jeffh
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,744
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Post by jeffh on May 25, 2023 17:06:51 GMT -5
I was wondering where you were! I think they got closer with the "professional," but those "light-bright" front sights were a bit of a miss, but at least easily removed. I like your front sight. I ended up going the long route and cutting what amounts to a woodruff key-slot and attached one of Fermin's tenoned sights, via pin. I should have addressed the rib issue before doing that, because I never want to have to do that again. I don't have a mill, so it wasn't easy. That gun really deserves a nicer set of grips than those. Not to guilt you, but you've done the hard stuff already. What's a little file and sandpaper work on a chunk of wood?  |
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Post by bigbore5 on May 25, 2023 17:15:36 GMT -5
I'm not going to lower the rib. I'm going to raise the frame to match. Probably checker the top strap and rib too.
I've got a S&W rear sight already. Some Zebra wood, too.
I'll also look at how the cylinder is mounted since some members have expressed concerns. Maybe I can do something there. Might can add some spring detents to help lock up.
Since I have never had one, I really don't know what it's going to need. But if I muck it up, at least I won't be out the price of a Ruger or Smith.
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Post by needsmostuff on May 25, 2023 17:30:56 GMT -5
Might can add some spring detents to help lock up. The front of the ejector rod has a spring loaded tapered collar that pulls back into a tapered hole in the front of the frame. Actually pretty good lockup . I suppose one could deepen the hole it locks into if more strength was wanted. |
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Post by needsmostuff on May 25, 2023 17:44:00 GMT -5
I was wondering where you were! That gun really deserves a nicer set of grips than those. Not to guilt you, but you've done the hard stuff already. What's a little file and sandpaper work on a chunk of wood? Yeah, say the words "modified Charter Arms " and here I am.  I am a grip makin fool but in this case I'm pretty OK with the factory rubbers. They fit the utility, no frills nature of the gun . I did try to get a square butt gripframe from the mothership but they claim "no longer in inventory". And I do have a couple of sets of the Professional grips but I am just not fond of them. For me , they point the gun funny. So far the rubbers are the best compromise for me. The other one wears the factory wood "targets" which are also OK. and the little Undercoverette wears bone.  |
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jeffh
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,744
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Post by jeffh on May 25, 2023 17:56:33 GMT -5
I'm not going to lower the rib. I'm going to raise the frame to match. Probably checker the top strap and rib too. I've got a S&W rear sight already. Some Zebra wood, too. I'll also look at how the cylinder is mounted since some members have expressed concerns. Maybe I can do something there. Might can add some spring detents to help lock up. Since I have never had one, I really don't know what it's going to need. But if I muck it up, at least I won't be out the price of a Ruger or Smith.
Lock-up is not an issue with these guns, in fact, i think it's t he best design going. As neednostuff mentioned, there is a spring-loaded collar in front of the crane, which snaps rearward, into the cylinder-frame. This means that the cylinder rotates on the ejector rod, which is itself supported at both ends of the cylinder-frame - not all the way out front of the ejector rod. Minor eccentricities of the ejector rod are not exacerbated as they are on other guns. Its sort of like a five main-bearing engine block v. a four main-bearing block - less distance between the supporting points.
The concerns are how the cylinder is kept from falling off the crane axle, backwards, as cases are ejected. Most commonly, a cylinder-frame-mounted stud keeps this in check. It is simple and efficient and the cylinder only bears against it when open, having nothing to do with how everything lines up when a round is fired.
The new means of retaining the cylinder on the crane axle is a split, circular spring clip in a groove at the back of the axle with a corresponding annular groove inside the crane bore. Once the crane/cylinder is removed from the frame, a quick, sharp rap on the front of the cylinder releases it from the axle.
The potential issue is that you can do this with the gun completely assembled - knock the cylinder loose from the crane axle, thus putting the gun out of commission.
My concern is of fumbling - dropping the gun during a critical reload. The cylinder can be knocked backwards, preventing closing the cylinder. I know, don't drop the gun, right? Well, THE single most important lesson I've learned in life is that Murphy's Law prevails. HAS it happened? I don't know. CAN it happen? It sure as hell can.
As I hung upside down, hapless, helpless, in camo netting over a gamma-goat, by the speed-lace lugs on my Herman Survivors one day, just waiting for "Opposing Forces" goons (bored SF guys on that outing) to capture me, take my weapon and clothing and put me in a wooden cage for the duration of the training operation, after which I'd have faced "non-judicial punishment," I decided that all those little things which could possibly go wrong, definitely CAN go wrong. Actually - WILL go wrong.
So no, I'm not a fan of the "new way" and intend to add the frame-mounted stud back onto MY Charter revolver by way of an appropriately-sized, stainless cap screw, dressed to hide its genetic heritage - drill/tap a hole, set the screw, mark it and file/grind the head to do what it's supposed to do.
If you own a current CA revolver, without the cylinder-frame-mounted stud, unload it, slip a spent gift card between the cylinder frame and cylinder (while open) and give the front of the cylinder a smart, light rap with a small brass hammer (or large brass drift) and you will see what I mean.
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jeffh
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,744
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Post by jeffh on May 25, 2023 18:08:18 GMT -5
The Professional grip is weird. I don't know who came up with it, but it's at least a good source of raw material, saving a slight bit of fitting. I bought a set of "seconds" from somewhere and started paring. NOW, they fit a human hand. The stock rubber grips in 357 or 44 Special are not comfortable to shoot at all. I can see it working on the 32 Mag, which is a little darling, but I'm trying not to add more guns to my battery. You're not helping, by the way. Where did you find knurled ejector rod buttons? My Mag Pug isn't even threaded for one! Oh, and the grips on that snub look amazing.
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Post by bigbore5 on May 25, 2023 18:28:26 GMT -5
Well if I'm going to weld up and re-contour the top strap, I guess adding a cylinder stop would be no big deal.
Welded and machined all kinds of very expensive precision parts before. Just not a gun.
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jeffh
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,744
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Post by jeffh on May 25, 2023 18:49:17 GMT -5
Well if I'm going to weld up and re-contour the top strap, I guess adding a cylinder stop would be no big deal. Welded and machined all kinds of very expensive precision parts before. Just not a gun. I think most of the cylinder-frame-mounted studs are staked in - no welding required. Typically, it's a round hole in the frame with a round stud inserted and staked from the inside of the frame. It looks like some of the newer Smiths have a lug or boss cast into the frame and machined/finished to serve the same purpose.
For me, not being a metal-worker, drilling and tapping a hole will be the easiest and most secure.
I'm sure this will be no sweat for you and you may even come up with a better way.
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Post by bigbore5 on May 25, 2023 18:51:30 GMT -5
I've had simple "drill and tap" jobs be bigger nightmares than the precision ones!
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jeffh
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,744
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Post by jeffh on May 25, 2023 19:29:15 GMT -5
I've had simple "drill and tap" jobs be bigger nightmares than the precision ones!
I promise you that there is no possible way that it could be worse than if I started welding.  |
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Post by bigbore5 on May 25, 2023 20:42:59 GMT -5
It was pretty bad when I started 40 years ago too.
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