I had no interest when I bought it as a package with a S&W 32 Double Action. Both guns sold for $68 plus shipping. My plan when I bid on the package was to strip it of pins and any springs and screws as stock pieces for other repairs. It was ugly and visibly missing pieces. But when I received it my wife kinda liked it. So we evaluated it and noted it wasn't far from working. But Meriden was only in business for 13 years (1905/6 through 1918) so how many parts are going to be available? Well the answer is 'some'.
Here is what it was missing
- trigger return spring
- firing pin bushing. It's actually a threaded nut
- firing pin
- firing pin spring
- one of the pin s that secures the back of the trigger gaurd was bent and not all the way in
- extractor star and spring as missing
- it had rust on the frame bleeding through the nickel plating.
The trigger, hand, cylinder stop and hammer all functioned normally except the trigger doesn't returnon its own. It is a solid frame so I don't plan to take that apart. EVER!
Here are some pictures from the auction
The Meriden is on top, the bottom is the S&W 32 DA
Missing extractor star though the extractor rod is there and that turns out to be important
Here you can see the missing firing pin/bushing/spring
A check of Numrich shows they have a complete cylinder with extractor, firing pin, bushing and spring. But no trigger return spring. So I ordered the parts. Total ost $75. Probably more than the revolver is worth.
Parts came in a couple of days ago. Well the cylinder is for a different model. It won't mount to the base pin (some call it a quill or center pin). And it looks like the 2 piece extractor rod is too long to work in this revolver. But I do have the 2 piece extractor from the original revolver. So I mated the shorter extractor rod to the new cylinder star and fitted the new star to the old rod and it does function. That problem is solved.
Next problem. Although the firing pin and spring appear to fit and will work, the firing pin nut/bushing won't thread in all the way. The threads inside the frane are buggered. Not terribly, but enough to prevent the firing pin nut from being installed. What I need is to define the screw size/thread pitch and tap that hole. If I use a tap it will have to be a tap with a flat point. If I use a standard tap with a tapered point I won't be able to get all/enough threads. I may try to get a matching screw and see if I can clean up the threads with it. Once the firing pin nut is fixed it will cycle and fire. Except the trigger just wont return on its own.
I made two attempts at making a trigger return spring but failed both times. Wolf Springs sells these types of springs for top breaks and I ordered them. They'll be here in a couple of days.
Here are some pictures cleaned up.
Here is what it was missing
- trigger return spring
- firing pin bushing. It's actually a threaded nut
- firing pin
- firing pin spring
- one of the pin s that secures the back of the trigger gaurd was bent and not all the way in
- extractor star and spring as missing
- it had rust on the frame bleeding through the nickel plating.
The trigger, hand, cylinder stop and hammer all functioned normally except the trigger doesn't returnon its own. It is a solid frame so I don't plan to take that apart. EVER!
Here are some pictures from the auction
The Meriden is on top, the bottom is the S&W 32 DA
Missing extractor star though the extractor rod is there and that turns out to be important
Here you can see the missing firing pin/bushing/spring
A check of Numrich shows they have a complete cylinder with extractor, firing pin, bushing and spring. But no trigger return spring. So I ordered the parts. Total ost $75. Probably more than the revolver is worth.
Parts came in a couple of days ago. Well the cylinder is for a different model. It won't mount to the base pin (some call it a quill or center pin). And it looks like the 2 piece extractor rod is too long to work in this revolver. But I do have the 2 piece extractor from the original revolver. So I mated the shorter extractor rod to the new cylinder star and fitted the new star to the old rod and it does function. That problem is solved.
Next problem. Although the firing pin and spring appear to fit and will work, the firing pin nut/bushing won't thread in all the way. The threads inside the frane are buggered. Not terribly, but enough to prevent the firing pin nut from being installed. What I need is to define the screw size/thread pitch and tap that hole. If I use a tap it will have to be a tap with a flat point. If I use a standard tap with a tapered point I won't be able to get all/enough threads. I may try to get a matching screw and see if I can clean up the threads with it. Once the firing pin nut is fixed it will cycle and fire. Except the trigger just wont return on its own.
I made two attempts at making a trigger return spring but failed both times. Wolf Springs sells these types of springs for top breaks and I ordered them. They'll be here in a couple of days.
Here are some pictures cleaned up.
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