Should I fix it, or live with it

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    natsb

    natsb

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 18, 2013
    1,281
    southern MD
    I have a Iver Johnson Cadet with a peened hammer. I love this gun. It is one of the few 8 shot revolvers I have ever seen. And it had only one previous owner, my father. I know it is not worth much, but it means a lot to me.

    So here is my dilemma. The gun was stolen from my fathers house, Eight months had gone by before the Sheriff called to say it had been found and returned it. Apparently, whoever had it did a lot of dry firing. The tip of the hammer is peened or mushroomed, whichever is the right term.

    The gun still works, but the condition of the hammer just bothers me. Is this something that can be fixed without replacing the hammer? I want to keep all the original parts intact. Or is this something I just have to learn to live with, and let it go?


     
    clandestine

    clandestine

    AR-15 Savant
    Oct 13, 2008
    37,032
    Elkton, MD
    That gun is out of time too from the strikes on the Cylinder. If your worried about it then its going to cost a bit to get it right. Otherwise leave it be and be careful that the gun is locked into time when firing.
     
    natsb

    natsb

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 18, 2013
    1,281
    southern MD
    clandestine said:
    That gun is out of time too from the strikes on the Cylinder. If your worried about it then its going to cost a bit to get it right. Otherwise leave it be and be careful that the gun is locked into time when firing.
    Click to expand...

    Well that's interesting. I have had an out of time revolver before and the hammer marks were consistent, not all over the place. I just assumed the random marks were due to the thief's mishandling. The other gun was a center fire, and I am no expert, so I guess it is one more thing to mention to the gunsmith.
     
    D

    drkeg

    Member
    Jan 14, 2011
    77
    Catonsville
    I figured from the peening that your cylinder must be taking a beating too. I don't know about your specific model of revolver, but in my experience that meant something else was wrong. As Chad says, it's out of time and the hammer is dropping when the cylinder isn't locked up. Better have someone look at it.

    ETA - Maybe the cylinder stop isn't engaging.
     
    clandestine

    clandestine

    AR-15 Savant
    Oct 13, 2008
    37,032
    Elkton, MD
    I would have to handle it to know for certain but it appears that the Hammer Nose is striking in places it shouldn't. That generally means the timing is off. If could be tooling marks on the cylinder face from an object like a screwdriver or something too.

    If the Smith says it needs a new cylinder it will have to be timed tot he gun, its NOT a drop in replacement. If it needs a new hammer and cylinder it may be cheaper to buy a similar gun that's in time, and remove the guts and swap it into this frame negating the need for a Smith or retiming in most cases.
     
    smdub

    smdub

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 14, 2012
    4,661
    MoCo
    Do NOT file it. That removes material. Since it appears its not overly hardened as it peened from strikes from the front, it can be hammered on from the sides along w a small anvil/bucking bar and returned to orig shape and length.

    The timing issue: can you drop the hammer when the cylinder isn't fully closed? Or close it but between locks and still fire it? You can put the hammer down between rounds on a lot of revolvers to carry safely and some careless goon could have just been flipping the cyl shut and pulling the trigger or flicking the hammer w/o giving it a little turn to lock it first.
     
    Doctor_M

    Doctor_M

    Certified Mad Scientist
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 28, 2013
    24,089
    The People's Republic of Maryland (Carroll County)
    I'm a sucker for old guns.... and even more so for one that has a family history. I've been known to spend triple a gun's value to get it back into shape, but that's me... I just can't stand to see a broken gun.... makes me sad.

    Good luck with your dad's revolver. Hope that the POS that took it gets some payback.
     
    natsb

    natsb

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 18, 2013
    1,281
    southern MD
    smdub said:
    Do NOT file it. That removes material. Since it appears its not overly hardened as it peened from strikes from the front, it can be hammered on from the sides along w a small anvil/bucking bar and returned to orig shape and length.

    The timing issue: can you drop the hammer when the cylinder isn't fully closed? Or close it but between locks and still fire it? You can put the hammer down between rounds on a lot of revolvers to carry safely and some careless goon could have just been flipping the cyl shut and pulling the trigger or flicking the hammer w/o giving it a little turn to lock it first.
    Click to expand...


    The hammer will only drop with the cylinder locked once it has been cocked all the way back. If I pull the hammer back halfway with my thumb, I can release it between rounds as long as I don't pull it all the way back. Once I pull the big trigger, even a little, gears engage and I can no longer move the cylinder manually.

    Given the randomness of the hammer marks on the cylinder, I am inclined to believe your analysis about the goon. I'll still have the gunsmith look into it.
     
    j_h_smith

    j_h_smith

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 28, 2007
    28,516
    You don't mention shooting this revolver, so this would be the first question I'd ask. Secondly, if you do shoot it, do you want to continue to shoot it? Third and final question why don't you just put up the revolver for Dad's sake and keep it for your kids and their kids and so forth?

    Take Care of Dad's Revolver Either Way You Go,
    Jim Smith
     
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