Meriden 'The Aubry' DAO 32

[Johnm1]

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.

 

[Col. Harrumph]

Wow looks a lot better with all that orange muck gone! I believe the tap you need is called a bottoming tap.

 

[Blue68f100]

You may need to grind a tap to get it cut all the way to the bottom. Bottom taps normally have 1-1.5 reduced threads before they are full. I've ground may taps over the years for just that.

 

[Jim Watson]

Lots to know about Meriden guns
https://meridenfirearms.wordpress.com/firearms-products/pistols/

 

[Johnm1]

The grinder is probably the way to go. I need as much thread as possible and there is a ledge/stop at the bottom of the hole. Even then I may not get all the way down. But I can always thin the bushing to make up for what threads I can't restore.

I'll take some better pictures in the sunlight this evening. BTW - The Aubry is the model name.

Notice the rust pattern above where the concealed hammer is in the auction photos. I suspect it is a cover for a slot for installing the hammer. But I can't see any securing pins for that cover. IJ uses something similar on their DAO. But it has a pin to secure/remove it. I dont see how this one can be removed. Maybe it was not serviceable after initial manufacture.

 

[Johnm1]

Lots to know about Meriden guns
https://meridenfirearms.wordpress.com/firearms-products/pistols/

Thanks. I had found that site.



Notice the dongle behind the trigger. It is shaped like a single action sear. I'm not sure for what purpose. The action functions the same with it removed. The trigger can be staged. So maybe it is there for that purpose. FYI - that dongle makes installing the trigger return spring/trigger guard/dongle a 3 handed circus.

 

[4v50 Gary]

nice restoration

 

[Johnm1]

nice restoration

It's not done yet. The firing pin and trigger return spring need to be done. I was surprised that the rust came off and left some nickel behind. I didn't expect that. I may get the firing pin bushing completed tonight or possibly this weekend. Taht will leave only the trigger return spring to bring it back to normal firing condition.

As best I can tell, the cylinder is supposed to free spin after it fires and that sort of didn't make sense to me. Although a lot of the lower end break top revolvers originally 'free spun', I thought that was changed by 1900.

 

[Johnm1]

I'll take some better pictures in the sunlight this evening. BTW - The Aubry is the model name.

I still take terrible pictures. Out of thd 6 I took in the sunlight these are the only ones that cams out worth a darn. It cleaned up pretty nice. At least the grips are in good shape.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

A worthy cause indeed! Good luck getting it back to life.

 

[Johnm1]

A worthy cause indeed! Good luck getting it back to life.

In this instance one has to consider any 120 year old firearm as a 'worthy' cause. And I do. But we certainly can't consider financially 'worthy'. Meriden had a short lifespan and their revolvers were at best mediocre. Made to a price point targeting the same market as H&R, IJ, and Hopkins and Allen. And I can't argue that business model. It served the competitors well though history doesn't care that most of these manufacturers were financially successful. If the design wasn't classic the firearms aren't desirable. These guns weren't made to a qualityof the major manufacturers. I hate this saying, but "it is what it is". And I have an appreciation for what they were and accomplished.

Their shotguns may have been a different story though. I'm getting the impression that they may have had a higher quality double shotgun. I haven't researched thier shotguns though.

 

[Johnm1]

Maybe better pictures

 

[Blue68f100]

I would suspect the roll pin is not original.

Cleaned up pretty good.

 

[Johnm1]

I would suspect the roll pin is not original.

Unleess I misunderstand what a roll pin is (distinct possibility) there isn't one installed. The pin securing the back of the trigger guard is a temporary as the one that came with the gun was bent. The temporary is actually the shank of a gun screw that is approximately the correct diameter. All of the rest of the pins are solid conventional pins. The temporary is also a bit too long. As soon as I find a pin of the right diameter I'll replace it.

Cleaned up pretty good.

I'm pleased with it. I just finished scrubbing it with aluminum foil and it looks much better. The aluminum foil is softer than the nickel plating and the underlying steel but harder than the oxidation and grime on the surface. So it cleans it up pretty good.

 

[Johnm1]

I keep forgetting to post this tidbit. The top latch and cylinder lock up each have zero play in them. It latches and locks up better than any other top break I own.

 

[Johnm1]

The firing pin bushing/nut isn't going to be fixed with an Ace Hardware tap. I measure the bushing as 1/4 x 40 TPI. Not sitting on any shelf that I can find. My calipers are out of commission and I don't have an analog set. So here is how i came to the conclusion of 1/4 x 40. Let me know if you think otherwise. I'll get a battery for my calipers tomorrow.

Each of the lines on the bottom is a 1/10 of an inch. I count 4 threads with a little on the left and right that isn't threaded.


Same 1/10 of an inch per line



Here is what the threads look like:

 

[Blue68f100]

Get your self a set of thread gauges. I have a couple of sets, metric and sae, they are pretty cheap. I've guessed a few times and had been wrong.

 

[Johnm1]

I've guessed a few times and had been wrong.

You know, sometimes the obvious just needs to be said. I'm not sure what I was thinking. Thank you Blue.

I'll still have to grind the bpttom tap. The ones I found all have 1-2 tapered threads.

 

[Johnm1]

I have confirmed 40 TPI. I’ll order one either today or tomorrow.

you know, it’s a little difficult to determine the difference between 40 and 44 TPI. Both are just so small.

 

[Johnm1]

So, next issue. I finally got my calipers back to working and the diameter measures a solid 0.270” not 0.25”. I checked the calibration of the calipers and it consistently measures a 0.224” V-Max bullet at 0.223” and that 0.001” discrepancy has been true since I bought that particular set of calipers. So despite the fact that I have inexpensive tools, I think the measurement is accurate to within 0.001”.

I’m pretty certain there isn’t a standard screw with a 0.270” diameter.

The bushing does screw in a small amount so at this point I suspect the bushing matches the hole in the recoil shield.

This operation is not worth the cost of a custom tap. I’m thinking of still getting the 1/4 x 40 tap. Even loose I’m guessing it will clean up the threads at least for a partial amount of their depth if I’m careful.

What are your opinions on the plan to try to clean up the threads of a 0.270” hole with a tap that measures 0.250”?

 

[Jackrabbit1957]

It might clean it up marginally, if you find a fastener with that thread you can cut a diagonal slot across the threads and use it as a one time tap. I have done this numerous times in the past.

 

[Johnm1]

It might clean it up marginally, if you find a fastener with that thread you can cut a diagonal slot across the threads and use it as a one time tap. I have done this numerous times in the past.

I like your thinking. I'd hate to invest in a tap of the wrong size no less a custom tap. Now to find a source of a 1/4 x 40 fastener.

 

[Big Bore 44]

Look up the OLD #16 machine screw standard. It's VERY difficult to find, but the O.D. is .268". Most likely what you have.

 

[BBBBill]

Know a machinist? Pretty easy to take a larger diameter screw of the same thread pitch and turn it down to the diameter you need. You can then cut some flutes in it to turn it into a tap. Should be cheap enough. You should buy a thread checker to use to verify those threads. Yuo can find them used for cheap on Fleabay.

 

[Johnm1]

Look up the OLD #16 machine screw standard. It's VERY difficult to find, but the O.D. is .268". Most likely what you have.

Well, that gives me another rabbit whole to investigate. Thanks.