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From: jkh@jade.BERKELEY.EDU (Jordan K. Hubbard)
Newsgroups: mod.rec.guns
Subject: Re: mod.rec.guns
Message-ID: <1959@jade.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Tue, 16-Dec-86 15:45:03 EST
Article-I.D.: jade.1959
Posted: Tue Dec 16 15:45:03 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 18-Dec-86 03:25:59 EST
Organization: U.C. Berkeley
Lines: 29
Approved: jkh@ucbjade
Author: tektronix!teklds.TEK.COM!berniem@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Bernard J. Miller)

Article: 12:21



    I had a Dan Wesson that had the same symptom you describe.  The problem
turned out be a design flaw which Dan Wesson has since corrected.  I purchased
my gun around 1978 and had the modification done around 1981 when it was first
available.  On the original design of the 15-2 the "gas-ring" (the front
bearing surface of the cylinder that rides against the frame) was bearing only
against one side of the frame.  In front of the cylinder, the bearing surface
for the gas-ring is composed of the solid frame on the right half and the crane
on the left half.  Since these two pieces do not line up perfectly to provide
a flat bearing surface the common solution is to design in a circular thrust
washer on either the frame or the crane or integral with the cylinder.  Dan
Wesson has chosen the latter solution and it works just fine.  Prior to this
modification the gas-ring wears farther and farther into the frame or crane
and causes excessive cylinder end-play.  This results in excessive headspace
and the firing pin has to travel further to strike the primer.  The result is a
light firing pin strike with a floating firing pin design as on the Dan Wesson.
In my case, I seat my primers on my reloads fairly deep to avoid an occasional
high primer hanging up the gun.  You may check your end-play to determine
if this condition exists in your gun.  Anyway, I sent my gun to Dan Wesson
with my suspicions (I'd seen an article by Milek that indicated this problem)
and they returned the gun with a new cylinder of the new improved design
installed in three weeks at no charge!  So I was very happy.  I'd respectfully
suggest you send your revolver to Dan Wesson for them to trouble-shoot and
repair if needed all at the same time, because you will waste a lot of time
trying this and that, and waiting for parts and possibly finding the repair
calls for tools you don't have on hand.  But, whatever, good luck!

-Bernie