UPDATE .. the old H&R pistol

[JimT]

I was shooting the H&R with some test loads and it locked up on me. I could not move the hammer forward or backward. Taking the gun apart I found the spring on the cylinder hand had broken and gotten into the lockworks.

While messing with it I over-stressed the mainspring and the end broke off.

So I ordered a new mainspring and cylinder hand. The mainspring arrived yesterday and I installed it and it works fine. I fired the gun just to see how the spring was working. Without a cylinder hand I simply cocked the hammer, carefully rolled the cylinder around until it was against the cylinder stop and then pulled the trigger. It worked fine.

A friend had sent me a cylinder hand that had a broken spring (I think it must be common with these guns) and I decided to see if I could re-spring it. Using an old Colt SAA hand spring that was broken, I finally got it put together. Now all I need to do is shorten it to the correct length.

Since I have a new hand coming, this will give me a backup. Always a good thing to have with old beat up cheap guns.
I have a set of original grips coming. Hopefully they will be here soon.

Self-Repaired Cylinder Hand .. note it's a little bitty thing.

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Note the new hammer spring

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[gamekeeper]

Maybe Jim you are starting a Top Break revival........

[JimT]

Maybe Jim you are starting a Top Break revival........

laughing.JPG

[Ray]

I have been following this project with great interest. The .38 s&w cartridge like its era peers like the various .32s and .41 colt was/were meant, I suppose, to point-shoot a brigand at very close range.

I like working with the .38 s&w. I run the cases up into a parabellum/luger trim die and shorten with a file for use in 9mm revolvers without the spring clips. Not exactly auto-rim.....that is to say, still headspaces on the mouth but it does give a rim to extract.

Some .357 magnum chambers will accept .38 s&w factory loads but seldom all 6 on one cylinder. Resizing them by gently running up into a .38/.357 sizer sans pin makes them fit every magnum and special chamber I have tried. Starline makes .38 short colts which don't need the extra squeezing as do the s&w cases and make for lesser blast and recoil than conventional loads.

Shown below, s&w cases trimmed by a millimeter and loaded with a 90 gr. .380 acp bullet (center), a 124 gr. .38 super bow!ing pin bullet (right) and a 180 gr. .357 bullet (left).

IMG_20230314_101207598~2.jpg

[JimT]

That's neat work Ray!
I love how so many on this Forum are innovative and not afraid to launch out into the unknown.

[Old No7]

The .38 s&w cartridge like its era peers like the various .32s and .41 colt was/were meant, I suppose, to point-shoot a brigand at very close range.

I wouldn't want to get hit with one; and remember that back in the day, without antibiotics, even a gut-shot could eventually be fatal. When I had my Webley in .38-200 (what they call the .38 S&W), it would hit and ring -- but never knock down -- steel plates at 10 yards that my .38 Specials and Mag reloads knocked down with authority.

Old No7

[765x53]

I have been following this project with great interest. The .38 s&w cartridge like its era peers like the various .32s and .41 colt was/were meant, I suppose, to point-shoot a brigand at very close range.

I like working with the .38 s&w. I run the cases up into a parabellum/luger trim die and shorten with a file for use in 9mm revolvers without the spring clips. Not exactly auto-rim.....that is to say, still headspaces on the mouth but it does give a rim to extract.

Some .357 magnum chambers will accept .38 s&w factory loads but seldom all 6 on one cylinder. Resizing them by gently running up into a .38/.357 sizer sans pin makes them fit every magnum and special chamber I have tried. Starline makes .38 short colts which don't need the extra squeezing as do the s&w cases and make for lesser blast and recoil than conventional loads.

Shown below, s&w cases trimmed by a millimeter and loaded with a 90 gr. .380 acp bullet (center), a 124 gr. .38 super bow!ing pin bullet (right) and a 180 gr. .357 bullet (left).

IMG_20230314_101207598~2.jpg

Do you remember the "9mm Federal" cartridge? I believe only Charter Arms made revolvers for it. My guess is it was simply .38 Short Colt brass hot loaded with a jacketed bullet.