Register
Log In
Home
January 10, 2013
Offline
I recently bought a 445 Alaskan Supermag on Gunbroker. The gun looked new and the seller stated it as being only shot a few times. The seller has great ratings so I bought the gun. When it arrived it looked and felt brand new I was very happy with my purchase.
Upon further inspection I found the gun will not operate in double action mode. Looking even closer it appears the hand that comes out to rotate the cylinder does not even contact the extractor on the cylinder where it engages to rotate. In fact it doesn't look like it ever has.
Has anyone else had timing issues such as this?
Supporter
Range Officer
Moderators
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
December 4, 2011
Offline
First, welcome to the forum from PA! Sorry to hear about your problem, I watched that gun myself. When you cock the hammer does the cylinder rotate? If it does, then the hand must be engaging the star. When you pull the trigger for double action, does the cylinder rotate? Remove the grip scew and reinstall it just enough to keep the grips on and try it again. An over tight grip screw can interfere with the main spring and cause cocking issues and light strikes in double action.
Also, is there a gap between the cylinder face and the barrel? There should be at LEAST .002" better to have .006" on the tightest chamber. Use an automotive feeler gage if you don't have the Dan Wesson supplied gap gage. If its too tight, you could have some binding taking place. You will need an appripriate barrel wrench to loosen and remove the shroud and and unscrew the barrel to set the proper gap. On the right of the screen is an ad for EWK, he makes the best wrenches for our guns, if you don't have one, get one.
Let us know what happens.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
January 10, 2013
Offline
The cylinder will not rotate when you try double action or when you pull the hammer back. I haven't checked the gap with a feeler gauge but I can see daylight between the cylinder face and the barrel. The hand does not engage the star. It goes up to it but falls short of reaching it almost like the hand is too short or the star is not thick enough. If you drop the cylinder out the gun operates perfectly in double action and the hammer can be pulled back with no issues. Put the cylinder in place and everything goes to pot.
I will try the grip screw, check the gap (just to make sure) and come back to the forum to let you know. I did not have a barrel wrench but have one ordered from EWK and on it way.
Thanks for the input!
Supporter
Range Officer
Moderators
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
December 4, 2011
Offline
Not sure I followed you on that. Are you saying you can't cock the gun with the cylinder closed? Or are you saying I cocks but won't rotate the cylinder?
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
January 10, 2013
Offline
With cylinder closed gun will not cock. Hammer will pull back about 1/3 of the way then lock up.
With cylinder open gun will cock and operate in double action.
February 11, 2010
Offline
Sounds like the barrel gap is too tight, even if you see some light it may still be
dragging. Wait till you get the wrench before you do anything else.
Just a thought, you said it had not been shot much but is the cylinder face possibly
powder fouled ?
-Blacktop
Supporter
Moderators
Dans Club
February 22, 2009
Offline
If you can see the barrel gap, certain there is no binding and further certain the hand is not rotating the cylinder- then send it to Keith at DW.
I was afraid this might be a "Franken" AGS and therefore the cylinder may not be fitted. Keith should be able to correct the issue though. He's your best shot if you believe there is no issue with gap and grip tension.
Double check everything previously mentioned.
We're here to help,
Ron
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
January 10, 2013
Offline
Curious, what is a "Franken" AGS?
Thanks
DLM
February 11, 2010
Offline
Frankenstein, put together, not original parts,
You said: " Hammer will pull back about 1/3 of the way then lock up."
I had a simular problem like your describing and I could see faint light in the gap.
The barrel wrench is on it's way, just wait and then loosen and reset at .006
and see if that fixes the problem. If not you will have to go from there.
-Blacktop
January 10, 2013
Offline
Ok, I picked up the gun (5 day wait in this state) and the gap is good and the grip screw in the bottom of the grip is not too tight.
I posted a video on YouTube as to what this thing is doing. You can clearly see the double action locks sometimes when the cylinder is in and works correctly when the cylinder is out. Sometimes, as you can see, the cylinder tries to rotate.
Paste this in your browser
Thanks
DLM
Dans Club
DWF Supporters
April 20, 2010
Offline
Hmmm. If you are positive the cylinder is not dragging or binding anywhere, against barrel etc, can you see if the bolt or cylinder lock is dropping away from the cylinder when you cock the hammer? It engages the cylinder and should release when you cock the hammer to allow the cylinder to rotate. I cant tell in the video if it moves or not. Could it be stuck or something?
In the meantime if you havent already I would contact the seller and try to get honest info out of him as to whether the pistol ever had work done to it or if he had any problems with it. A low mileage Dan Wesson in mint condition should come ready to shoot with no issues. I find it hard to believe he could advertise and sell a high end pistol like yours and not notice this issue.
-Lonwolf
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
October 26, 2008
Offline
Couple questions
With the cylinder open, look at the window where the hand is when you cock the gun, does the hand actually come out of that window?
Cylinder still open and action cocked, Does the transfer bar flop around or is it under tension?
Now decock the action and tip the gun down, cock the action, if it's what I think it is the transfer bar will get caught on the firing pin lift it up slightly/gently while cocking (pocket screwdriver works good) and cock the action the rest of the way. How does lockup feel if it carried the cylinder up?
BTW Nice looking AGS. I do believe though that you have a Ruger rear sight on it so someone's done something to it at some point.
January 10, 2013
Offline
Thanks for the ideas. The hand does come out and try to engage the star wheel but just doesn't catch it.
The transfer bar is snug and does not flop around. I did as you said and the transfer bar does not hang on the firing pin.
October 26, 2008
Offline
My original thought was that the spring that tensions the hand was broke or out of place. Apparently it isn't. I would say that the front of the hand needs to be"let out" more, the front portion of the hand has extra material that isn't allowing it to come out early enough to engage the ratchet to rotate the cylinder. Any decent gunsmith should be able to fix it (DW is still probably the best option if they are taking orders right now due to the fire) but it's kinda BS to pay what you more than likely did for an AGS and not have it work, I'd contact the GB seller to see if he will pay for it's visit to DW if you can. Just my .02.
January 10, 2013
Offline
Again thank you. when I really look at it, you are right, it just doesn't seem to me the hand is reaching our far enough to catch the star wheel.
The guy I bought it from has been super to work with. He is offering to pay all shipping charges and all charges that DW will charge.
February 11, 2010
Offline
DLM said
Again thank you. when I really look at it, you are right, it just doesn't seem to me the hand is reaching our far enough to catch the star wheel.The guy I bought it from has been super to work with. He is offering to pay all shipping charges and all charges that DW will charge.
That's great he is taking care of you, I would swear from the looks of the video
your barrel gap is dragging but if you say it's right then it must be something internal.
I would do one more check, I would gap it three times wider than normal and see
if that helped. If your sending to DW lets us know what you find out.
-Blacktop
1 Guest(s)
