :
Nice revolver ! I really like the way it looks with the round grip !
I'm pleased to know you liked France ! I don't live to far from Chaumont : I'm an Alsatian (not the dog, the people who live in Alsace ! ;-).
I'm located in the 3 borders region, where Swiss, Germany and France share a common frontier.
Less than 100km from here, were born the Sig P210, or the Manurhin MR73 !
We made good wine and good guns, we like beer, churches, castles and we invented the "Christkindelsmärik" in 1570 ("Jesus Child market" or "Christmas market" in Strasbourg which is well know all around Europe for its incredible atmosphere). We also have a lot of chemical industries and research labs.
If the firearms legislation was not so harsh, it will be the paradise on earth !

 

[H Richard]

I am somewhat familiar with that area, did travel to Switzerland, Zurich area while stationed in Fr in 62, and returned there a few years ago when we did a Rhine river Cruise, starting in Zurich. Met up with another SWCA member there , Swissman and got to shoot on his range with him. Wonderful trip.