I just saw a Wrangler and it is a nice well made pistol. I opened the loading gate and boy, was it stiff to open!!!! I am wondering if there is a way to make it easier to operate? I handled a couple of them and they were all that way. That is my only complaint on the pistol so far.
I only have 100 rds through my Wrangler as yet, it "seems" that the gate operates a bit easier than it did, but that may be wishful thinking on my part. I oiled it right away upon receipt, and that *did* help slightly.
I had a single6 fully stripped down. As I recall, It was not too difficult. Basically, you push out two pins and it all falls out. You can look for a you tube.
If it is a serious problem, then it should be possible to do something about the loading gate. Polish, stone, file or cut a coil off something. I forget how that works exactly. Must be a spring and plunger in there. Then if the hole in the aluminum is too small, that could be tricky. First step, strip it down and find the reason for the stiffness. The shaft could be polished with 2000 grit? I dont know, just guessing here. As they say it is not rocket surgery or is that brain science
the loading gate is what locks/unlocks the cylinder to load/unload. I guess it has to be stiffer than usual to make the gun function correctly. maybe it will ease up a little with lube and use.
the loading gate is what locks/unlocks the cylinder to load/unload. I guess it has to be stiffer than usual to make the gun function correctly. maybe it will ease up a little with lube and use.
I took my new pair of Wranglers to the range today and was wearing out my thumb with the loading gate. On a walk down to check my target I picked up half of a wooden clothes pin. It's a perfect tool to use to open the loading gate. No more sore thumb. :bthumb:
The Wranglers both shot quite well with every flavor of ammo that I tried. I liked them enough that I picked up another on the way back from the range.
I followed the advice of taking out the cylinder latch spring (it looks like a hairpin) and crushing it closed a little, and that worked great, loading gate is now perfectly
easy to use, and cylinder latch works fine.
My first wrangler the gate spring was so sharp with burs it would cut. after a debur it was alot better and then bending spring made it just right. On the number two burs where not as bad but a debur and tweck was still nessasary.
Another way - open the gate and leave it open overnight. Helped mine a lot. I've been storing it open in the safe, the extra time doesn't seem to have helped much over the first full day.
Here’s an easy safe way to smooth up your loading gate issue. First remove the cylinder. Take some flitz and dab where the spring and gate interface. Work the gate till it loosens to your desired amount. Clean all the flitz, apply your favorite lube and you’re good to go. Put your cylinder back in and off to the range.
That being said, you can replace the hammer spring and make it lighter. Wolff springs. I use 18# hammer springs in Wranglers...30oz trigger springs are a good swap too.
If you want metal parts to "wear in" (aka get easier to operate) doesn't putting oil on it defeat the purpose??
I would oil it only after it got easier to operate.
YMMV
The loading gait on my Ruger wasn't to bad. Its not overly stiff but tight didn't hurt my fingers opening and closing it. Its a nice revolver to shoot so much fun with stingers.
The gate spring needs to be taken out , file off a little bit at a time on the angle 45 edge , then polish to a smooth finish . With the gate out , smooth under it with a fine file (remove the burrs from the casting ) the use a light machine oil on it . Reassemble check to see the big difference . Oh . You will need to hold the spring down to move the pin holding in place , move the pin just an 1/8” to remove the spring . a small “C” clamp works great for the job . Splitthumb
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