Well Doug, your the one asking "how to" and the ones that do the "how to" probably wouldn't mind helping so much if you didn't feel the need to express how "simple" the action is and that you should be able to figure it out (as I said, you're the one asking . . . . it's a thinker )!! I can understand wanting to "know how" but your "bedside manner" is well . . . .
The only "drop in" parts are the hammer and trigger, everything else is "slave" to the "program" those two parts present. As far as parts that " break all the time" , there are "things" one can do to those parts to keep them from breaking. Not to mention, spring tension is paramount to parts life and how to dress those. Polishing surfaces is fine but knowing "how" without rounding over critical edges that "un-do" everything you wanted "to do" is counter productive. Dressing the bolt head to track into the locking notch is important for preventing cylinder throw-by as is bolt head configuration. The shape of the hand (and length of) is important (and the difference between a 6 shot and 5 shot cyl setup!). Is that hammer cam OK? Is it too tall? Is the bolt arm sliding off the side of the cam? (Is it supposed to?) Does it need thinning? Why? How do you keep it from breaking?
I say all this just to say as simple as 4 parts and some springs can seem . . . . it ain't really . . . . it mostly depends on what you want to end up with!
As a caveat, I was taught NOT to use stones. Learn to use files and then a dremel . . .
Mike
Hmmmm . . . . is there an echo?! Lol!!!! (Ya beat me Mr. Coffin !)
I am not intending to offend or belittle y?all?s work or skills (if that were the case, I wouldn?t be here)
This would be about the third or fourth bolt I?ve had in the gun for 18 years. I?ve been told the bolt (the arms) just break relatively quick (like the hand spring or the bolt spring or even the main spring). I had a smith in Houston touch up the action and give it a good cleaning about 12 years ago.
Either I?ve been taking it to bad gunsmiths in the Houston area over the years that don?t know what they are doing or talking about regarding SA revolvers (and I won?t say that?s not possible) or the above statement is true.
I enjoy shooting, reloading and even tinkering with my guns. When something breaks, I get damn tired of having to run out, spend time finding a gunsmith or sending it half the planet away just to fix a little_________ and have the gun gone for six months.
Bolt springs, main springs and hand springs on SA and DA colt type guns are relatively simple to deal with and require little, if any, modification. I?ve successfully dealt with all for years.
If fitting a bolt/cylinder stop is something relatively simple (compared to, say, a SW DA or, God forbid, a Colt DA) that a man can do at home on his own time, with a little patience, I?d rather learn how.