Reader Forum

Unintentionally Magnetizing Tools I’ve experienced something strange in my shop and am baffled as to how it happened. All of the small tools in my shop—screwdrivers, punches, pliers, tweezers and Allen wrenches—have become magnetized. I borrowed a demagnetizer from a friend and used it on all these tools, however, a week later they had all become magnetized again. There is no electronic equipment or electromagnets anywhere around the shop. I’ve asked around locally and nobody has an idea what’s going on.

I’d be grateful if you or any American Gunsmith reader can answer shed some light on this. Louisville, KY 40222 From author Richard Mac Lean. Magnetizing tools is normally done by passing the tool though a strong magnetic field. There are lots of way to accomplish this and for under $10 you can buy a small plastic covered block with a strong magnet in it. You just pass the object thought one of the two openings to be magnetized and do the reverse to demagnetize by passing the object through the other hole. James B.

Board Glen Dale, WV If you were experiencing this with just one or two tools, one could assume that it might be some unusual property of the material, however, with such a wide variety, this is highly unlikely. My suggestion is to get a compass and see how it is oriented in your workshop relative to true magnetic north via a map of the local area. If the compass is way off in your shop there may be something in the area that is doing it.

Also, try running all your major power tools and see if the needle goes wild with a particular one. Try this in a number of areas within the shop. This may help track down the source. Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless (New Departure) I am working on an old Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless (New Departure) .32 caliber revolver, Second Model, serial #105XXX. It wouldn’t revolve the cylinder and I could not squeeze the trigger. With the side plate off I could see that one leg of the split spring was broken off.

I ordered a replacement from Jack First with the proper number from their catalog but received a different part (for a .38 caliber) with a word "USE." It doesn’t work because it hits the bottom of the sear and stops, being about 0.060 inches too long. After deciding to try it anyway, I took off about 0.060 and the part misses the sear, however, the opposite end that the hammer hits about 0.060 away from the hammer knob and won’t unlock the cylinder.

When I put a small screwdriver bit about 0.060 thick between the hammer knob and the split spring it works well. The new spring was about 0.060 short of where they meet. Harold L. Pierce I ordered anew hammer from Gun Parts Corp. It is the same size but didn’t make any difference. Would spot welding the knob on the hammer and finishing it to about 0.060 be OK? Is the split spring for the .32 different from the .38? I called back to Jack First but they haven’t been able to help.

Al Estacio Having received the wrong part only complicates everything you’re trying to do. We recommend you call Old West Gunsmithing It is presently operated by the son of David Chicoine, a contributor to these pages and author of more than one volume dedicated to the care and maintenance of older revolvers. He is also a source for out-of-production S&W parts and may be offer a better solution than the one presently under consideration.

Winchester 1890 I was reviewing by October 2013 issue and the question on the Winchester 1890 .22 rifle caught my attention because I don’t think it was completely answered. The 1890 has a cartridge-specific lifter; there is no separate cartridge cutoff. The depth of the cut in the lifter matches the cartridge length and an extension on the lower part of the lifter prevents the next cartridge from

entering the action when raised. With a longer or shorter cartridge entering the lifter, the lifter will not move up to position and jam. A spacer placed in the lifter would make the short cartridge work or you could get a LR lifter and ream the chamber. My 1890 is Short only because I can still get ammo. Longs are hard to get. Just wanted to let you know what I have found out about the little rifle over the years. Only worked on three of them, replaced a screw on one and never had a parts failure.

Thanks for the input Member Potter. We checked The Winchester Book on the 1890. A segment of the production run was limited to .22 Short rifles. Another segment could and did operate with .22LR, .22 Long and .22 Short. The reported reason for the dedicated Shorts was due to their preponderance of use as the preferred weapon in shooting galleries.

At one time, prior to the present abject and demented conviction that shooting at a target encouraged the criminal use of a gun, shooting galleries were abundant at county fairs, state fairs and even major city penny arcades. There-in people, including young children, stood four or five deep awaiting their crack at knocking down metal duck silhouettes swimming across "ponds" downrange or putting a well-placed round through a small hole in a stationary target to ring a gong hanging behind it. "Step right up folks!

Ten shots, two bits! Only one quarter of a dollah! Win a Kewpie Doll or box of candy for the pretty lady!" We remember it well. Interarms Virginian Dragoon I have an Interarms Virginian Dragoon in .357 Magnum marked "Interarms, Alexandria Virginia, USA" on top of the barrel with "Virginian Dragoon cal .357 Magnum" on the left side of the barrel. On the left side of the frame, below the cylinder, is a patent number and below that "Date Apr 16, 1974." It has an "A" prefix serial number. Walter S.

Potter My customer said the ejector rod was causing the action to lock up. I checked and the first thing I noticed was the ejector rod is missing. The spring and the finger grip are still there, but no rod. I checked Numrich (gunpartscorp.com) but they don’t have an ejector rod. Would one from a Colt SAA or Ruger work? I did have the action lock up on me, so I searched online.

One of the sites mentioned something called the "Swiss Safety" and that it worked by letting the base pin extend deeper into the frame, effectively locking the action so that the cylinder would not turn and the hammer is locked in on the first click. The site also said something about having a gunsmith rework the base pin to eliminate the Swiss Safety. Is this possible? It doesn’t really sound safe to me. And just what is a Swiss Safety?

It is not difficult to unlock the action: Push in the base pin retainer, the base pin pops forward, and you’re ready to go. Jimi As you have discovered by this time, Interarms is no longer in business. The Virginia Dragoons they once imported were made by Hammerli, made very well, and included a Swiss Safety despite being single actions. The design called for and received a second cut, or notch, in the cylinder pin. How it works?

With the cylinder pin in place, depress its locking stud as you would when removing the pin. Instead of removing it, push the cylinder pin further into the frame until it engages the second notch. What you’ve done is moved the pin through the frame so it extends far enough back to block the hammer. Presto! The Swiss Safety is now at work. Removing the cylinder pin unlocks the safety system.

Seems that peaceful nation with the lowest crime rate in the world— because everyone ever serving in the Swiss army takes their issued fully automatic rifle for keeps—is just as smart about guns as with making great watches. You can defeat the Swiss Safety when the second notch is eliminated by replacing the cylinder pin with one having no such feature. But why? Should you decide to regardless, try Jack First and VTI The latter imports retro-replica firearms.

If there’s a Virginia Dragoon among them, its cylinder pin might fit yours. AG