Can't cock percussion revolver

[M. De Land]

The problem is short stroking the hammer from full cock to full down position to clear the bolt leg from the hanmmer cam until it can drop under the bolt leg and left it again.
If you can push the hammer forward just a tiny bit the bolt leg will usually clear the cam enough to spring under then lift the nose to clear the cylinder notch and cycle normally.
I know this to be true as I put neoprene pads under the hammer crook against the arbor base and frame to cushion dry fire hammer drop. If the pad is a bit to thick then the hammer has to be depressed into the pad a bit more by thumb pressure to unlock it. It mimics perfectly what you describe.
The remedy is to trim the nipple height and diameter or replace them with after market cones so the hammer can drop further.
I suppose with these open frame guns one could also trim the hammer nose just a bit with a diamond file if it will still engage the safety pins fully.

 

[Gene L]

I agree with Zonie...the gun doesn't need fixing because it was designed that way for safety reasons. I also agree that you should never lower the hammer on a cap, unless you are at the range and the gun is immobile. Never carry a gun (old gun) with a round in the chamber. Six shooters become five shooters in SA revolvers unless you have a newer Ruger.

 

[Zonie]

Well how would you fix the problem? A new bolt, or bend the leg on the bolt? ...

There is no reason to replace the bolt because a replacement will do the same thing. It's part of the design.

I'm sure removing some material from the bolt leg where it contacts the hammer cam could make it drop over the edge of the hammer cam earlier in the hammer fall, but I don't know exactly where the material needs to come off of it.

The bolt leg can't be bent without breaking it.

It is hardened and tempered to spring hardness.
Although it can flex some to take the small movement needed to ride up over the hammer cam, bending it far enough to permanently deform it will end up in stressing it to the point that it fails.
The cam on the hammer is also hardened.

 

[M. De Land]

The first thing to do is check if the hammer nose contacts the nipple on each chamber.
It should not and forward movement be checked by contact with the back of the frame in the hammer crook not the nipple top.
The hammer should not physically contact the nipple top. The idea is to impact the cap only, detonate the fulminate and to cushion the hammer blow so as not to peen the nipple top.
If the hammer is restricted by the nipple height than it is being short stroked and the bolt leg cannot spring under the cam lobe to lift the bolt clear of the cylinder notch thus locking it up.
The reason it won't move the other way is because the hand has picked up the next tooth on the ratchet star.

 

[crockett]

Well from my limited experience I've learned a few things. First, the gun is usually the same as hundreds of others of the same model/design so to start, you can figure a problem might be something other than the gun itself. If the gun was bought used, you have no way of knowing if replacement nipples were installed and if so, are they incorrect. So...the fastest, easiest thing would be to try other nipples.
Thanks on explaining the lock work, I figured the tail on the bolt was likely prevented from doing its job and locking up the hammer.
I've replaced a hand and it was a little more complicated than imaged and I had a jam and someone of this forum asked if it was the same chamber, I found it was and there was a bur on the racket for that chamber and that fixed the problem. A lot of the parts do double duty or, effect other areas so if you try to fix one problem without considering the consequences you can just create another problem somewhere else.

 

[EN]

I removed some metal from the hammer nose and the problem was solved. You are right that the hammer nose should not come in contact with the nipple yet I think a lot of the replicas do. After trying different sets of nipples I came to the conclusion that it was something other than that. After Zonie said the hammer was not going all the way forward, I removed some of the metal from my hammer nose and surprise surprise the problem was solved. My revolver came with no pins between the chambers so I did not concern myself with the notch in the hammer. Everything works now. You guys are great. Thanks for all the help.

 

[M. De Land]

Good news!

 

[hawkeye2]

I'm glad to hear you have resolved all your (revolver) issues and far more inportant, you took the time to reply telling us what you found and how you overcame it. You might be supprised at the number of people who come here asking for advise and then we never hear from them after so we have no way of knowing if we were able to help or if the problem was fixed and what it was.

 

[crockett]

YES thanks for the reply, creates a good data base if others ever have a similar problem.

 

[bang]

did you buy this revolver new?
is there ANY chance that it's a Pietta or Uberti cylinder in a A.S.M. frame? all 3 are different lengths.

if not then it can be shimmed, or have the arbor reset by a gunsmith.

I've been curious if an Uberti walker cylinder will work in an ASM walker and if it's a bit longer it can be machined down as long as the other dimensions fit.

 

[PluggedNickel]

I would be willing to bet the family farm the cylinder spindle is too short. It should bottom out in its recess under the barrel and leave about .004" gap between the rear of the barrel and the face of the cylinder when the wedge is driven in. You need to add a spacer to the end of the spindle (or in the bottom of the recess)to create that gap. Once established it will be very repeatable as the wedge cannot be driven in too far.

Yep, me too! Read this thread, if you follow to the last few posts there are more links to Cowboy Chronicle articles on why and how you should do this.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...works-for-all-colt-open-top-revolvers.111245/