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April 25, 2016
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Recently picked up a DW 40V8 and fired some cast bullet loads today. Cylinder wanted to counter rotate and several times did not want to rotate to next chamber. Would have to open cylinder then close on last fired chamber before it would rotate to next live round. This gun was pretty dirty when I got it so I tore it down and gave it a thorough cleaning. Could not get the ejector rod to unscrew but soaked the cylinder overnight to get it clean. I'm thinking I need a new bolt spring. Got gun from ex-silhouette shooter. Gun has been in his safe for several years but has seen lots of steel shooting prior to that. Probably wouldn't hurt to get some new springs for it. Went through the whole forum looking for tips about counter rotating cylinders on big Dans but didn't find much. I used to own a 41 then later a 44 DW years ago and didn't have any rotation problems with them. Any advice would be appreciated.
UPDATE 5-30-16
I bought a large frame spring kit from CZ and installed a new bolt spring and hand spring. Went out and test fired my Dan lying down in Creedmor position and still got the counter rotating problem plus I noticed the barrel/cylinder gap had closed up some and every fourth or fifth shot I would have to help the cylinder rotate to the next chamber. I emailed a IHMSA shooter here in OH who has shot big Dans for many years and he looked at my Dan at our local IHMSA match this past Saturday. He said the gun was working correctly and asked me to demonstrate how I was shooting the gun. Come to find out I was pulling the trigger very softly and was not contacting the overtravel screw at the end of my trigger pull so the hand was not staying in contact with the star on the extractor and keeping the cylinder completely locked when the gun fired. Since I was shooting laying down I had a Kevlar blast shield on the side of my leg and the recoil of the gun would then let the cylinder counter rotate as the gun recoiled upward against the blast shield. So end of story is I need to make sure I complete pulling the trigger by fully contacting the overtravel screw and that should keep the cylinder fully locked during recoil. Chalk this up to operator error!!!! Also got some good advice on securing the barrel nut so the barrel would not rotate and close the cylinder gap. Was told to put barrel shroud in freezer overnight before installing on gun. Make sure all threads are totally clean and not use any locking compound. Just install barrel as usual and then when barrel shroud reaches room temperature it will expand and hold barrel tight. To remove the barrel you must put whole gun in freezer for about two days then take it out and either pour boiling water down barrel or take a propane torch and play flame down barrel for 15 or 20 seconds to get barrel to expand and then barrel nut can be removed. Always good to learn new things. Anyway I will be trying my Dan at our next IHMSA match and learn how to fully pull the trigger. Just wanted everyone to know this was an operator issue and not a Dan issue.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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January 24, 2009
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Does this happen in both DA and SA action? And, if I'm reading you correctly, you gave your gun a good scrubbing & you still have the same issue upon reassembly?
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Dans Club
February 22, 2009
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Probably the spring, if the bolt seems to lock the cylinder otherwise and the trigger is returning completely.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
DWF Supporters
April 9, 2015
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Is the counter rotation happening when you have ALL 6 cylinders loaded? I have had this problem when I only have two or three cylinders loaded and I am shooting double action with a SLOW trigger pull. The 357 Max rounds are heavy and with only a few loaded this weighs down the left side of the cylinder causing it to counter rotate for me. When I load all six, I don't have the problem as the weight is more evenly distributed, I don't have the problem if I work the trigger with a quick pull or go single action quick on the hammer. When I go quick the hand engaging the star creates enough momentum to push the cylinder into the bolt and lock up the gun nice and tight.
I will check out my 40 and see what else I can figure out. Now you have me curious.
If the gun gets locked up and then unlocks counter rotating then my guess would be the bolt spring.
I would also think that counter rotation could be a worn out hand or cylinder star, because the hand is not staying engaged with the star long enough to push the cylinder up and lock with the cylinder bolt.
Does the counter rotation happen on every cylinder or only on a specific one or two?
If it happens on every cylinder then probably the hand is worn.
If it happens on only one or two and it is always the same one or two then it is probably the star that is worn.
Interesting issue and thanks for getting me thinking. One more excuse to get out the 40 and send some lead down range.
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one of the best parts of my education – *make* them hunters.”
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February 20, 2008
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Dans Club
December 4, 2011
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I've never seen any of mine do this, in fact this is the first I've heard of it. I don't even see how its possible. Somebody please explain.
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April 25, 2016
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I have ordered a new large frame spring kit from CZ and will replace the bolt spring and probably hand spring. I was being very slow to pull the trigger and suspect the hand may not have been fully engaged. When I made a conscious effort to pull the trigger all the way I don't think I got the rotation. Several times while trying to cock the revolver I would have to open the cylinder and close it before the cylinder would rotate so suspect I wasn't following through far enough with the trigger. Was always shooting single action since that is the way I would be shooting in a silhouette match. I didn't mention it but I did fully disassemble the gun except for removing the extractor rod. I couldn't get that to unscrew but I did soak it over night to fully remove all the gunk. I'm hoping the new springs from CZ will do the trick. Have ordered a new mold block from Accurate Molds since I am just about out of the 200 grain cast bullets that seem to shoot well. Thanks again for the advice.
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