[Pork Fat]

My 999 is an accurate, fun gun, but I have not taken it out much lately due to an annoying problem. Most of my shooting is single action, but after 1000+
or - rounds, the hammer won't stay back when cocked most of the time. If I keep trying, it will catch about 1 time in 6 or 8 tries. Pointing the gun up seems to help for some reason if done slowly, but this is not a natural way to operate a revolver.
I am not sure if it is a worn notch or a transfer bar issue(it seems to flop around a bit in there),but the gun hasn't been used enough to be worn out yet. Because it is a solid frame design, there is no sideplate to take off and try to see what is happening. Drifting out the pins to get a handful of fiddly bits is not a notion I cherish.
While double action is unaffected, H&R was never noted for a great DA pull, and I only use it to prove I can dump 9 rounds of .22lr as fast as the guys with autos. Any ideas or suggestions will be viewed with appreciation, if not outright wonder and awe. Thanks-

[Pork Fat]

( Crickets chirping )

[ribbonstone]

Take the grips off, and see if any little bits of plastic fall out. The end of the main spring strut, where it connects to the hammer, is a plastic part on some of the H&R's (and it doesn't seem limited to only the loww priced models)...when it chips or cracks, the main spring strut doesn't fit in quite the right place, ans it can't quite get all the way to full cock all of the time.

Even without a sidde plate, should be able to see to the end of the mainspring strut with the gun cocked (or as close to cocked as it will let you get).

[Old Fuff]

Ribbonstone has probably got it right, but also look at the trigger guard behind the trigger. You will see a small part, called a "sear" in the trigger guard. It is the part that holds the hammer at full cock, and if it is broken, or the spring behind it is pluged with dirt, you will get what is happening to you. When you point the gun up gravity will cause the sear to catch the hammer. Try a shot of gun cleaner up and behind the sear. If that doesn't work you'll that to pull the trigger guard off. I won't get into that unless it is absolutely necessary.

[ribbonstone]

Once you make a set of slave pins (pins that are a little longer and a little smaller in diameter so you can move them easily by hand) to help get that H&R together, have a fighting chance of taking one apart AND gettting it back together. I'd avoid the learning experience.

I can't think od a single gunsmithing job that shouldn't start with "Step #1: detail clean..."....if you are lucky, it ends with step #1.

[Pork Fat]

Ribbonstone & Old Fuff- No broken plastic, but 1/4 can of Break Free Powder Blaster seems to have done the trick, up inside where I can't reach.Thanks for the input. This forum rocks.

[medmo]

Oh my.... disassembling and reassembling an H&R revolver requires much skill, experience, lots of luck and very good mo-jo. If you have never done it before let me warn you that springs and things are going to fall and fly all over the place. Most smiths won't work on them because they don't have the patience or time. Glad a good cleaning solved the problem. I like the 999's and own two of them.