How to disable/deactivate a revolver?

Rich Miranda · December 3, 2009, 02:53 AM

My stepfather passed away a little over a week ago. He was a very interesting man with a long history in law enforcement and private security.

I wasn't present to go through his belongings but his Glock 21 went to his father-in-law, and I was presented with his - drum roll - Rohm .38 Special!

Well, I dislike Glocks, so I'm glad I didn't get that. It would have served no purpose and I'd feel guilty if I traded it off.

But the Rohm.... is interesting. It has a pretty sweet action, and the thumb pad on the hammer is big and soft. The finish is all sanded down (with about 75-grit sandpaper) but the gun seems functional. I intend to get it home and clean it up.

Of course, I have read about Rohms, so I intend to disable the gun post-haste

, and have it serve as a simple reminder of the man who owned it.

I can probably figure out something that will work, but what is the established procedure for deactivating a revolver?

Jim March · December 3, 2009, 04:00 AM

Pulling the firing pin is best, or if that's difficult, break the tip off (esp. if hammer mounted).

You could also pull the mainspring but it could still go off if dropped fully loaded (if it dropped on the hammer).

unit 900 · December 3, 2009, 09:57 AM

Disabling the firing pin is best, as already mentioned. Epoxy in the action is an additional step, along with keeping ammunition well away.

tdrizzle · December 3, 2009, 12:22 PM

Aren't Rohms the poster children for the Saturday Night Special, after Hinckley used one to try and kill Reagan?

Sounds like the sort of thing that an old time cop would have used for a throwdown-not saying your stepdad kept it for that reason or would have used it for that, but I doubt a sanded finish would take much of a print...

cohoskip · December 3, 2009, 03:31 PM

I have a Rohm .22lr/.22mag revolver that functions perfectly and is accurate.
Not sure if I would trust one in a larger caliber tho...

L_Killkenny · December 3, 2009, 03:47 PM

Why the heck would you want to do that with a gun you've never even shot? I agree their reputation isn't very good and more than likely earned but you're gonna take the word of "internet research" and just toss it in the scrap heap.

Take the gun and shoot. I always figure the truth is always somewhere in the middle. No gun is as bad as you hear and none are as great as you hear. Some are close both ways. With all the bad things and people saying how crappy they are, most of it is just regurgitated internet BS from people with zero first hand experience with whatever gun they are talking about. It's the same for taurus', high-points, Mini-14's etc.

LK

**Mike Irwin** · December 3, 2009, 04:24 PM

Sledgehammer.

A good pounding also has the added advantage of making a Rohm look better.

Jim March · December 3, 2009, 06:40 PM

Firing it should involve a vice and 100yds of string.

drail · December 3, 2009, 07:10 PM

Really big sledgehammer. Repeatedly.

danez71 · December 3, 2009, 08:21 PM

I have my mom's OLD .22lr Rohm.

IF its the same.... the firing pin assy can be unscrewed. Access is from the hammer side.

45_Shooter · December 3, 2009, 10:42 PM

Quote:

IF its the same.... the firing pin assy can be unscrewed.

SIGSHR · December 4, 2009, 04:52 PM

"Disabling" ? Deactivating" ? Make me cringe. Like putting a hole in a tea kettle you inherited from your grandmother.

James K · December 5, 2009, 07:02 PM

Some say shoot it. Some say disable it.

I am on both sides. Just shoot it a few rounds and it will disable itself.

Jim

earlthegoat2 · December 6, 2009, 09:14 AM

I have to say it...

Can you please post some pics.

gyvel · December 6, 2009, 10:01 AM

Again: My tired old anecdote.

In the 80s I was working as gunsmith in a store in Miami, FL. An elderly woman walked in with an RG (Rohm Gesellschaft) .38 special revolver.

Counter guy calls me out front to take a look at it.

The gun, being made of pot metal, was extremely corroded.

(Important detail: Our contertops were carpeted.)

Counter guy says "Watch this," procedes to tap the barrel once on the counter top and the gun immediately shatters into 20 or so pieces.

Need I say more?

oldgoat1911 · December 7, 2009, 09:15 PM

Use it as a fishing weight because it is not heavy enough to anchor even a small boat. LOL

December 3, 2009, 02:53 AM	#1
Rich Miranda Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2008 Location: San Antonio, not San Antone... Posts: 1,203	How to disable/deactivate a revolver? My stepfather passed away a little over a week ago. He was a very interesting man with a long history in law enforcement and private security. I wasn't present to go through his belongings but his Glock 21 went to his father-in-law, and I was presented with his - drum roll - Rohm .38 Special! Well, I dislike Glocks, so I'm glad I didn't get that. It would have served no purpose and I'd feel guilty if I traded it off. But the Rohm.... is interesting. It has a pretty sweet action, and the thumb pad on the hammer is big and soft. The finish is all sanded down (with about 75-grit sandpaper) but the gun seems functional. I intend to get it home and clean it up. Of course, I have read about Rohms, so I intend to disable the gun post-haste , and have it serve as a simple reminder of the man who owned it. I can probably figure out something that will work, but what is the established procedure for deactivating a revolver? __________________ Read this!: I collect .38 Special and .357 Mag cartridges and I will PAY CASH for the headstamps I don't already have! Please PM me. Please donate blood, plasma, and platelets - people's lives literally depend on it.

