buffalo arms .357 derringer

Crash.45 · September 12, 2010, 04:09 PM

i have a buffalo arms model 1 .357 magnum chambered over under derringer

that i am having a few problems with, the gun is a bit older made in the late

70s early 80s, the fderringer only shoots the top barrel for some reason and

it wont shoot the bottom one, both firing pins move fine but when you cock

the gun then shoot the top then cock it again it wont switch to the bottom

barrel, ive taken the grips off to try to examine why it wouldnt engage but i

only have a general idea, is this something i could perhaps fix easily or should

i take it to my local gunsmith, i like th gun very much and want it to work

100% if i have to depend on it, please give me some positive feedback,

thanks all!

ohen cepel · September 12, 2010, 04:31 PM

Sounds like the firing pin isn't rotating.

If you don't see anything that looks wrong inside of it then I would give it a good cleaning internally with some Gun Scrub. May just be gunked up from time/dust/dirt. Happens fairly often.

After a good cleaning and light lube test fire/function check it.

If that doesn't fix the issue then take it to a smith.

Crash.45 · September 12, 2010, 07:43 PM

hey ohen cepel, thanks for the advice i know a fair amount about firearms

but this one had me stumped, its still not working 100% after i did that but

perhaps someonelse knows something i can do to get this thing working

correctly before i have to take it in?

Crash.45 · September 13, 2010, 07:25 PM

well i had it somewhat working and then about 2 minutes ago i was test/dry

firing it some more and the hammer broke in half, is it possible for a trained

gunsmith to fix this for me considering parts are nearly obsolete for it? coul

he possibly weld it back together? as i said i like tis gun a lot and would like

to have it in as close to 100% shape as possible...

Crash.45 · September 14, 2010, 04:42 PM

bump

Bill DeShivs · September 14, 2010, 05:30 PM

A gunsmith won't be able to do anything to it if you keep "working" on it!

dreamweaver · September 14, 2010, 08:10 PM

Quote:

A gunsmith won't be able to do anything to it if you keep "working" on it!

Crash.45 · September 15, 2010, 04:16 PM

haha, thanks guys, yea im a bit impatient sometimes

....anyway its going to the smith today and i'll see if i can tell everyone the verdict......

Crash.45 · September 15, 2010, 07:28 PM

yep, got myself a new paperweight.... booooo

Bill DeShivs · September 15, 2010, 08:21 PM

What is the hammer made of? I might be able to repair it for you.

dreamweaver · September 15, 2010, 10:06 PM

Quote:

yep, got myself a new paperweight

don't give up so fast!
like bill said, most likely repairable.
cobra derringers are a knock off of yours and plentiful. i bet some parts are interchangeable with some basic fitting/mods.
if not, a new part could be fabricated pretty easily, as long as you have the original for a pattern. worse comes to worse, parts can be welded, machined and heat treated to be good (or better)as new.
theres a few folks here that can rebuild your derringer in a reasonable time frame. i'm confident it can be done, but i couldn't even look at it for 3 months, just way too busy right now. pm me if you can't find anyone else.
tom
btw, i'm retired and do smithing more as a hobby now. hence, i usually charge only what it costs me. right now i'm building 1911's, which is why the 3 month wait.

Crash.45 · September 17, 2010, 09:48 PM

hey dream weaver and bill, thank you both very much! that makes me feel a

lot better about the gun, and bill i will probably have to get back to you

about what the derringers hammer is made out of because im not 100 % sure

right now but i will let you know most definatly, and like i said thanks for the

interest/support!

Crash.45 · September 17, 2010, 09:51 PM

also the lock up is quite sloppy and if that can be fixed it would be much

appreciated also, i will try for pics as soon as i can as well

Crash.45 · September 18, 2010, 12:47 PM

i believe just from my personal experience it cold rolled leaded steel, im not

100% positive, but i know its not heat treated.

Bill DeShivs · September 18, 2010, 01:22 PM

Is a magnet attracted to it?

dreamweaver · September 18, 2010, 04:56 PM

Quote:

but i know its not heat treated.

if it is repaired by welding it should be heat treated afterwards. not a big deal. just stabilizes the metal.

Crash.45 · September 18, 2010, 06:16 PM

yes the magnet was attracted to it, and if it can be repaired it would be

much appreciated, and a weight off of my shoulders

Willie Lowman · February 9, 2020, 03:53 PM

Seeing as this thread was 10 years old, I think he has taken care of it by now.

