Author Topic: new DW 15...questions (Read 1032 times)

azmike · « **on:** July 29, 2004, 03:56:05 PM »

I bought a new manufacture DW15-VH5 this past spring. First I have to say it is a beautiful revolver. This is the second model 15 I have owned (I got the first one 14 years ago for 150 dollars and sold it for twice that a year later. Should have kept it.)

Anyway, I have about 250 rounds through this new one so far (200 .38 158gr LRN, 50 .357 158gr JSP). I adjusted the rear sight all the way down to start with. I hope it is just me, but I am consistently hitting about 4.5 inches high at 15 yards, 2 inches high at 7 yards. My groups are good, just high. Any suggestions? If this is a user problem, it could be that I'm used to my duty auto's trijicon sights, which appear very different from the yellow ramp Millett front sight on the Dan Wesson.

Also, I noticed that when firing single action with .357 loads, recocking the hammer for the next shot required that I reach up and wiggle the cylinder side to side, otherwise I was unable to cock the hammer. This happened at least once for all five cylinders of .357 fired single action. Did not have this problem with .38s or firing double action.

I was careful to clean the revolver well prior to and following firing, and strictly adhered to the barrel assembly instructions, setting the gap at a snug .006.

Are these normal issues with a new revolver? Like I said, I hope that the high groups are my error (and therefore correctable), and I also am hopeful that I'm just experiencing a normal break-in period.

475/480 · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2005, 09:35:23 AM »

With the sights ,if you are hitting high you RAISE the rear sight, if shooting low you LOWER rear sight.

Sean

braud357 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2005, 01:46:59 PM »

Sean - I am afraid that you have that backwards. To raise the point of impact - you RAISE the rear sight. To lower the point of impact - you LOWER the rear sight. Rule of thumb is - you move the sight in the direction you want the bullet to strike - this also applies to windage

braud357 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2005, 01:49:02 PM »

Also to clarify - a TALLER front sight will lower impact - and a SHORTER front sight will raise impact

RollTide · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2005, 02:28:34 PM »

Braud357,
You are correct about the sight adjustment of course, but it is a very easy thing to get reversed. I get it backward myself occasionally on the front sight.

Azmike
As to your problem. Your are probably setting your gap too "snug". I usually just set mine so that the barrel just barely touches the guage. I don't know if this will effect your point of impact problem, but it should fix your sticky cylinder problem. A tight gap helps with velocity and accuracy, but if you shoot ammo with a slow burning or "dirty" burning powder, unburned powder particles or powder residue can stick between the cylinder and the forcing cone locking the cylinder.

Another possibility is the cylinder may have one chamber that may be .001 or .002 longer than the other. Again, a slightly looser gap will fix the problem.

Although I have never heard of it on any revolver, there is the possibility that the notch in the rear sight was not cut deeply enough for some reason due to a manufacturing error, or even more unlikely, the front sight was made too short. DW will fix theses problems if they exist.

If you have the slightest bit of end shake in the cylinder, you may have to set the gap a little bit bigger. This will still be much closer than most other revolvers, so your accuracy and velocity should still be uneffected. Of course if you find excessive end shake, DW should replace it for you.

I would try loosening the cylinder gap until you are certain that no powder particles of any kind could cause a problem and there is no cyliner drag on any chamber against the forcing cone. If that does not work, try different ammo and see what the results are. If that does not take care of both problems, I would send it back for warranty service and I bet DW will get it working fine and send it back.

Good luck,

Roll Tide

azmike · « **Reply #5 on:** February 24, 2005, 08:17:15 AM »

Thanks everybody for your replies. I will try function with slightly mere cylinder gap.

I contacted DW about the point of impact issue, and will be sending the revolver in, once I have enough in the "gun fund" to cover the trigger work I want done while they have the gun. The folks at Dan Wesson seem to be responsive to their customers, and I'll report on how the issue has been resolved when we reach that point.

unspellable · « **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2005, 12:22:55 PM »

Simple test for barrel drag would be to just screw the barrel out a quarter inch away from the cylinder face and then try cocking with the barrel well clear.

All cylinders have some face runout. Ideally the amount should be so small as to be undetectable. You can check it by putting a fairly snug feeler gauge in the cylinder gap and rotating the cylinder to see if there are any tight or loose spots. You may find a little bit which is OK, if very noticable the cylinder should be faced off. Manufactures will in some cases allow as much as 0.003 inch difference between the high and low spots. If detectable, set the cylinder gap at the tightest spot. 0.006 is plenty for free rotation.

If you still cannot cock it in SA then I would think there is some sort of timing problem. No, a new revolver should not do this. It's not a matter of break in.