December 3, 2009, 04:00 AM	#2
Jim March Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 1999 Location: Pittsburg, CA, USA Posts: 7,417	Pulling the firing pin is best, or if that's difficult, break the tip off (esp. if hammer mounted). You could also pull the mainspring but it could still go off if dropped fully loaded (if it dropped on the hammer). __________________ Jim March

December 3, 2009, 03:31 PM	#5
cohoskip Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2007 Location: Chimacum, WA Posts: 424	I have a Rohm .22lr/.22mag revolver that functions perfectly and is accurate. Not sure if I would trust one in a larger caliber tho... __________________ To err is human, to forgive divine Neither is Marine Corps policy... NRA Life Member

December 3, 2009, 04:24 PM	#7
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,379	Sledgehammer. A good pounding also has the added advantage of making a Rohm look better. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

December 3, 2009, 06:40 PM	#8
Jim March Senior Member Join Date: February 14, 1999 Location: Pittsburg, CA, USA Posts: 7,417	Firing it should involve a vice and 100yds of string. __________________ Jim March

December 3, 2009, 09:57 AM	#3
unit 900 Senior Member Join Date: August 16, 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 130	Disabling the firing pin is best, as already mentioned. Epoxy in the action is an additional step, along with keeping ammunition well away.

December 3, 2009, 12:22 PM	#4
tdrizzle Senior Member Join Date: September 11, 2007 Location: St Paul Posts: 209	Aren't Rohms the poster children for the Saturday Night Special, after Hinckley used one to try and kill Reagan? Sounds like the sort of thing that an old time cop would have used for a throwdown-not saying your stepdad kept it for that reason or would have used it for that, but I doubt a sanded finish would take much of a print...

December 3, 2009, 03:47 PM	#6
L_Killkenny Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2007 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,676	Why the heck would you want to do that with a gun you've never even shot? I agree their reputation isn't very good and more than likely earned but you're gonna take the word of "internet research" and just toss it in the scrap heap. Take the gun and shoot. I always figure the truth is always somewhere in the middle. No gun is as bad as you hear and none are as great as you hear. Some are close both ways. With all the bad things and people saying how crappy they are, most of it is just regurgitated internet BS from people with zero first hand experience with whatever gun they are talking about. It's the same for taurus', high-points, Mini-14's etc. LK

December 3, 2009, 07:10 PM	#9
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	Really big sledgehammer. Repeatedly.

December 3, 2009, 08:21 PM	#10
danez71 Senior Member Join Date: June 2, 2009 Posts: 438	I have my mom's OLD .22lr Rohm. IF its the same.... the firing pin assy can be unscrewed. Access is from the hammer side.

December 4, 2009, 04:52 PM	#12
SIGSHR Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2005 Posts: 4,700	"Disabling" ? Deactivating" ? Make me cringe. Like putting a hole in a tea kettle you inherited from your grandmother.

December 5, 2009, 07:02 PM	#13
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Some say shoot it. Some say disable it. I am on both sides. Just shoot it a few rounds and it will disable itself. Jim

December 6, 2009, 09:14 AM	#14
earlthegoat2 Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2009 Location: Lowcountry Posts: 373	I have to say it... Can you please post some pics. __________________ I say take off the warning labels and let them sort themselves out.

December 6, 2009, 10:01 AM	#15
gyvel Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2009 Location: Northern AZ Posts: 7,172	Again: My tired old anecdote. In the 80s I was working as gunsmith in a store in Miami, FL. An elderly woman walked in with an RG (Rohm Gesellschaft) .38 special revolver. Counter guy calls me out front to take a look at it. The gun, being made of pot metal, was extremely corroded. (Important detail: Our contertops were carpeted.) Counter guy says "Watch this," procedes to tap the barrel once on the counter top and the gun immediately shatters into 20 or so pieces. Need I say more?

December 7, 2009, 09:15 PM	#16
oldgoat1911 Junior Member Join Date: December 7, 2009 Posts: 8	fishing weight Use it as a fishing weight because it is not heavy enough to anchor even a small boat. LOL

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