Is it common for one chamber to be off on timing?

[David the Gnome]

I just got a new safe over the weekend and I've been spending the last few days organizing everything to my liking. I just got around to setting up all my handguns and spending a little quality time with each one before placing it on the shelf when I noticed a trend, on several of my older revolvers there is at least one chamber that doesn't lock up completely before the hammer releases. As you pull back the trigger you can hear a distinct click when the pawl engages the cylinder and locks it in place. This is generally the stopping point where you can hold the cylinder locked and the hammer back in double-action shooting. However, on a few of my revolvers there is one chamber which doesn't lock up before the hammer releases. If you catch the hammer with your thumb and hold it half-way you can then move the cylinder ever so slightly and get it to lock.

Is this a common occurrence or even something I should be concerned about? They seem to function perfectly fine other than this one chamber.

 

[laytonj1]

It's a common problem on well used guns, more so on certain brands than others. Most folks miss it because they never cycle the cylinder that slow to catch it.
When you normally cycle the gun the momentum of the cylinder will carry it into lock up but if you are going to slowly squeeze the trigger thru double action then yes, you should be concerned. A misaligned chamber can cause spitting and damage the forcing cone. I sent one gun back to the factory for repair (new hand/pawl) and replaced/fitted that part myself on a second gun.

Jim

 

[win-lose]

I'd be concerned as well.... Besides being hazardous to the gun, it can easily become dangerous to the shooter as well.

 

[James K]

With a good gun in normal shooting, cylinder momentum will cause lockup. In most guns that don't quite lock up, you really have to work to keep them from doing so. Unless the lockup fails in normal shooting, I wouldn't worry about what the gun does when you deliberately try to make it fail. (If you held back the hammer when you pulled the trigger, would you say the gun fails to fire?)

Jim

 

[laytonj1]

I wouldn't worry about what the gun does when you deliberately try to make it fail.

So if I push slightly on the hammer of a cocked and loaded gun and it goes forward firing the gun I shouldn't worry about it...

Jim

 

[18DAI]

Check the revolvers carry up with snap caps in the charge holes. Sometimes they time right when loaded. Regards 18DAI.

 

[David the Gnome]

This is with snap caps in the chambers and it is only when slowly pulling the trigger double-action. In single-action each one locks up just fine.

 

[DrLaw]

Ditto's

On Leyton's and Keenan's advice. I have one that does this and there has not been a problem shooting it since I got it. (1980). It happens from time to time. If your gun came from a reputable maker, you might call them to ask their advice if you don't trust ours.

The Doc is out now.

 

[David the Gnome]

I trust your guy's advice. I'm not overly concerned about it, just wondered if it was normal. For what it's worth the revolvers in question were made by S&W.

 

[brian45auto]

call them up.
they may offer to take care of it for very little money.

 

[3 gun]

That isn't a misalignment issue it's a timing issue and it should be fixed.

Timing is the events in the cycling of the action happening in the right order. It sound like due to wear you have a chamber that is out of time allowing the hammer to reach its release point before the cylinder locks up. When done with normal forces the movement of the cylinder hides the wear.

Slight "misalignment" of the chambers isn't completely uncommon in most revolvers. While all of the chambers may be within spec, one will usually group better. If you take a look at a serious target revolver you'd most likely see that the chambers are marked in some fashion. Groups are shot using a single chamber to find the one or ones with the best alignment. They even require in IMHSA that you use five separate chambers to fire the course.