I have a Pocket Army, which is colloquially known as a "Skull crusher". In any event, the smaller .38 I have dissassembles by cocking the hammer back, pushing back the ventrally located latch, and pressing in the spring-loaded button on the left side and twisting to the left. Doing the same on my Pocket Army yields no productive results. Is there something different between models or am I just not applying enough torque? Part of the problem is that the torque required may be significantly more than that required to dissassemble the .38 and one is applying pressure to the left located spring latch while attempting to twist in the opposite direction.
Disassembling Merwin & Hulbert .44 cal Pocket Army
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Anyone out there have any ideas? 66 folks have read my post, and no response. Perhaps everyone else is as baffled as I am!
BBBBill
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The type of barrel latch differs but AFAIK, all those M&H guns open the same way. If yours doesn't, I suspect either the barrel latch is jammed some how, or there is just old grease clogging up the works.
Jim
Jim
Thank you, Jim K, for your response.
I will have to look at this revolver when I have some time. Mechanically functions fine, in decent shape, AND I purchased two from the seller and he disassembled them both (this one and the .38) and shipped the barrels and cylinders in one box and the receiver in another box. So I actually assembled these together, fairly easily, a few months ago, and, obviously, the seller was able to disassemble them prior to shipping.
Maybe I just need to pump more iron at the gym.
I will have to look at this revolver when I have some time. Mechanically functions fine, in decent shape, AND I purchased two from the seller and he disassembled them both (this one and the .38) and shipped the barrels and cylinders in one box and the receiver in another box. So I actually assembled these together, fairly easily, a few months ago, and, obviously, the seller was able to disassemble them prior to shipping.
Maybe I just need to pump more iron at the gym.
I am rereading your post and wonder about your description of the "button on the left side." The barrel latch on that gun is on the bottom ahead of the trigger guard, and pushes back toward the trigger guard to open the gun.
The button on the left side of the barrel assembly is for removing the barrel from the arbor (base pin) after the gun is open.
Could there be some confusion here?
Jim
The button on the left side of the barrel assembly is for removing the barrel from the arbor (base pin) after the gun is open.
Could there be some confusion here?
Jim
tark
Member
Wish I could help, but very few of us out here (myself included) have ever SEEN a real M&H, much less touched one.
Yes, there was confusion here...
The bottom button or lever, ahead of the trigger guard, is indeed the one used to enable the barrel to twist 90 degrees to the right, and if you want to remove the barrel from the frame, you would utilize the lever or button latch on the left side of the barrel. How do I know this. Well, I viewed this MOST EXCELLENT video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSea9_Mt1ok
The video shows that, in order to crack open the barrel, hold that lower lever back, and have at half-cock. THAT was the issue. No half-cock on this revolver. By holding the hammer in the approximate position of half-cock, I was able to easily twist the barrel 90 degrees and pull forward.
So, now, any ideas as to what could be causing the lack of a half-cock position and what to do?
The lack of a half-cock is probably due to either a broken/worn sear (like other SA guns, the top of the trigger is the sear) or a broken out half cock notch in the hammer. With parts unobtainable, it is usually easier to forget repairs and simply hold the hammer back while unlocking the gun.
FWIW, the company considered that butt shape to be nothing more than a lanyard attachment, more solid than the usual lanyard loop, and not for cracking skulls (or walnuts).
Jim
FWIW, the company considered that butt shape to be nothing more than a lanyard attachment, more solid than the usual lanyard loop, and not for cracking skulls (or walnuts).
Jim
The options, sensibly, for why the firearm would not function at half-cock are a broken/damaged sear or damaged/sheared half-cock notch. Understandably makes sense, except, from attached photographs, the sear is not damaged or malfunctioning and the half-cock notch does not simply appear to be damaged or worn, it appears to be absent. Could it be (unlikely) that it simply was absent from the beginning, a QC problem? I know this seems far-fetched, but the absent half-cock notch is such that it appears flush with the curvature of the hammer, and it seems unlikely that it would be worn or sheared in such a manner to appear as it currently does. See attached photos and judge for yourself or provide commentary.
Also, you will note a missing screw that attaches the side plate. A photograph of a like screw is included in the photographs. If you know of where I can find a like screw, maybe this is one that is interchangeable with other screws within revolvers produced during the last decades of the 19th Century, that would be most helpful.
Also, you will note a missing screw that attaches the side plate. A photograph of a like screw is included in the photographs. If you know of where I can find a like screw, maybe this is one that is interchangeable with other screws within revolvers produced during the last decades of the 19th Century, that would be most helpful.
Attachments
Well, there is a loading notch there (#3 picture) , but it does not appear to hold the hammer back far enough; it might have been worn and re-cut at one time. BTW, the notch is really not a half-cock, though I called it that, but more like a quarter cock, rather like the Colt "safety" notch.
I am not sure why, but a lot of M-H guns have hammers with broken out or worn off notches; maybe the hammers are too soft under the case hardening.
Jim
I am not sure why, but a lot of M-H guns have hammers with broken out or worn off notches; maybe the hammers are too soft under the case hardening.
Jim
Yes, indeed, more like a quarter cock than true half cock. At this point, I think it is best to dissassemble holding the hammer back to "quarter cock" rather than trying to fix anything.
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