SAA Assistance

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SlowFuse

SlowFuse

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I have a Colt SAA clone that I am looking over and cleaning up after sitting for "quite a while" on a shelf at a relatives house. 25-30 years would not be an exaggeration, its in rough shape.

This is a Hawes Western SixShooter which I understand is a loose interpretation of the original SAA, and not of the highest quality. This is a 22 caliber model and I have both cylinders, a 22 LR and a 22 magnum. I am fairly familiar with taking this style revolver apart, I have an Uberti Cattleman 45LC and a Taylors SmokeWagon .357.

I'd like to get the LR cylinder into it for a cheap plinker, the Mag cylinder is in place now.

I'm having an issue removing the base pin the cylinder rotates on. I have depressed the cross-pin that holds it in place and ended up fully removing it. After pulling on it as best as I could with my hands I pressed on it from the rear (under the hammer) with a coated allen wrench. It's what I had handy, no movement. I have it sitting in Kroil right now and will try again tonight. I'd rather not disassemble the halves, remove the hammer and get a punch/hammer, but I will as a last resort. Are there any other ideas (provided the Kroil doesn't loosen things up) before I do an extensive dis-assembly and start hammering on it??
 
I'm assuming that you are certain the revolver is clear of any ammunition:

If you have the cylinder latch out and the base pin is soaked with penetrant, cock the hammer and try to tap the base pin further in. Then pull the trigger and see if the falling hammer won't drive the base pin out enough to get a grip on it to finish pulling it out.



Bob Wright
 
Yes sir, it's clear. Checked, removed the 5 rounds and checked again. I'll try this method before anything extreme. Thanks.
 
Howdy

I am not real familiar with the Hawes revolvers, but I am very familiar with Single Action revolvers made by Colt and Uberti.

First off, just for fun, make sure the base pin does not have a flange running around it. Some makers have a flange that runs around the pin, with a cut out to fit around the bottom of the barrel. Some Rugers used to have this, and Belt Mountain pins have it.

The point is, if there is a flange with a cut out, like this, it is easy to shove the pin in place with the cut out misaligned. Jams it real tight.

BeltMountainPinshowingreliefcut_zps13ebcd1e.jpg

OK, assuming there is no flange, Brownells makes a tool that helps pull out stuck cylinder pins.

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/handgun-tools/takedown-tools/colt-saa-base-pin-puller-prod10997.aspx

A little Kroil along with that tool might get your pin out.

Lastly, it really is no big deal to disassemble a single action revolver. If neither of those two things worked, I would take it down enough to remove the hammer. Then after soaking the pin well with Kroil I would use a proper punch, not the end of an allen wrench, to drive out the pin. Use the proper tool for the job. The allen wrench will bend, not properly delivering the blow. I'll bet after a bit of a soak with Kroil, you can get that pin out with one shot.

Once you have it out, examine it carefully. Chances are there is some rust binding the pin in place. I have removed stuck pins from a few Colts. A little TLC to remove any rust on the pin, and they usually go back together again very nicely.
 
If it is like mine, Hawes was the importer and it was made by JP Sauer and Sohn in West Germany. They later joined with Sig. These revolvers have a good reputation. Mine is a 44 magnum and a good shooter.
 
Thanks for the info Driftwood Johnson. The only reason I used the Allen wrench is because the short side fit between the hammer, no blows were taken! I would surely use a proper punch if I disassemble it to take the hammer out.

After I get it out would steel wool (something like 0000) be fine to use on the pin to remove rust and gunk and to just generally smooth things out?
 
Like DJ said, it's no big deal to disassemble the revolver. I've owned a couple of Hawe's (JP Sauer) .44 MAanums and they really are of good quality and both mine were REALLY accurate.
I've had base pins get a little stubborn. Mine usually did so from too many evening shooting sessions after work without cleaning. I'd take it apart and tap the pin out from the rear with a brass punch.
My favorite method for really cleaning and polishing pins is to chuck them in a drill press an run oil soaked 600 wet/dry sandpaper or 0000 steel wool up and own the length of the pin.
Keep us posted.
35W
 
Good news, the Kroil helped i think. I ended up disassembling it far enough to remove the hammer. One light blow and it moved. I used the steel wool with the remaining Kroil and it seems smoother. It is easy to take in and out now. I literally just got it back together and stepped out the back door and fired a round. Just a colibri since it was close to midnight! Worked just fine. Thanks for the tips everyone.
 
While you are at it, run a bronze bore brush & solvent through the frame hole & cylinder bushing too.

Probably 50 years of dried oil in there binding things up.

rc
 
Well done, you kept your head, had plan, didn't break anything and a good gun reborn at the end. You're on a roll.
 
Thanks MartinS. It really has been a joy to shoot. Its very accurate with CCI standard velocity LR. Now if I can just find some 22 magnums locally! The goal was to get the 22 LR cylinder in for cheap plinking but I really like the magnums too.
 
If it shoots as well as mine you've got yourself a very nice piece! Congratulations! :)
 
Oh no Slow. You've been given something by the Great Spirit, the grips are perfect as is. You just concentrate on posting a report on the magnums when you get them.
 
For whatever its worth: the photos of the guns by igota40 and SlowFuse both appear to have grips by Jay Scott, and both are aftermarket grips. The Great Western, Hy Hunter, and J.P. Sauer & Sohn had plastic imitation stag like these:

100_9985.jpg

.......and some later had one piece hardwood grips.

Jay Scott grips were plastic formed on a hardwood backing, supposedly to prevent warping.

Bob Wright
 
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