[Recoil Rob]

Last week I got my 4" Python back from Colt, they refinished the frame, did a trigger tune and replaced other parts to bring it back to spec. Looks great, dry fired great, but while shooting it for the first time today, single action with .357 factory loads, I found that once in every cylinder full I had a hard time pulling back the hammer, really had to lean on it a bit. The other 5 shots were smooth and easy to pull back. This happened for 5 full rounds of 6 shots, one time in each round the hammer was hard to cock. Probably the same chamber each time but I can't be sure. My first time with a Python so I had a friend shoot a round and he had the same problem.

The last round of shots all went smooth. So did a round of .38 Specials, no problems and no problems with a round of spent cases.



Something need to be adjusted? Should I bring it back (going to Hartford on Monday anyway) or wait and shoot it some more?


thanks,

Rob

 

[Oyeboten]

You were shooting in SA mode only? No DA mode?

What I would look to first, is to see if an expended or live Cartridge is sticking in a particular Chamber...and or is not actually chambering all the way in.

Or, seeing if any slightly high Primers.

And or to make sure all Chambers are clean and no old Oil, and no fouling where the 'Step' is.

Anything causing a Cartridge Head to drag on the Recoil Shield or Back, will make for heavy or very heavy pressure to pull through whether in SA or DA.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Check under the extractor as well; it doesn't take much crud under there to bind things up. Does the gun drag when you cycle it empty of cartridges?
If all of the advice here produces no results, I'd be talking to Colt. It may be a pawl on one of the chambers is out of spec.
Moon

 

[KMKCOLT]

I would take a black marker and number each chamber with numbers 1-6. Load it and shoot till it causes the problem then stop on the round that is causing the problem. Open the cylinder to identify the chamber. Have it checked. In fact since you are going to Hartford take it back with you and show them which chamber is causing the issue. Since it is marked it wouldn't be much of a problem for them to figure it out. You paid your money so now get the right work done. I know it's colt but doesn't make them right all the time. That is my $.02.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Once it got stuck tried pullin through DA but couldn't do it so had to cock it manually, tough but it got through.

It doesn't happen when the gun has no rounds in it, didn't happen with .38 Specials. All the live rounds dropped right in and if it were primers or something like that, ammo related, I think it would have happened more than once each cylinder full. Only once. I'm going to shoot another box of fresh ammo over the weekend and use the marker. Can I write the numbers on the cylinder, between the flutes? I imagine mineral spirits will take it off but will it damage the blueing?

 

[chaosrob]

How about just numbering the casings and making sure you keep the numbering the same cylinder after cylinder. When you locate which one does it you can mark that cylinder with rolled up paper inside

Once it got stuck tried pullin through DA but couldn't do it so had to cock it manually, tough but it got through.

It doesn't happen when the gun has no rounds in it, didn't happen with .38 Specials. All the live rounds dropped right in and if it were primers or something like that, ammo related, I think it would have happened more than once each cylinder full. Only once. I'm going to shoot another box of fresh ammo over the weekend and use the marker. Can I write the numbers on the cylinder, between the flutes? I imagine mineral spirits will take it off but will it damage the blueing?

 

[Recoil Rob]

good idea, thanks.

 

[KMKCOLT]

Any thing like such will work. You don't even need to mark anything soon as the jam occurres put your finger in front of the hammer and lower it gently. Open the cylinder and it should be the cartridge chamber which wasn't fired at the proper rotation clock wise. You can also use alcohol or WD40 to take the marker off if need be. Don't use s permanent marker. Like some one stated mark the bullets if that is easier.

 

[11866]

I had a somewhat similar problem once. I spoke with a gunsmith over the phone about it. He said to check under the extractor star for crud, and also to shoot it with factory loads. I was shooting some reloads that came with the gun (I have since decided that I refuse to shoot reloads from an unknown source). He stated some reloads can be problematic. I gave it a thorough cleaning and it has performed flawless with snap caps now. I haven't had time to get out and shoot it with factory loads yet. Im hoping the problem is now resolved, whatever it was. I dont know if that will apply to your situation but thought I would mention it.

 

[smkummer]

If the problem only occurred with .357 ammo and not 38 special, it could very well be the chambers are dirty or fouled from shooting shorter 38 special ammo and .357 cartridges will not fully seat in the chamber. This may be the cause of the binding of the cylinder. You can check this by placing .357 cartridges in the cylinder and slowly cock the hammer until the bolt clears the cylinder, then try manually turning the cylinder (seeing if it "spins"). If it does not and it will with .38 special ammo, then your chambers are fouled. This is a easy fix as you only have to clean each chamber with a solvent such as hoppes 9 and a brush. Have the gun pointed in a safe direction with live ammo in the gun, such as outside pointed to the ground.

