Colt Police Positive Cylinder Binding

[35 Whelen]

I have an old Colt Police Positive whose cylinder occasionally binds. It appears when cocking the hammer, the cylinder is pushed up against the forcing cone causing it to bind. Any ideas? Is there a bushing or something in the cylinder that might be worn?

Thanks for any help?
35W

[leftiye]

If it is contacting the rear of the barrel, a shim at the front of the cyl on the crane might solve it.

[starnbar]

Sounds like you have a little play in the crane assy, its not a hard fix but if you don't how to check it and rebush the cylinder pin a competent smith can take care of that easy.

[John Taylor]

Try pulling back on the crane while cocking. If it works then the problem is in the crane or retaining pin. If not then the problem is ware on the cylinder or crane at the front of the cylinder. Also check the nut on the ejector rod, had one come in a while back that was locking up do to a loose nut.

[35 Whelen]

I can cock the revolver, hold pressure back on the crane and there's little end play in the cylinder, so I'm assuming the little bit of slop is in the crane. Also, when I hold rearward pressure on the crane, the cylinder doesn't bind when I cock the hammer. So is there a way to tighten this?

Thanks,
35W

[35 Whelen]

I checked the revolver again more closely and while there is a very small amount of horizontal play in the crane, most of it is endshake in the cylinder. I found a company that makes shims for the Colt revolvers and think I'll order a set. Is there much to removing the cylinder?
Thanks for all the help!

[smkummer]

The pre-war Colt can be shimmed, the post war crane changed and cannot be shimmed, it has to be stretched and that is a special tool. Endshake is within specs. if it is .000 to .003 movement. You also have headspace and barrel/cylinder gap (.003-.008). I would suggest the Colt double action shop manual volume 1 by Kuhanason (sp). A special tool was made to take the ejector (star) off. Some including myself have made a 6 point socket work. The ejector than has to be restaked into position. Good luck.

[35 Whelen]

It is a Pre-War model (1924), so I should be in good shape. As soon as I receive the shims and figure out how to remove the cylinder, I'll do the job and report back here.

35W

[MtGun44]

See if you can find my old post on shimming a Colt Police Postive, here somewhere. I could
not find shims so made them from feeler gage stock. Worked out fine.

Here it is:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?131311-End-Shake-in-Colt-Police-Positive

Bill

[35 Whelen]

Thanks for the link. Interesting stuff!! Doesn't the extractor/ejector "star" just thread off of a Colt Police Positive?

FYI, I found shims here: http://triggershims.com/cylinder_shims.html

I ordered a set of 2 ea. .002" for $5 shipped. If they don't work or I need thicker, I just return them with a SASE and they send the size I need, no charge.

Thanks again,
35W

[MtGun44]

Yes, with a 7/16" wrench - AFTER you lift it up a bit, but not all the way.
Thanks for the link on the shims, I didn't find that source in a lot of searching,
either I just missed it, or they weren't doing them for Colts then.



Bill

[35 Whelen]

I installed one of the .002" and it seems to have cured the problem!

35W

[MtGun44]

Excellent! Not surprised, the end shake on these can drift out pretty
easily. Now - have you cocked the hammer SUPER SLOWLY and checked
to see if the cyl bolt will drop for each cylinder when done slowly? Hands
get short on these pretty easily, too, and this is a test for a short hand.

If short, stretching isn't too hard. PM me if you need to stretch the hand.

Bill