AETNA no2 32 rimfire help needed antique status

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laurencen

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like the title says needing help with a AETNA #2 revolver 1876, got this some time ago and been tinkering with it, finally got some spring steel to make a new trigger spring, the cylinder lock functions, with the new trigger spring when the hammer is pulled the trigger rotates to unlock the cylinder but it was missing the lever and pin for the cylinder advance, I crafter a lever, turned a pin and it will function for half dozen cycled but the pin or lever will work its way out or jamb, there is no side cover to remove to access these parts its all done thro the trigger slot at the bottom,

my guess is the lever is not right even though it will sort of work, what I need is a assembly layout of the workings to determine the correct shape and fit or a picture of the correct parts to compare, the internet is of no help so looking for anyone who may have something to get this thing back working

thanks in advance
 
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Sorry, these old guns were not built well or from the best materials in the first place. Unless they look new, they are not worth much. You might do better selling it as a project than you will spending 20 hours at $5/hr fixing the thing.

That said, there are no pictures. I will check to see if I have one but all these H&R guns are very similar. They have 2 pins you can see and one screw In the action, and inside, a pin in the hammer for the cylinder “hand”, with its own little spring.

When the hammer starts back, the trigger moves and the cylinder lock lever drops. These actions depend on two springs, and on the groove in the trigger being clean enough for the cylinder lock lever to drop in. This unlocks the cylinder.

As the hammer moves further back, the cylinder hand engages the cylinder and starts to turn it. The trigger moves further back (trigger is a lever and the top moves back as the bottom moves forward) and the cylinder lock starts up again to prepare to drop into a locking slot.

As the hammer reaches full #### position, the hand has finished moving the cylinder, the trigger is all the way back and holds the hammer cocked, and the lock is in its slot. Ready to fire.

If pins are working loose, a tiny bit of weak Loc-Tite or similar glue on one clean side of the pin will stop that. If the pin is small enough to fall out, it also isn’t holding its part(s) straight, and any wobble means things go wrong. While the action is simple, the parts are surprisingly precise (if they work) and very hard to copy without an example to follow. To fix this gun, you will probably need a working one to copy the part(s) from. As long as your springs don’t get in the way of moving parts they usually work, but the trigger/lock/hand relationship is fussy, and pins must be big enough to keep parts from moving out of their close relationship.

If things work until your pin slips out, glue the pin. If they sort of work, make the pin(s) bigger in diameter.

Clean everything, ultrasound is best, and oil it a bit. That is usually step 1...

Step 1 for me would be to sell this as a winter project and find another gun. Unless this was a close relative’s gun, it’s not worth the hours.
 
thanks gunzik for the info, I was able to find the patent diagram for this revolver action, it does show how the mechanics work and I made up a couple of hands to try, and yes 20 hours is about right god knows how the assemblers did this full time, anyway Im close, it will function as you describe but I think the hand may be slightly too long, when the hammer is retracted the cylinder lock starts to drop and hand moves forward and tries to push the cylinder before its fully unlocked, a slight pressure on the trigger does allow it to rotate and as the hammer is fully back cylinder locks.

now given the time to assemble this piece of history not wanting to take it apart again, its so close best to leave it alone now and find some 32 rim fire rounds to shoot it, ant suggestions how to make up a few
 
Some where ,I had the remains of one of those, but I think it went in a box of parts I sold at one of the shows , before everything shut down.
If you cam manufacture some 32 and 25 rimfire, you have it made. Did you see the price of that ammo that a collector's estate I know , sold for at Wards auction in Edmonton?
I think with fees and taxes and shipping , about $4.oo/ rnd.
When working on stuff like this , you can't be figuring labor costs, as it don't compute.
 
^^ Yup it's like anything else, it's a labour of love. It's about the journey not the destination. I love tinkering with that stuff and never once worried about my labour (and I'm a WORLD more than $5/hour!).

Either you want to do it, or you don't. If (like myself) you do, then more power to ya.

Making the ammo isn't complicated, but can be time consuming. I've built my .32s using about every method you'll find on the 'net. A lathe will shorten your time spent. I hear HC Collections units work well.
 
I never shot them enough to mess with making rimfire ammo or adapters. Just make 38, 357, 45's. I use to have a lot of 25 and 32rim 30 yrs ago. You could sometimes find new runs of it.
I have spent many hours / days restoring some guns , turning a 100.oo Cooey into a 175.oo one or the like, Winter time in the shop , just playing. Best was a English Childs 32 BP , target rifle, gold and silver inlays in the barrel, and the wood.
At that time , never thought about taking pictures of anything, old guns , cars , Harley and Indian Cycles, Girls, etc. BTW at that time frame , $2.25/hr with papers.
 
for me time in the shop is a way to relax especially now its cold, have the equipment to modify just about anything, I was told its a 32 but quick measure of bore is 0.301 and yes saw the price some 32 rim fire sold for, crazy,

have to look for another project this winter
 
Good for you, laurencen!

These small parts were made with "copy mills", which kind of look like key machines to us. The original CNC machine, they used the original part on one side, which was "read" by a guide, and a blank on the other side, which got cut into the same shape. Of course, if you don't have the part, you're in the world of hurt you describe. If you had a working hand, and took it and a steel blank to a locksmith, you could probably get another one in minutes for a reasonable cost. Safe deposit keys, and locker keys, have worked in the past, for me. Most locksmiths today wouldn't touch a gun part, but in the bad old days, even a few years ago, there were easily half a dozen local guys who would laugh and help out. You would still need to finish the part by hand, but it would be within a few thousandths of an inch...

My favorite recipe for .32 rimfire is the drilled out .32 short Colt brass, into which a .27 Hilti rimfire round fits. Ramset also makes these. The lightest load possible, and .3125 ball (or a neat 70 grain hollow base wadcutter someone on here sold me), and you have fun on the range for about 35 cents a shot. Of course, that's using white Hilti from the liquidation table ($20 / 1000 since nobody wants that). I've been too scared to go up in power, but there are plenty of people here writing about how they use Brown and other colors, and still have all their digits.

A light projectile is the key to keeping pressures reasonable. If what you're doing is questionable, measure the heck out of the cylinder, put it in a Ransom rest or similar device (De Vise) and use some string... then measure again. If there is ANY change to cylinder measurements after you fire, stop.

Most cylinders will stretch before they fail. I have seen this. Notice I said MOST, and I am not encouraging you to find out what makes a boom instead of a bang, but weak loads behind a light projectile, triggered cautiously, are still safer than many other things we don't think twice about doing.

Best of luck!
 
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