Carmady · February 20, 2020, 10:47 PM

Quote:

I have hammer assemblies for the
Buffalo Arms Derringer.

Hi. This thread is 10 years old.

You could list your stuff on ebay. Good luck.

September 12, 2010, 04:09 PM	#1
Crash.45 Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Location: Lockport Illinois Posts: 38	buffalo arms .357 derringer i have a buffalo arms model 1 .357 magnum chambered over under derringer that i am having a few problems with, the gun is a bit older made in the late 70s early 80s, the fderringer only shoots the top barrel for some reason and it wont shoot the bottom one, both firing pins move fine but when you cock the gun then shoot the top then cock it again it wont switch to the bottom barrel, ive taken the grips off to try to examine why it wouldnt engage but i only have a general idea, is this something i could perhaps fix easily or should i take it to my local gunsmith, i like th gun very much and want it to work 100% if i have to depend on it, please give me some positive feedback, thanks all!

September 12, 2010, 04:31 PM	#2
ohen cepel Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 1999 Location: Where they send me Posts: 1,013	Sounds like the firing pin isn't rotating. If you don't see anything that looks wrong inside of it then I would give it a good cleaning internally with some Gun Scrub. May just be gunked up from time/dust/dirt. Happens fairly often. After a good cleaning and light lube test fire/function check it. If that doesn't fix the issue then take it to a smith. __________________ He who dares wins. NRA Life Benefactor Member

September 14, 2010, 05:30 PM	#6
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	A gunsmith won't be able to do anything to it if you keep "working" on it! __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

September 15, 2010, 08:21 PM	#10
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	What is the hammer made of? I might be able to repair it for you. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

September 18, 2010, 01:22 PM	#15
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,981	Is a magnet attracted to it? __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

September 12, 2010, 07:43 PM	#3
Crash.45 Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Location: Lockport Illinois Posts: 38	hey ohen cepel, thanks for the advice i know a fair amount about firearms but this one had me stumped, its still not working 100% after i did that but perhaps someonelse knows something i can do to get this thing working correctly before i have to take it in?

September 13, 2010, 07:25 PM	#4
Crash.45 Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Location: Lockport Illinois Posts: 38	well i had it somewhat working and then about 2 minutes ago i was test/dry firing it some more and the hammer broke in half, is it possible for a trained gunsmith to fix this for me considering parts are nearly obsolete for it? coul he possibly weld it back together? as i said i like tis gun a lot and would like to have it in as close to 100% shape as possible...

September 14, 2010, 04:42 PM	#5
Crash.45 Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Location: Lockport Illinois Posts: 38	bump

September 15, 2010, 04:16 PM	#8
Crash.45 Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Location: Lockport Illinois Posts: 38	haha, thanks guys, yea im a bit impatient sometimes ....anyway its going to the smith today and i'll see if i can tell everyone the verdict......

September 15, 2010, 07:28 PM	#9
Crash.45 Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Location: Lockport Illinois Posts: 38	yep, got myself a new paperweight.... booooo

September 17, 2010, 09:48 PM	#12
Crash.45 Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Location: Lockport Illinois Posts: 38	hey dream weaver and bill, thank you both very much! that makes me feel a lot better about the gun, and bill i will probably have to get back to you about what the derringers hammer is made out of because im not 100 % sure right now but i will let you know most definatly, and like i said thanks for the interest/support!

September 17, 2010, 09:51 PM	#13
Crash.45 Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Location: Lockport Illinois Posts: 38	also the lock up is quite sloppy and if that can be fixed it would be much appreciated also, i will try for pics as soon as i can as well

September 18, 2010, 12:47 PM	#14
Crash.45 Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Location: Lockport Illinois Posts: 38	i believe just from my personal experience it cold rolled leaded steel, im not 100% positive, but i know its not heat treated.

September 18, 2010, 06:16 PM	#17
Crash.45 Member Join Date: September 6, 2009 Location: Lockport Illinois Posts: 38	yes the magnet was attracted to it, and if it can be repaired it would be much appreciated, and a weight off of my shoulders

February 9, 2020, 03:53 PM	#18
Willie Lowman Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Uh-Hi-O Posts: 3,006	Seeing as this thread was 10 years old, I think he has taken care of it by now. __________________ "9mm has a very long history of being a pointy little bullet moving quickly" --Sevens