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February 23, 2012
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Hi everyone, Ive been a member here for almost a year now but this is my first post. Better late than never i suppose. Anyway a little over a year ago my father handed down to me a 15-2 and i instantly fell in love with DW. The gun wasn't shot since the early 90's so after a good check up and cleaning i took it to the range. It functioned perfectly. I went to the range about 5 or 6 more times and again no problems. So today i went to the range and encountered a problem. As i was putting a round into one of the chambers it wouldn't go all the way in. I looked in it and didnt see anything wrong with the cylinder so i tried a different round and it seemed to go in fine. After about 2 rounds the cylinder got stuck, after getting it open i noticed some lead shaving on the barrel. Was disappointed i had to cut the trip short but couldnt stand the thought of damaging my DW. Got it home and gave it a good cleaning and looked it over. My first thought was the cylinder gap, my father could not find the feeler gauge but said he would look again, but it looked pretty tight. The cylinder has no wiggle to it and locks up fine. Could it have been the ammo? I was using the cheap blazer brand that i got for $16 at a gun show. I'v used that brand before bought from a local sporting goods store and had no problems. Sorry about the picture quality (and my dog's nose) i had to use my cell phone, but i took a picture with a light behind to make it easier to see the gap. After looking at the picture with the light behind it maybe the gap is too wide ill have to get a guage to check it. All suggestions will be highly appreciated. Thank you in advance - Mike
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Dans Club
December 4, 2011
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First off 
from the other side of PA!
That gap should be .006 and yours looks very wide. An automotive feeler gage will do nicely for this if you don't have the original.
The tight chamber could be the ammo, or it could be fouling building up in there from shooting, especially if you shoot a lot of 38 specials. A good scrubbing with a brush and solvent won't hurt anything, also do the cyl. face.
Look at you spent cartridges, are the primer strikes in the center of the primer or off center? IF off center, you could be having a timing issue.
Did the problem occur in single action or double action or both?
Thats all I can think of off hand, I'm sure others will have more to add.
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
February 23, 2012
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Thanks for the quick response Scorpio, mostly I'v been shooting 357 but on one trip to the range my father had a mixed box of 38s that shot very, very dirty. But I always clean my guns soon as i get back from the range. I scrubbed the cylinder face after todays trip. After reading your suggestion i remember noticing the primer strikes were off center and thinking to my self if thats normal. I mostly shoot single action but cant remember if it was happening SA or DA. And as you said im sure others will have more to add, this was the first place i thought to come for an answer.
February 21, 2011
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If you were shooting a mix 'n match of .38 Spl & .357 you might have a build up of carbon atr the point where the .38 case ends. That would jam up a longer .357 case. Was there about 1/8" left when the jam happened? if so I'm voting for that as the cause.
Taking a brand new .357 brush, chucking it in a power drill & using that at low speed with solvent will remove the ring quickly without damage.
The gap looks way too wide, but it's really in need of measuring to tell for sure. The gauges from an auto parts store will work fine as has been said.
Matthew Quigley on handguns:
“I said I never had much use for one. Never said
I didn't know how to use it.”
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Dans Club
February 9, 2009
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I would say at first glance as well that the gap is too wide. I would suggest if the face of your cylinder allows for it to you could close that gap down to .003 or even .002. Or anything under the .006 that works for your revolver. That should make a large improvement.
A man cannot have too many SuperMags
February 23, 2012
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Thanks all for your thoughts. Im going to pick up a guage from the auto parts store and check out the gap. I can see a build up in the cylinder and there was about a 1/8 in out when the jam happened. I will take care of that this weekend. But what has me worried now is what Scorpio said earlier about the primer strikes not being centered. How can i check that without really shooting a round? And what would cause that and how would I fix It?
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December 4, 2011
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Post some pics of the off center primers so we can see how bad the condition is.
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
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Almost certainly:
1) Gap too wide
2) Carbon buildup from .38 Spl-this can be pretty tedious to clean by hand alone, the low speed power drill technique worked for me
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
May 23, 2012
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Clean it and buy a gauge like the others said. It's very crucial that you have it! Also I suggest looking for a online guide for it that way you have a nice owners manual to look st. 
What's surprising is that back in the day many people did not know what the gauge was for and often complained that they were cheap guns that would break in a short time after purchase because of that (uncle and some friends have their stories). But I hope she gets a nice tune up and the best of luck with you!
February 2, 2009
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Some DW's strike the primer slightly high; just above center, and some even strike slightly low, both conditions are within acceptable limits. Look at the cases in the cylinder after firing and see if they are verticle to center or to the Lt or Rt of center of the primer, to the side is timing problem, up or down is normal. Set the gap 1st, and as stated even .004 or .003 just for added insurance, the most common problem of lead spitting is too large a gap, usually timing will allow side to side play that's noticeable befor significant spitting occurs.
