S&W top break hand

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  • Taeverling

    Plinker
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    Sep 22, 2021
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    Swayzee indiana
    Ok let me first say that I have never worked on a top break so I'm not sure how different they are than a hand eject model .
    I do S&W revolver action work and repairs. While I mostly do modern revolvers I have worked on some that were over a hundred years old.
    On modern(last hundred years) S&W revolvers the timing is controlled by the width(thickness) of the hand. S&W and the aftermarket offer "oversized hands" that are used to correct late timing. All these hands are thicker than a stock hand but the same length.
    On some guns the hand slot has to widened to fit the oversized hand.
    Ok some old school tricks is to heat the hand half way between the tip and pivot point until it is red and very slightly bend the hand. it only takes about .005 to .010 to get what you need depending on how bad (late) the timing is. DO NOT OVERHEAT the tip as it will soften and won't last.
    If the gun is just slightly late you can also peen the ratchet teeth and swell them oversize to fix the problem.
    Worst case some guns that are shooter grade and don't have collector value and no parts available I have centerpunched the ratchets and really swelled them and then retimed the gun. Ratchet look bad as it has centerpunched marks but the gun is now shootable and the great grandkids can shoot great, great, grandpa's old gun again.
    I'm not sure about a break top but I would think the width of hand would control the amount it turns the ratchets just like the modern ones.
    Leadeye knows way more about the old stuff than I do but just throwing this out there to think about.

    https://everygunpart.com/manufacturer/smith_wesson several top break parts guns here....you might get lucky

    Option #2 find a micro TiG weld shop and have them build up the surface.....
    Thanks for the site info, I had never seen that one before. Would the tig weld mess with heat treat? Possibly warp it maybe...
     

    Taeverling

    Plinker
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    Sep 22, 2021
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    Swayzee indiana
    Well fellas... I got the hand and it was actually oversized, perhaps a original never fitted to a gun. I stoned it down and it fits real well, but it's still out of time. 1 or 2 of the cylinders lock up real nice but the rest are sloppy. I am beginning to think perhaps the hand isn't the problem, I don't know what is tho. Maybe it's the ratchet. I'm stumped on it. I have the hand fitted perfectly but still it's timed slow.
     

    Bosshoss

    Master
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    Dec 11, 2009
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    MADISON
    If the gun was timed late on 1-5 chambers before and ok on on some then the ratchets are not even.
    I fit a new or oversized hand and "hope" that the late ones time good now and the ones that were late before bind up and time early.
    I then file the ratchets on the early chambers until they time properly and they all feel the same and time correctly.
    I sometimes have to peen ratchets to get a chamber to time ok but usually a oversized hand takes care of it.

    It is a good idea to check timing with empties in the chambers as that can make a difference if the ejector star is sloppy or the alinement pins(if that gun had them) are missing.
     

    Taeverling

    Plinker
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    Sep 22, 2021
    118
    28
    Swayzee indiana
    If the gun was timed late on 1-5 chambers before and ok on on some then the ratchets are not even.
    I fit a new or oversized hand and "hope" that the late ones time good now and the ones that were late before bind up and time early.
    I then file the ratchets on the early chambers until they time properly and they all feel the same and time correctly.
    I sometimes have to peen ratchets to get a chamber to time ok but usually a oversized hand takes care of it.

    It is a good idea to check timing with empties in the chambers as that can make a difference if the ejector star is sloppy or the alinement pins(if that gun had them) are missing.
    Alrighty I see what you are saying, I will put some empties in it and try it again. Also I was wondering how you would peen the ratchet?? Do you use a small punch or just tap the selected one with a ballpeen hammer? The ratchet is just so tiny on the gun.
     

    Bosshoss

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    I use a 1/8 flat nose punch. You need to look at ratchets and see which surface needs more metal and then work on peening that area and getting it to Bulge out.
    Good luck
     

    Bosshoss

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    Yes I usually mark and work one ratchet at a time until it is in time then move to next one.
    I can't really describe how hard to hit it but start slow and check often.
     

    Bosshoss

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    BTW I see you are from Swayzee. I grew up there and my parents lived there until they went into assisted living in Marion.
     
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