Diagnose that colt #2!

[D.R.E.]

A pretty common question that comes up: "my hammer won't cock back all the way, what's the problem?!"

It was only a matter of time, but it happened to me. In this case on an m357 that I had tuned for my dad. Fortunately it only happened when I checked it after getting home so he's none the wiser.

So: any guesses for what went wrong here? (For what it's worth, I got it wrong.)

Here's a photo showing the maximum distance the hammer can be cocked:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e226/ddd_rrr_eee/diagnosing%20m357/DSC02967.jpg

Answer below after a bunch of line feeds :)






























































So openeing it up, looks like a strange piece of metal has lodged itself:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e226/ddd_rrr_eee/diagnosing%20m357/DSC02968.jpg

Closer: seems machined almost:

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e226/ddd_rrr_eee/diagnosing%20m357/DSC02970.jpg

Nothing seems broken off though, so I'm guessing that perhaps it was lead. Not sure how it'd get in there --- maybe when it was laying on the bench a fragment landed in there? Puzzling. It wasn't in there when I put the sideplate on:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e226/ddd_rrr_eee/diagnosing%20m357/DSC02971.jpg

Removing it fixes the problem:
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e226/ddd_rrr_eee/diagnosing%20m357/DSC02976.jpg

Fixing colts is easy!

[Guns R Tools]

Fixing colts is easy!
You sure make it sounds like it's piece of cake.
I wouldn't dare open any guns beyond field strip for cleaning, fear of damage, lost parts etc.

[D.R.E.]

You sure make it sounds like it's piece of cake.
I wouldn't dare open any guns beyond field strip for cleaning, fear of damage, lost parts etc.

Hahaha! I was being all ironical :) This is probably only the second easy one I've seen. It's always one damn new thing after another lately...

[xxdabroxx]

i have had similar problems with blowing out primers in my 870, they make it into the strangest places at the most inopportune times...