Colt Police Positive vs PP Special Internal Parts

[Johnm1]

Even though the parts may be the same size, fitting may be required. You can just take a rebound lever out of one Colt and expect it to work in another EVEN if they're both the same type of Colt.

I know not to get into a double action Colt. @dfariswheel has explained in many posts about the complexity of the inner workings of a Colt Double action and I have no interest in trying to 'noodle' them out. Even though there aren't many Colt gunsmiths, there are a few. If I can find a 32 S&W Long cylinder it'll go to Frank for fitting and I'll just have to take the chance that it hasn't been butchered. I am only looking at cylinders that appear to have the original finish on them. Mostly what I have seen that are likely candidates are well worn finish wise. As long as no one has refinished it (and over polished it in the process) I'm just going to have to take a chance knowing that it may not work.

I got into tinkering S&W Double Action revolvers only because I didn't think there were any S&W DA gunsmiths around. That and they really aren't that difficult to understand. But even then, I'm really a 'parts swapper' rather than a smith of any sort.

 

[dfariswheel]

In the 1800's and early 1900's Colt usually chambered revolvers to handle most any similar cartridges of the same caliber.
As example most would shoot just about any .32 caliber cartridge no matter the length.

This only makes sense, because why waste time making different chambered cylinders when it could shoot the .32 New Police and .32 Long.
This is why most Colt barrels of that era are simply stamped with a generic caliber.......32 or .38 with no indication of which of the many it is.

 

[Johnm1]

I want to thank all those that contributed to this thread. I was able to locate a 1.25 inch cylinder chambered in 32 police/ 32 S&W Long. It won't arrive until next week so it'll be a couple of weeks before I can inspect it and try to determine if it will be suitable. If it's suitable I'll send it on to Frank for fitting.

 

[Johnm1]

I want to thank all those that contributed to this thread. I was able to locate a 1.25 inch cylinder chambered in 32 police/ 32 S&W Long. It won't arrive until next week so it'll be a couple of weeks before I can inspect it and try to determine if it will be suitable. If it's suitable I'll send it on to Frank for fitting.

The perils of a Parts swapper andthe consequences of not reading every word. The replacement cylinder arrived. And it did measure 1.25 inches in length. The question I did not ask was the diameter. The part that I didn’t read was that it was for a pocket positive and it was chambered in 32 S & W. It does not fit. The seller did his part and I left positive feedback. But I am still in search of a 1.25 inches long by 1.40 inches in diameter 32 S & W long Cylinder. Anyone need a Pocket Positive cylinder with crane?

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Argh!

 

[Johnm1]

Argh!

It is just one off the perils of being a parts swapper instead of a gunsmith. An expensive peril that im willing to risk while I substitute skill and knowledge for dollars and cents and a boatload of extra parts. I've been pretty lucky with the S&W DAs.

But this isn't the first or last time used parts weren't usable. I received 2 parts kits this week. The 38 DA kit fixed the issue I was dealing with. The second kit was for an IJ Supershot DA 22 revolver that won't make it to lock up if I pull the hammer back real slow. If I cock the hammer normally it makes it. I could work around it by changing how I shoot the revolver, but it isn't right and I want it to be right. Paid way too much for the parts kit but if it made the revolver 'Right' I was ok with it. The parts kit had everything except the frame but all I needed was a taller hand. What arrived was slightly shorter than what I have. The only consolation is now I have a hand to experiment on.