H&R Sportsman woes...

[C-Fish]

Went out to the range today with my new (to me) Sportsman and 686.

The 686 performed flawlessly!


The Sportsman on the other hand has some timing issues.

Sometimes in SA and DA the cylinder doesn't advance, if you try again maybe it will sometimes it wont...I also had numerous light primer strikes, which eventually all ignited on the second or third go-round.

When I got home I noticed that the hammer screw was loose by two turns...I tightened and it loosened up after a few dry fire cycles. I've since tightened again and it has not loosened up.

Ideas?

 

[jeepnik]

Did you disassemble and clean it before taking it to the range? When I pick up a used firearm, the first thing I do is completely disassemble it. I, also, if possible find an exploded drawing and check the parts against it for obvious signs of wear/breakage.

Ove the years, I've found very few broken parts or springs that were shot. Mostly I find the internals filthy and sometimes corroded. In those cases, a good cleaning usually takes care of any issues.

 

[C-Fish]

^^^Thanks for the reply, yes I did clean it.

She was not very dirty at all, other than the red and whit paint slathered on the rear and front sights...

 

[Remllez]

Just for grins remove the grips and see if any plastic pieces fall out. The mainspring (strut) sometimes deteriorate over time and cause problems. New ones made of steel are available at Numrichs and will last a longtime.

They are easily removed by cocking the gun and putting a paperclip through the hole in the mainspring slowly ease the tension off the trigger and voilà out it comes.

 

[Old Fuff]

One thing you don't want to do is take it apart. Unless you know exactly how, it isn't user friendly.

On the hammer screw. After removing the mainspring assembly (as previously described) back out the screw to the point of almost, but not quite, being fully unscrewed. Use a pipe cleaner and a drop or two of fingernail polish remover to degrease the threaded hole in the frame, and then put a drop of clear fingernail polish on the other end of the pipe cleaner and wipe it on the threads in the hole. Turn the screw back until it's tight and wipe off any excess polish. Reassemble the mainspring assembly and give the polish time to dry. You can still get the screw out if you have to, but it shouldn't turn on its own.

Be sure the chambers are completely clean, and the cartridges are fully seated. If this isn't done the cylinder won't turn when it comes to a high rim.

 

[C-Fish]

Remllez- I've had the mainspring out and it is the metal style. Thanks...

Old FLuff- Thanks for the tip on the hammer screw. Not having a lady in the house, I'll have to go to the store for polish (what brand is the favorite?) . Thanks for the tip about the seated rounds.


On a suggestion I've ordered this part from Numrich.

This gun has been apart prior to me acquiring, the punch marks on the frame from slipping off of the pins are evident...

I have access to the book of firearm assembly/diss-assembly part II which covers the sportsman.

?Do you think a reasonably handy guy with proper tools/punches can fit the lever and reassemble?

 

[mainmech48]

correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the H&R "Sportsman/999" series a top-break design? That part you linked to a Numrich is listed as being for swing-out/pull-pin revolvers.

If it is a top-break, another place you might want to examine is the latch. If there's a significant amount of play in the lock-up, it would also result in the light strikes and failures to index you described. If not, then the hand and cylinder ratchet should be examined for signs of wear or damage.

 

[C-Fish]

The description on Numrich is wrong. It is listed in the (sportsman) schematic as a replacement part (original is NLA).

If it doesn't' work I'm only out $10 bucks...


The latch locks up tight. The cylinder ratchet does have a few small nicks (how would one address those?) and the hand is worn and is very sharp, hence the suggestion to get a replacement as this would need to be fitted to the gun.

 

[BCRider]

The hand is pressed forward onto the cylinder ratchet teeth by a spring of some sort. If the cylinder doesn't consistently advance it suggests to me that the hand spring is broken or somehow come adrift and isn't doing its job. This leaves the hand just floating around. Under such condtions it would catch and advance the cylinder in the sort of hit or miss manner you described.