This is a first

[rsa-otc]

So this happened yesterday while running an employee through a qualification course of fire. Never say you have seen it all. In 40 years of teaching and shooting revolvers this is the first time I have seen this type of parts failure. The axle sheared completely off the hand, the part which advances the cylinder to the next chamber to fire. Needless to say thank God this happened on the range and not during a confrontation.



Others who may have had larger departments may have seen this before, but it is a first for me.


As I have said in the past if it is designed, manufactured, used and maintained by man somethings just go wrong.

[deputyG23]

Can't fix that with a tap, rack, assess....hope your folks are allowed BUGS on the job...

[jh9]

Happened to me

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....ry-large-pics)

I know one other USPSA shooter that saw something similar happen.

What make/model?

[OlongJohnson]

Sorta like the Beretta trigger spring, one might theoretically be able to advance the cylinder manually to get shots off, if the hand floating around inside the gun didn't foul other moving parts. But yeah, BUG FTW there.

[rsa-otc]

jh9 asked what model was it that had the failure.

It was a 64-3 S&W which my best guess was manufactured in the late 70's early 80's. I may be wrong, but unless the hand was replaced at some point I doubt that this was a MIM casting failure.

[jh9]

Solid reminder that every gun in circulation today, regardless of who made it or when, is exactly one part failure away from being a paperweight (or an impact weapon ).

edit: The 2 spare K-frame hands I have in my parts box (ordered in the last 2-3 years) are still made the old way with pressed-in pins. I don't think any of the K-frame hands are one-piece MIM jobs.