“Updated” Armi Jager Dakota

[jimtx]

Finally have an SA again, I traded into this 357 yesterday but after home I noticed it needs work. The cylinder doesn’t lock up unless cocked fast, there is A LOT of front and back plaY in the cylinder even when cocked. The cylinder gap is huge! Now I’ve worked on many Rugers and some colts over the years but this Italian is different the cylinder bushing is removed easily I suspect it and maybe the cylinder face are worn, I’m guessing here but think the gun is from the 80s only a 5 digit serial #. But the biggest screw is someone welded, yes welded the ERH onto the barrel! The lock yo I believe is a timing issue and the hand or pawl for these guns and spring prolly needs replacing not sure but I think an Uberti would work, if you cock it slow you can see the hand starts to turn cylinder but stops early , you keep cocking hammer with nothing moving and have to hand move the cylinder to engage the cylinder stop or bolt as called in these guns any suggestions or comments on the gun welcome.
Update: I stripped it down , I think it cleans up nice! The bolt notch was .145 however cylinder notches .135-.140, now they all actually fit in the notch instead of bolt lift its whole life marring the cylinder! The hand spring was broke bottom & top so I bent & moulded it back so it functions but needs replaced (not going to be easy find) stoned internals a little and had PC colt 1st gen cylinder bushings that fit perfect took 7 and could have added prolly couple more but a lot less end shake and tights up better still huge cylinder gap but I need replacement barrel maybe different caliber idk yet nit sure how strong the frame is but appears stronger than some early SA clones. Added updated pics:

[nolongcolt]

I just snagged another of these the other day off of GB. Its the adjustable sight model like yours, called the FRONTIER in .45 Colt. They are less common than the fixed sight guns.
Those I have had have been pretty good guns. The other I currently have was very stiff in operation but a pad under the mainspring at the bottom helped that a lot. It shoots pretty well.
I like these guns in general and they seem to always have vibrant case colors.
It will be a few weeks before I have the FRONTIER in hand, but when I have it I will post up.

[jimtx]

Yes sir that sounds great, mine has a featherweight trigger which I’ve heard over years many do, doesn’t bother me though. Your right about the CC usually is on a lot of them mine needs a good cleaning in and out owner never shot it.

[tj3006]

That is wierd, to weld the Ejector rod housing, but might not be a huge problem to fix, heat it up pop it of and smooth it out., but i wonder if the screw is not holding it in place ?...tj

[jimtx]

Sept 20, 2020 17:09:15 GMT -5 tj3006 said:

That is wierd, to weld the Ejector rod housing, but might not be a huge problem to fix, heat it up pop it of and smooth it out., but i wonder if the screw is not holding it in place ?...tj

No sir no screw in there , could have been once upon a previous owner. They stripped it or it wouldn’t stay in under heavy recoil who knows for sure . But the bluing if perfect on the barrel so don’t want to heat it up and sand it off just yet if I can find a short barrel I’ll swap it all out then or if I just cut the barrel down I’ll do it then.

[nolongcolt]

www.gunbroker.com/item/879146489

Not sure if this would work, but worth a look?

[jpglsg]

Sept 20, 2020 11:31:45 GMT -5 jimtx said:

Finally have an SA again, I traded into this 357 yesterday but after home I noticed it needs work. The cylinder doesn’t lock up unless cocked fast, there is A LOT of front and back plaY in the cylinder even when cocked. The cylinder gap is huge! Now I’ve worked on many Rugers and some colts over the years but this Italian is different the cylinder bushing is removed easily I suspect it and maybe the cylinder face are worn, I’m guessing here but think the gun is from the 80s only a 5 digit serial #. But the biggest screw is someone welded, yes welded the ERH onto the barrel! The lock yo I believe is a timing issue and the hand or pawl for these guns and spring prolly needs replacing not sure but I think an Uberti would work, if you cock it slow you can see the hand starts to turn cylinder but stops early , you keep cocking hammer with nothing moving and have to hand move the cylinder to engage the cylinder stop or bolt as called in these guns any suggestions or comments on the gun welcome.







What a handsome revolver to bring back to life !!!

[sackpeterson]

AC is 1977.

Hand is the weakest part of the action with the Jager. It needs a hand. I would get an old style Uberti hand with the spring. Its going to need to be belt sanded down on the left side to fit in the Jager hand channel.

Yeah, with the gap and the weld... I'd rebarrel it. Maybe think in terms of getting a more plentiful Jager fixed sight barrel and putting one of Fermin's sights on it.

Would I be right to guess you got the gun for not very much? It will shoot. At that point its worth finding a barrel for it.

[jimtx]

Well I had to re-address the end Shake. It took all 10 PC .002 cylinder bushing shims and my cylinder GAP is .022”!!!! Holly .......,,,! I think I need a new cylinder bushing but I maybe swapping barrels/
Calibers so I’ll address it then. Now to decide to keep as 357 mag or convert to 32-20 or 38-40.