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Posted: 1/9/2009 9:23:49 AM EST
I'm not much of revolver shooter, I have a few that I shoot occasionally, and I was shooting my Dan Wesson .44 this morning and had several trigger pulls where it didn't go bang. I was shooting single action, and figured out that sometimes the cylinder wasn't locking into place making it so that the chambers weren't lining up with the firing pin. I took it to a local store and showed the guy the problem, he said that the timing is off on the piece that sticks up thru the bottom of the frame and locks into the slots on the outside of the cylinder (pardon for not knowing the proper names of these parts, like I said, I'm not much of a revolver guy).

I bought this gun used from a friend who had bought it used, I suspect it's about 20 to 30 years old. Is this a common problem with older revolvers and what causes it? How much should i expect to be charged by a gunsmith to fix it?

I am very surprised because I always thought that revolvers were the most reliable of all handgun types, but apparently even they can malfunction.

**UPDATE**

So I took this gun by Hatfield Gunsmiffin' in Manassas, VA this past weekend, Sam was very friendly and professional, he diagnosed the problem as being worn notches on the back side of the extractor (the part that the hand contacts to rotate the cylinder), the RATCHET.  There are a few worn rounded edges (very hard too see unless you look very closely) not allowing the hand to properly rotate the cylinder. He doesn't think they make these parts anymore, he is going to try and find me a used one, otherwise he said he may be able to weld a small beed to the areas that are worn.
Link Posted: 1/9/2009 11:10:02 AM EST
[#1]
Link Posted: 1/9/2009 11:51:33 AM EST
[#2]
Yes, any revolver can get a kink, just as any semi can. Most likely someone was shooting too hot of a rd out of it & basically gave it more than it could handle, IMO.

Depending on parts required, figure on about an hour's labor, maybe 1-1/2 hours max, IMO.
Link Posted: 1/9/2009 3:01:03 PM EST
[#3]
The part is called the bolt, the gun may be dirty and dry inside. The hand is the part that rotates the cylinder and
they are tricky to fit. Clean it and oil it if you feel confident in pulling the side cover. If that doesn't fix it I would
recommend a gunsmith.
Link Posted: 1/9/2009 4:06:16 PM EST
[#4]
I had a bad bolt on my old DW744. I called the tech reps at the factory and sent it in. They fixed it.
Link Posted: 1/9/2009 4:48:14 PM EST
[#5]
I'm not overly familiar with Dan Wessons, but it sounds like the hand and/or the ratchets on the extractor star are worn. The timing would have to be pretty far off to cause a misfire...enough to be noticeable just in handling the gun. You may(pretty likely actually) also have a problem with excess endshake.

I suggest calling Dan Wesson about having the gun repaired.
Link Posted: 1/9/2009 7:46:15 PM EST
[#6]
The ratchet does not wear. The hand does. Manytimes the revolver is improperly timed from the factory.
Link Posted: 1/10/2009 11:06:15 AM EST
[#7]
Quoted:
The ratchet does not wear. The hand does. Manytimes the revolver is improperly timed from the factory.


I can say I have never picked up a new revolver of any manufacturer that was out of time from the factory.  I used to work in a gun store.
Link Posted: 1/10/2009 1:12:05 PM EST
[#8]
Quoted:
Quoted:
The ratchet does not wear. The hand does. Manytimes the revolver is improperly timed from the factory.


I can say I have never picked up a new revolver of any manufacturer that was out of time from the factory.  I used to work in a gun store.


I used to live in one.

Link Posted: 1/10/2009 4:25:43 PM EST
[#9]
Quoted:
The ratchet does not wear. The hand does. Manytimes the revolver is improperly timed from the factory.


Funny, several of mine are visibly worn and burred up a little from use.

ETA, any time two pieces of anything interact, they both wear.
Link Posted: 1/10/2009 4:27:01 PM EST
[#10]
Quoted:
Quoted:
The ratchet does not wear. The hand does. Manytimes the revolver is improperly timed from the factory.


I can say I have never picked up a new revolver of any manufacturer that was out of time from the factory.  I used to work in a gun store.


I have a very lightly used M66(no dash) that is a very tiny bit slow on timing. There is so little use on this gun that it had to have come that way from the factory.
Link Posted: 1/10/2009 4:55:07 PM EST
[#11]
Quoted:
Quoted:
The ratchet does not wear. The hand does. Manytimes the revolver is improperly timed from the factory.


Funny, several of mine are visibly worn and burred up a little from use.

ETA, any time two pieces of anything interact, they both wear.


No they don't. The hand is designed to wear. The ratchet is designed to last a lifetime. If yours is messed-up, you did not lube it right.
Link Posted: 1/10/2009 5:07:25 PM EST
[#12]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
The ratchet does not wear. The hand does. Manytimes the revolver is improperly timed from the factory.


I can say I have never picked up a new revolver of any manufacturer that was out of time from the factory.  I used to work in a gun store.


I used to live in one.




Then all the factory broken guns went to your shop.
Link Posted: 1/10/2009 5:25:18 PM EST
[#13]
Not all of them, but lotsa S&W from the 1990's came that way.
Link Posted: 1/11/2009 7:30:58 AM EST
[#14]
Its just doing what D/A Revolvers do.
Link Posted: 1/11/2009 3:13:51 PM EST
[#15]
Quoted:

Then all the factory broken guns went to your shop.






Link Posted: 1/11/2009 4:32:26 PM EST
[#16]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
The ratchet does not wear. The hand does. Manytimes the revolver is improperly timed from the factory.


Funny, several of mine are visibly worn and burred up a little from use.

ETA, any time two pieces of anything interact, they both wear.


No they don't. The hand is designed to wear. The ratchet is designed to last a lifetime. If yours is messed-up, you did not lube it right.



One part may be designed to wear more than the other, but both DO wear. That is an inescapable fact.

As far as oiling...um yeah...it's pretty damn hard to oil the working parts of a revolver incorrectly if you have any degree of intelligence.
Link Posted: 1/11/2009 7:28:40 PM EST
[#17]
Did you fire 100000 rounds through your revolver? Cuz thats how long the ratchet lasts.
Link Posted: 1/12/2009 7:39:11 PM EST
[#18]
I had a .357mag Dan Wesson with the same problem among others. I had it timed by a well known gunsmith but the problem came back so I traded it in for a Ruger Security Six. It was the best trade I ever made!
Link Posted: 1/26/2009 8:26:25 AM EST
[#19]
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
The ratchet does not wear. The hand does. Manytimes the revolver is improperly timed from the factory.


Funny, several of mine are visibly worn and burred up a little from use.

ETA, any time two pieces of anything interact, they both wear.


No they don't. The hand is designed to wear. The ratchet is designed to last a lifetime. If yours is messed-up, you did not lube it right.



One part may be designed to wear more than the other, but both DO wear. That is an inescapable fact.

As far as oiling...um yeah...it's pretty damn hard to oil the working parts of a revolver incorrectly if you have any degree of intelligence.


If you read my update in the original post, it is indeed ratchet wear that is causing my problem, so yes, THEY DO WEAR.
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