undersized hinge pin in a SB1 ?

[lee1954]

My 357 is very tight,,,,  I'm happy -- but I have to push up the releace lever each time I close it..  I've fired about 400 rounds and It's doing great ,,

So I was wondering if anyone has worked with a undersized hinge pin  in a SB1 ?  Or is that  even a   option ?  And just a TC thing.

I don't want to remove anything from the underlug.... And I could return to the origional hinge pin years down the road if it ever got loose .

I could just shoot it more and it would wear in -- but I'm just wondering...
  The chamber and bore seem realy tight... I'm liken the little handi !
 It's even shooting light cast 38 spc. well --- and  factory 357   -- I'll Max it some time ,,but for now I'm plum happy. DAN

[Spanky]

Is the forearm real tight? If the forearm is tight it will make them hard to open and close.



Spanky

[JonD.]

I would investigate the forearm as Spanky suggested. The barrel will "wear in" and lock up easier over time.

The pin in a Handi is heat treated. If you were to reduce the diameter, you would need to have it precision ground in the center section only, because it would still need to be a tight press fit into the sides of the action. You would need to know the exact amount in thousands of an inch to grind down. Most likely, given that it will lock up now, you are only going to need to reduce it a couple thousands of an inch, and the lug will wear this much over time and get a lot better. You can't use a complete smaller pin as it would slip out of the action when you opened it, not to mention it would be very difficult to find one specially ground to an exact amount undersize. It is just not a good practice to change or alter an action, but rather fit the barrel to the action. If it does not get any better over time, send it to H&R, or do a barrel fit according to the FAQ's.

[gcrank1]

I think you would be sorry you messed with the pin.
As for the catch, have you checked the engagement on the shelf as per the FAQs?

[quickdtoo]

I'm for checking forend fit per the FAQs, you've got two choices, sand the forend interface of the forend where it mates with the frame, a 1.1" drum sander works perfect, or modify the screw hole to reduce pressure on the frame/barrel, if the action closes fine without the forend, work on the forend instead of the barrel or frame. 

Tim

[lee1954]

Ok  I took off the forearm - it is still tight --- put a  20 gauge barrle on the SB1 and all works fine --- so it is just tight .... I have a SB2 frame that the 357 locks  fine...
If I have a chance of goofing up something, I care less about the sb1 frame  --

But if no one has ever had any luck with a pin, I will keep it on the sb2 and not try to ware it in the fit   ----   maybe Max it sooner !  

 I'm sure that a very little touch of a file would fix ---- And being to tight is a good problem to have.

If I changed the pin I'm wondering if a grade 8  bolt would be to soft to machine a pin from   -     Thanks Dan

[quickdtoo]

I wouldn't mess with it if it's a factory fitted barrel, send it back to H&R if it's a problem. I've never had a barrel that was too tight, even the heavy duty latch springs that I use that require both thumbs to open the action will still allow the barrel to be closed without pressing the barrel release to get the action closed,  that's not right. 

Tim

[lee1954]

The barrel closes just fine  -- but the lever doesn't  come all the way up to fully lock --- it stays locked when  fired,,,  even  if  I don't pull it up ,,
 there must be something in the action that it feels like it is cocking harder with out the relese lever pulld all the way up ..... The SB1 locks fully with a 20 gage  barrel - the spring is good ...

Anyway it sound like my pin  idea is not good  !
 instead of fitting the barrel to the SB1 --- which would be very EZ --Id rather keep the barrel fitting my SB2 frame since I have that option ... and the lug may ware

I was hoping to make both frames be the same fit,,, for barrels ---

My idea is not a workable  one,,,,,, sorry    thanks I didn't mean to waist your time. dan

[necchi]

"thanks I didn't mean to waist your time"

Heck Dan, you didn't waste nobodies time,,matter of fact I learned stuff just readin,, and I thank ya

[quickdtoo]

I'd check latch engagrment per the FAQs, if it's up to par and shooting good without messing with the release lever, call it good, the barrel release shouldn't come all the way up, it should come up about half way and stop and be loose enough to rattle if you shake the rifle. If it's coming up and is too tight to rattle, there's too much latch engagement and eventually the barrel will be loose as it wears. If the release lever is kinda sticky, you can lap it with a fine abrasive like toothpaste or fine metal polish, I've even lapped them with valve grinding compound if engagement is insufficient, just go slow and check it often just like doing a trigger job. 

Tim

[dangerranger]

 I have one reciver that has this problem. most of my shotgun barrels will swap easily from one reciver to another. but with this one reciver all barrels but the one fitted from the factory are too tight to lock up. it came with a 410 barrel. so its shot the least. my kids have long since outgrown it. I have thought of using it for a stub project, but am not shure if I want to make a barrel for a reciver that wont fit any other guns I have. [ it would bee too short]. I have also thought of reducing the pin enough that it can share with the other recivers. Or sell it as a whole gun and buy another that will interchange. DR