J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 I bought a New Service revolver from a fellow member. .38-40 71/2 barrel, just my style. Upon receipt it is a pretty gun for being nearly 100 years old with signs of aging but no signs of abuse. However, the trigger pull was horrendous with stacking before it broke that made the gun very hard to shoot. No problem, I can afford to have a smith take it in and do an action job . . . so I search and find a fellow Frank Glenn out of Arizona and we discuss it by email. He suggests I put a python spring in it and see how that does before anything else. So I order a Python spring. Install it and the trigger doesn't return properly, but it seems to work great otherwise. Remove the spring, bend the lower leg downward to put pressure on the bar that returns the trigger (and acts as the hand spring) clean the varnish out of the action and reassemble. I got the trigger out of its connection with the hammer block initially, and had to figure out what was going on, but it only took a moment to get it all back in place. (Note, don't test the action after changing springs until the side plate is reattached.) I didn't smooth anything other than one side of the hand that was given a few strokes on a diamond hone, but the results are incredible. Pops primers without any issue, but yet has no stacking, a nice clean breaking trigger and a light and smooth double action. Timing is perfect on all 6 chambers. Colt knew how to make guns back then. The New Service action is like nothing I have ever worked on before-1 spring does 4 separate jobs. I really want to thank Frank Glenn for giving me advice instead of just taking my money. He is a class act.
Utah Bob #35998 Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 1 hour ago, J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE said: (Note, don't test the action after changing springs until the side plate is reattached.) Been there!
Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 J. Mark, thanks for the report. I have a local fellow who is my FFL contact and he can do minor gunsmithing jobs. But I don't have the name a major gunsmith. I'll keep Frank Glenn in mind. You didn't post any pictures of your New Service revolver. We want to see pictures! It's not real to us until you post pictures! WE WANT PICTURES OF YOUR REVOLVER---NOW!!! Can I get an AMEN from the rest of the Saloon? J. Mark, here's a S&W revolver I got from Papa Dave a few years ago. See I can post pictures! S&W 4th Model "Pocket Gun" in .32 S&W
Alpo Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 Hey Birdgun. That's lots purtier than my DA32. Wanna trade?
Michigan Slim Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 17 minutes ago, Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 said: J. Mark, thanks for the report. I have a local fellow who is my FFL contact and he can do minor gunsmithing jobs. But I don't have the name a major gunsmith. I'll keep Frank Glenn in mind. You didn't post any pictures of your New Service revolver. We want to see pictures! It's not real to us until you post pictures! WE WANT PICTURES OF YOUR REVOLVER---NOW!!! Can I get an AMEN from the rest of the Saloon? J. Mark, here's a S&W revolver I got from Papa Dave a few years ago. See I can post pictures! S&W 4th Model "Pocket Gun" in .32 S&W AMEN!
Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 Oh, Good Grief, Alpo. No. I don't think I'll trade. But, Papa Dave told me my DA32 had been refinished. Can you tell??? .
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 2 hours ago, J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE said: (Note, don't test the action after changing springs until the side plate is reattached.) …………….. why ?
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 ……………..………………………………………. ( someone had to ask …. )
LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 16 minutes ago, Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 said: ……………..………………………………………. ( someone had to ask …. )
Utah Bob #35998 Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 1 hour ago, Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 said: Oh, Good Grief, Alpo. No. I don't think I'll trade. But, Papa Dave told me my DA32 had been refinished. Can you tell??? . Yeah it looks better than it did right out of the factory. Beautiful.
Shotgun Clay Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 2 hours ago, Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 said: Oh, Good Grief, Alpo. No. I don't think I'll trade. But, Papa Dave told me my DA32 had been refinished. Can you tell??? . There looks to be a little bit of "dishing" around the screw heads. So it might be. If Smith & Wesson did the work there should be a star stamped on the grip frame near the serial number. Anyway here is a New Service of mine, .45 Colt with factor ivories. It's a huge gun.
Alpo Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 3 hours ago, Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 said: Can you tell??? I suspected. Trigger, guard and hammer should be color casehardened, not blued.
Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 Posted January 16, 2019 Posted January 16, 2019 3 hours ago, Birdgun Quail, SASS #63663 said: J. Mark, thanks for the report. I have a local fellow who is my FFL contact and he can do minor gunsmithing jobs. But I don't have the name a major gunsmith. I'll keep Frank Glenn in mind. You didn't post any pictures of your New Service revolver. We want to see pictures! It's not real to us until you post pictures! WE WANT PICTURES OF YOUR REVOLVER---NOW!!! Can I get an AMEN from the rest of the Saloon? J. Mark, here's a S&W revolver I got from Papa Dave a few years ago. See I can post pictures! S&W 4th Model "Pocket Gun" in .32 S&W AZmen!
J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE Posted January 17, 2019 Author Posted January 17, 2019 https://photos.app.goo.gl/hQb56oHd637CGn4n6 Operating the gun with the sideplate off allows parts that are normally held in alignment to separate which requires some further disassembly to put back into position.
Muley Gil SASS # 57795 Posted January 17, 2019 Posted January 17, 2019 Many years ago, back before SASS, I also had a 7 1/2" .38-40 New Service. Mine was ANIB. I traded it off because I couldn't find dies, brass or bullets.
Alpo Posted January 17, 2019 Posted January 17, 2019 I traded 3Es out of this 4 1/2" 38/40, back in either aught three or aught five. Only picture.
Utah Bob #35998 Posted January 17, 2019 Posted January 17, 2019 9 hours ago, J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE said: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hQb56oHd637CGn4n6 Operating the gun with the sideplate off allows parts that are normally held in alignment to separate which requires some further disassembly to put back into position. And a lot of scrambling around to find the parts.
J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE Posted January 18, 2019 Author Posted January 18, 2019 On 1/16/2019 at 4:31 PM, Shotgun Clay said: There looks to be a little bit of "dishing" around the screw heads. So it might be. If Smith & Wesson did the work there should be a star stamped on the grip frame near the serial number. Anyway here is a New Service of mine, .45 Colt with factor ivories. It's a huge gun. Beautiful gun! As massive as it is, imagine if it were the same size with a .40 caliber hole down the middle instead-Thank goodness they had not started putting the bull barrells and shrouds on these guns, you would need a stout gunbearer.
Adolph Vancinghand, SASS #28923 Posted January 19, 2019 Posted January 19, 2019 I'd happily recommend Frank Glenn as well; he rebuilt my tired, rattly old 70's vintage Gold Cup a few years back. With some CCH magic by Turnbull restoration and mammoth ivory panels, this has become my official barbeque gun. But don't let the looks confuse you: Frank built this gal to shoot...and she does! "Ad"
J. Mark Flint #31954 LIFE Posted January 19, 2019 Author Posted January 19, 2019 Pretty gun! Glad to get another voice speaking up for Mr. Glenn. He made my day with his free advice, even knowing I was ready to ship the gun to him for a full action job
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.