Is this a broken hand?

[GunsNstuff]

The action on this Traditions SAA doesn't feel the greatest and sometimes it sticks solid and the hammer won't pull back at all. So that got me to looking at it's parts a little closer and this hand doesn't look right to me. Maybe it is, but to me it looks like it shattered and part of it's surface is missing. It's also very sharp to the touch. I don't know much about revolvers, so I come to you. This is a Traditions 1873 Colt SAA clone. Is this made by Pietta? Where can I buy parts? Does a gunsmith have to fit the hand to the gun or is it a user swapable part? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Magyars]

I'm far from an expert but it doesn't look right to me.

 

[Leadeye]

From what I can see of the hand it looks OK. Point the gun straight up and see if it performs differently than if it is pointed straight down. You likely have a broken hand spring if it does and that's an easily replaced part from VTI Parts on the internet. That spring is a common problem and when it breaks off it can jam up the internal workings.

 

[GunsNstuff]

Is that supposed to be shaped that way? It looks sheared off to me.

 

[Leadeye]

Here is a picture of a 120 year old Colt hand.

 

[Leadeye]

You're right, that does look chipped at higher magnification. VTI also has complete hands with new springs attached if you want to try this yourself.

 

[Leadeye]

Boss Hoss here on the board may weigh in today, he's better at this stuff than I am.

I've fixed and installed hands on a more than a few old Colts, but I don't claim professional skills at all.

 

[GunsNstuff]

You're right, that does look chipped at higher magnification. VTI also has complete hands with new springs attached if you want to try this yourself.

Is replacing a hand something that can be done at home or do they need to be timed to the gun? I think I read somewhere that it requires hand fitting to make sure the chambers line up with the barrel.
The next thing I need to find out is why made this revolver for Traditions so I can get the right parts. Traditions brags about their transfer bar safety, but this one does not have a transfer par. It's firing pin looks just like yours so it's a closer copy to the original Colt. I'm not sure if that means all parts are interchangeable.

 

[Leadeye]

Is replacing a hand something that can be done at home or do they need to be timed to the gun? I think I read somewhere that it requires hand fitting to make sure the chambers line up with the barrel.
The next thing I need to find out is why made this revolver for Traditions so I can get the right parts. Traditions brags about their transfer bar safety, but this one does not have a transfer par. It's firing pin looks just like yours so it's a closer copy to the original Colt. I'm not sure if that means all parts are interchangeable.

Take a look at VTI's page for what you have, I've put their parts in guns as old as 160 years like this 1858 Remington with good results. Fitting a hand is time consuming and requires patience.

Both of these guns have some new parts inside, although you can't tell from the outside. I would bet that you will find a new hand with a little searching.

 

[Leadeye]

Hand fitting is something that requires good files and instruction. Lots of info and videos on the internet, it's where I learned.

Usually the Italian maker has thier name or initials some where on it. Names Like ASM, Uberti, and Pietta are common ones although ASM is gone.

 

[GunsNstuff]

Hand fitting is something that requires good files and instruction. Lots of info and videos on the internet, it's where I learned.

Usually the Italian maker has thier name or initials some where on it. Names Like ASM, Uberti, and Pietta are common ones although ASM is gone.

Mine says "ASM Traditions" on the bottom of the barrel. Just looked it up. Army san marcos or ASM is out of business and it looks like all of their parts are out of stock. Any idea if the other gun makers like Pietta, if their parts will fit in this ASM revolver?

 

[Leadeye]

A lot of ASM stuff out there, some good and some bad. I've never replaced the hand in an ASM 1873 with something else, so I can't say for sure. I would check on the internet for interchangeability, CAS forums of various types. Those guys do a lot of that work themselves and I'll bet you could get solid info there about how well a Uberti or Pietta hand would fit.

I've been lucky in not getting a bad ASM gun, I've been told the quality fell off near the end of the company's life.

Best of luck.

 

[Mongo59]

With the repop's the hand is the same as a Colt but the springs are sometimes made differently.

If it were mine I would get one from anyone who makes SSA and I don't think you will be disappointed.