When I eject empties from a revolver, I try my best to have the muzzle pointed up so any powder residue such as unburned flakes don't fall in between the extractor and cylinder. As others have stated, this can bind the cylinder.

 

[JudgeColt]

Like some one stated mark the bullets if that is easier.

With the bullets ending up down range after shooting, it seems that marking the bullets would not be of any help. Perhaps marking the cartridge casings would be a better idea....

 

[KMKCOLT]

Thanks Judgecolt for clearing that up. I sometimes for get I need to get more technical so folks get the message correctly. By the way even if he marked the bullets and they ended up down range those are not the ones to be concerned about. Its the last one that was binding up which he isn't going to fire since I stated to open the cylinder and detect which one wasn't fired next to the last fired empty casing. No offense taken.

 

[Cruiser RN]

I had a similar problem with my Peacekeeper 357 Mag and corrected it with a complete cleaning and especially paying attention to the chambers and extraction star.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Friday, 9/6/13 Range Report.

The short story is I went back today with a fresh box of Federal .357's, marked each cylinder full with cartridges 1-6 to find out where the problem was and... the gun performed flawlessly, (my buddy, a much more experienced shot than I got an 1.5" group at 25 yds., offhand).

The long story is, what I suspect, very similar to kdave21's. The cartridges I was firing yesterday came to me with the gun and I now suspect they were reloads. Inspection of the primers from that box show 7 with deeper hits than the others. That could mean they were seated higher to begin with and rubbing on the recoil shield.

Bottom line is factory ammo, no problemo.

However, I was wondering why I was shooting off a rest and I kept shooting right. I adjusted the rear sight to the left until it was way off center and finally I was close to being on for windage but still a bit right. I took a close look tonight and the barrel is not on straight, the front sight is canted to the left. I brought them a new, unused barrel and they over tightened it.

So I will be stopping by Hartford, CT Monday morning to see what can be done. They have no barrels so I suspect they will have to shorten this one a thread.

You can see in the pics below the top rib is not centered, closer to port than starboard. Notice the rear sight well to the port side.

 

[Costa]

Colts are like fine ladies, have to be treated gently. Smiths, on the other hand, are like the gal you meet at the bar: tough, fearless and a bit uglier but works every time.

 

[hookedon1911s]

Colts are like fine ladies, have to be treated gently. Smiths, on the other hand, are like the gal you meet at the bar: tough, fearless and a bit uglier but works every time.

Sorry my friend but any firearm put together wrong is junk. Wonder how many Colts through out the Civil War, World Wars and all battles in between were treated gently.

 

[bearcat6]

Never, ever shoot reloads from someone else.

 

[Primer88]

Friday, 9/6/13 Range Report.

......However, I was wondering why I was shooting off a rest and I kept shooting right. I adjusted the rear sight to the left until it was way off center and finally I was close to being on for windage but still a bit right. I took a close look tonight and the barrel is not on straight, the front sight is canted to the left. I brought them a new, unused barrel and they over tightened it.

That is exactly it, an over tightened or under tightened barrel. I had the exact same issue with a 2nd gen SAA.

 

[KMKCOLT]

That is great news. Personally I don't use reloads what so ever. It voids the warranty on every gun and so stated in the manual. Now I don't know if the reprinted manuals come with all that info but the originals do. Dig dig on reprints. 👹 . I personally like the new factory stuff just my preference. Just out of curiosity what year is your Python? To be honest I have had several from the 1980's that the barrels were put on like that and for some strange reason I think they were machined wrong. That is why I began collecting older ones from the 1970's they seem to have a better blue and fit and finish seems more precise. Just my observation maybe someone else can contribute their findings. I had two STS Pythons that I sold due to that, not hat there was anything else wrong just that reason. Anyone else notice this?

 

[Recoil Rob]

I'm the OP and the 4" Python we're discussing was made in 1977. I purchased it three years ago from the original owner who had had it Magnaported and an aftermarket trigger installed. I wanted to have the gun made right so I purchased an unused 4" barrel and a new trigger and had Colt install them this year. When they installed the barrel they overtightened it, I found this out because I just got it back from them last week and shot it for the first time. Now I'll see what they will do about it Monday morning when I go to Hartford, CT.