Colt Magnum Carry with a cracked frame

[Sniper X]

I buddy gave me a Colt Magnum Carry yesterday. To look at that is! Anyway, he had just bought it used from a friend of his. Got it for $200.00! I though what a deal! I was looking at it and noticed something right away he didn't see. I saw what looked like a tiny crack on the top strap, right below the rear sight.

The crack looked almost as if it was a hair. I opened the cylender and saw that this HAIR went thru to the insert on the frame for the firing pin. The rear of the frrame was not cracked so it wasn't all the way thru. It looked to be a factory defect because the inside where the crack looked like it started looked like a bad casting as in there were little holes or pits then the crack on both sides.

I wish I would have had my camera here to take pics.

Anyway, I advised him to not shoot it and get his money back and he says the guy shot it all the time and never had a problem. Sooo, I did the great revolver check out oon it....worst I have ever seen!

You pull the hammer back for single action and it feels like it is free pulling for the middle of the stroke, and it doesn't sound right....then after full cock, the cylender is looser than it should be. Tried it in double action and I though the cycle of the cyl looked weird so I held on to the cylender to see what wa up and it would just STOP and the gun would cycle in double action with the hammer trigger functioning normally save for the cyl not turning!

I handed it back to hi and told him to get his money back right away before his buddy bought a Jennings or a Jimenez.....

 

[Gordon]

Odd but I believe it as right before Colt's DA revolver line closed they turned out some absolute trash. Cracked where you said would mean a complete strip down and Micro Heli arc with heat control repair and re machine and fitted reassembly. So it could be done by the right smith, and the rareity of a Magnum Carry as an end result would make the $200 price viable, just saying!

 

[Guillermo]

I might risk 200 bucks and send it to Colt...it would be long shot but what the heck. You might end up w a magnum carry!!!

 

[Old Fuff]

Well first of all, the frame was made from a forging, not a casting...

Anyway, the only good way to tell would be to return it to Colt's, where they could have it Magna-fluxed of X-Rayed. If the frame is defective they would likely replace the frame, offer you a new (but different) gun, or arrange for your money to be refunded.

The Magnum Carry Colts are scarce, but they don't have a reputation for failing. Before you get all hot and bothered, call the manufacturer's customer service department.

 

[dfariswheel]

Fluff is right.
The Colt's all had very high grade forged frames that were famous for their quality.

The Magnum Carry was itself a very well made gun.
Either you have a one in a million bad forging, or someone shot some WAY over pressure loads and managed to crack the frame.

Send it back to Colt. They stand behind their products.
If this was factory defect, they'll make it right one way or another.
If the frame was damaged by over-hot loads, that's not their fault but they may still make it right.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I'd like to see pics of that, never heard of such a thing.

 

[snooperman]

+2 on what "old Fuff" said...

Call Colt and send it back, as it is a good chance they will fix it, if it is needed. I bought my Magnum carry about 10 years ago and have shot a lot of hot 357 through it with no problems. It is my primary carry gun most of the year. They are well made and the action is very smooth.

 

[NMGonzo]

That's what you get for not getting a ruger sp101 like you should.

 

[Old Fuff]

But the Ruger only holds 5 boo-lets...

 

[Remo223]

if the action moves without the cylinder moving on a colt, its had some serious abuse. I've never seen a colt do that and I've got one that is so worn and beat up I wouldn't shoot it.

 

[Guillermo]

That's what you get for not getting a ruger sp101

the SP101 is a nice gun

but that is like comparing a Dodge Charger to a Porsche Cayenne

 

[Sniper X]

it isn't mine, plus, the FIRST thing I did was call Colt and they said the warranty was void since he wasn't the original owner. He got his money back from what he told me this evening.

BTW the gun was pretty beat up too, had some pretty nasty dings in the frame on the top strap and one on the side too. Looks like it was really abused.

 

[Jim Watson]

Good thing. Fat chance of Colt having whole new frames for a gun that did not last long on the market.