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DAN WESSON LARGE FRAME CYLINDER WILL SPIN COUNTER CLOCKWISE! WHATS GOING ON?
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KurtB
Pleasant Plains, Illinois
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April 15, 2025 - 1:03 pm
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I always check the cylinder for lockup problems before I accept the transfer.  So far, no problems.  

I know of a local gun store that had a brand new Norwich 715 that had lockup issues.  He sent it to DW and it was returned with having same issue.  It didn’t get fixed.  Since he was a gunsmith he said he was going to fix it himself.  This guy was Bill Ogelsby (Ogelsby & Ogelsby Gunsmithing) and he knew Dan Wesson in the early 70s.  Used to do stuff with him.

DW-15-2VH15-7-Barrel-Super-Pac.jpeg

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Stmstan 445
Phoenix, Arizona
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April 15, 2025 - 2:52 pm
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Yea my FFL is a gun smith he fixed a 44 magnum I had so he knows how to take a large frame apart. worst case I have him put a new spring in the gun I was just wondering how this seems to be a problem on a pretty high percent of large frame Dan Wessons. Never had a small frame do it. I noticed that when I cock the gun and put the hammer back then the cylinder will not move. As i said soaking it in hopps and WD-40 seems to make it better or will solve the problem sometimes. I was caught off guard when one of my 7445 First Issues did it. I thought it was only Palmer guns as the other 3 guns that it had done were Palmer large frame guns. 

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DakotaJack
SD
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April 18, 2025 - 8:18 pm
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I've got a First Issue 7445 with the same symptom.  I haven't taken the time yet to take it apart, clean it, and replace the bolt spring.  Maybe this weekend if I have some spare time I'll do it.

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Stmstan 445
Phoenix, Arizona
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April 18, 2025 - 10:58 pm
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I have 3 guns at my FFL/Gunshith all with same problem right now being fixed. Will for sure check every gun purchased for now on. Another problem I have seen is most guns being sold on gunbroker have no 3 day return policy. I have to start paying attention to that also. Once you buy the gun it's yours no matter how screwed up it is. You can buy the $25 insurance maybe I should have been doing this. I just never checked for the cylinder going backward on the guns I bought. They work just fine with this problem I have shot several of them the cylinder locks up when hammer is pulled back and the cylinder rotates just fine going forward. I have learned a good couple of lessons. First if there is no return policy on the gun for sale then pass it buy no matter how tempting it is or ask a lot of questions before bidding. If a seller will not back up their gun for sale they are not a honest seller!

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DakotaJack
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April 19, 2025 - 10:31 am
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It's really no big deal and the cylinder locks up fine.  Just don't be spinning the cylinder backwards and don't lose too much sleep over it.  Mine has been like that for 15 years but now that it's a topic of discussion, I'll take it apart later today and put the new bolt spring in and clean it, and see if it resolves it.

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DakotaJack
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April 20, 2025 - 1:58 am
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Stan - I was able to resolve this "problem" 100% with a strip down/cleaning and bolt spring replacement.  I don't think I needed to replace the spring but I did it anyway since it was apart.  I cleaned all the internals, brushed down the bolt with a bronze brush, replaced the spring, lightly oiled everything and reassembled.  Voila...."problem" gone.  If you encounter this problem, you really don't need to send it off to a gunsmith.  You can do it yourself and if you need help I can walk you through it.  I definitely trust myself before I trust anyone else with my firearms - if I can fix it myself I always go that route first.

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Stmstan 445
Phoenix, Arizona
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April 20, 2025 - 2:59 am
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I figured all along it was a problem with old grease & gum keeping the cylinder stop from returning all the way in place. My two guns are in the hands of my FFL/gunsmith he is a longtime friend and does work very reasonably for me like $40 to strip clean a large frame so I will let him handle my guns. will keep you all posted! I'm glad this is a simple problem to fix! These Dan Wessons get pushed aside for years as they are passed down to newer generations many do not care about shooting. The younger generation would rather shoot in Warcraft games instead of going outside in the fresh air and getting exercise. That's why we come across so many neglected guns!

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Scout728
North Texas
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April 20, 2025 - 3:12 pm
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DakotaJack said
You can do it yourself and if you need help I can walk you through it.  I definitely trust myself before I trust anyone else with my firearms - if I can fix it myself I always go that route first.

  

So, a Tutorial is soon to be posted?

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SCORPIO
PA

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April 21, 2025 - 8:16 am
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Theres

Scout728 said

DakotaJack said

You can do it yourself and if you need help I can walk you through it.  I definitely trust myself before I trust anyone else with my firearms - if I can fix it myself I always go that route first.

  

So, a Tutorial is soon to be posted?

There's already a tutorial in the Average Joe thread.  It's good and if you follow the link to the fishing line trick, it's even easier.

Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

My father

If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.

My grandfather

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