February 23, 2012
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Unfortunatly i didnt keep any of the spent rounds but if i remember correctly i think the primer strikes were slightly high. Also after work today i bought a feeler guage from the auto parts store so ill get to work on the gap tommorow. Ill keep you guys posted. I cant express how much i appreciate all your help.
February 11, 2010
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Normal strike
Normal acceptable stike
Not so good 
-Blacktop
February 21, 2011
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A bit off center seems the norm, heres a bunch of my fired rounds.
BTW if the gap is too wide on mine I get spitting, so fixing your gap may cure the fragmentation you mentioned as well. When you do set the gap check more than one chamber & set the 6 thou to the loosest one, you want the maximum to be 6 thou, not the minimum, that made a huge diffference with my 15-2.
Matthew Quigley on handguns:
“I said I never had much use for one. Never said
I didn't know how to use it.”
February 23, 2012
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okay looking at all the pictures of the primer strikes thats what mine looked like so thats not a problem. Second i just checked the cylinder gap and it is at .006 i guess the light i put behind the gun made the gap look wider than it was. But I just noticed as i was looking the gun over when i pull back the hammer the cylinder will not lock fully lock into place. if i pull the trigger the cylinder will fully lock in place but i cant tell if the gun is firing before its in place. I also noticed if i pull the hammer back quickly it fully locks in place, but at normal or slow speed it will not lock in. I will try to post some more pictures but again i have to use my phone
Dans Club
DWF Supporters
April 20, 2010
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Hmmm have you changed grips or had the grip off lately? Make sure the grip screw isnt in too far, that can impede the travel of the mainspring and therefore hammer. That is a good easy thing to check. Grip screw doesn't need to be in more than about 6 turns.
Have you done the 'Average Joe' cleaning inside? Check out the thread under the Gunsmithing forum. Maybe something is gummed up or dirty inside. Even if you don't tear your pistol apart, the thread is great for gaining an understanding of the inner workings.
We'll keep at it, I am sure that if your pistol worked fine several outings before, nothing is wrong now that we all cant figure out.
-Lonwolf
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
February 23, 2012
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I had the grip off today but that was after the problem started and it probably was the first time it was ever off. I did read though the 'Average Joe' cleaning thread earlier today and I think i will do that. I dont know what the part is called but i noticed that the part that comes out and turns the cylinder doesnt stay in contact long enough to fully turn it. the part goes up far enough it just loses contact. the cylinder stops a little less than 1/16" from fully locking. Hopefully like Lonwolf said its just gummed up. The gun sat for about 20 years maybe being shot once or twice over that time and now has had 4 or 5 hundred rounds put through within the last couple months. I will open it up and take a look at the internals and see if i can figure something out. And also i will try to find a way to take better pictures, I cant get a clear enough picture with my cell phone.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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mister callan said
BTW if the gap is too wide on mine I get spitting, so fixing your gap may cure the fragmentation you mentioned as well. When you do set the gap check more than one chamber & set the 6 thou to the loosest one, you want the maximum to be 6 thou, not the minimum, that made a huge diffference with my 15-2.
I take a slightly different approach on setting the gap. I'm pretty OK with gapping at .002 in a clean gun, but I gap at .002 on the tightest chamber. When I do this, I rarely end up with any chamber at more than .004. Works well if cylinder face is clean and I'm not into a real heavy duty shooting session with a lot of continuous rapid fire, so things don't heat up and the cylinder face get's crapped up and the heat expands the pieces, resulting in cylinder binding.
I never shoot revolver this way, but I'm a BIG "Mad Minute" fan with highcap auto's when I can get away with it.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
February 11, 2010
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bigmidge said
I dont know what the part is called but i noticed that the part that comes out and turns the cylinder doesnt stay in contact long enough to fully turn it.
That's called the hand and it sounds like a weak hand spring. You can get
one from EWK Arms :http://www.ewkarms.com/index.htm I'm almost
positive this would be the problem since you said " doesnt stay in contact"
that would mean it is falling back in frame on it's upward travel and makes
me think the hand spring is weak.
This is what you want: http://www.ewkarms.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12&products_id=20
-Blacktop
February 23, 2012
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Thank you Blacktop thats exactly what i was looking for. I saw that spring online when i was looking into the 'Average Joe' cleaning but i didnt know what it was for. I will order that and probably the trigger return and hammer springs and replace all three while im in there. Ill keep you guys posted on my progress and i will keep working on getting a camera to post better pictures.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Sounds like you are on the right track.
It cannot be said often enough:
These are older guns that have frequently been unfired and not maintained in MANY years. Even if you don't do the AJT tuning and fitting, cleaning and spring replacement is the easiest, best way to get your Dan Wesson revolver back up to speed.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
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