Fixing my Medusa?
 

I think I broke my Medusa... I bought a box of 9mm at a yard sale, and they were super hot (The primer fused with the head of the case after shooting!! :eek: )
It still shoots rimmed cartridges fine, but the firing pin isnt hitting the rimless rounds hard enough... It looks like there a "dent" in my hammer, like the firing pin slammed back into the hammer.

Since my 'Dusa is far from a museum piece, Im thinking of spiffin' it up..

Most of the internals (including the hammer) are the same as a S&W K frame, so I think I can get a new one.. Can I get a new case hardened one, or maybe a titanium one? Would a certain material or style be better? (If available??)

What is this Duracoating ive been hearing about? Would it resist the wear that happens on the cylinder? Other finishes? Some snake-skin grips like Cane? ;)

S&W K frame hammers have the firing pin on the hammer. How do you dent that hammer?

Ok, I guess its not a K frame hammer, but I read that it is the same hammer used in one of the S&W Revolvers

Heres some pics..

holy crap!! thats definately loaded too hot!! thats classic primer flow WITH pierced primer. your lucky it didnt outright kaboom. you should get a magnafying glass and inspect frame and cylinder for micro-cracks

pull the bullets toss the powder reaload with a inspec loading.

dunno know anything about spare parts.

Tell you what, as a fellow resident of Arizona, I will give you $100 for it. Even though it is now only worth scrap price:D

So I guess Im on my own? :(

I wish I knew about them man. I hope you get the dusa running again.

Trez, if it shoots rimmed cases OK yet, then it seems to me that your firing pin protrusion is still OK. That would leave the special extractors that that particular gun has to hold the rimless ammo. Time for you to thoroughly inspect them. During that inspection insert cases(can be empties) and press on them to see if they are still being held firmly in the correct position. This is only guesses as I have never worked on or even held one of these guns.

I checked it out, the cylinder fingers are fine, still holding the rounds firmly. I am pretty sure its the Hammer and/or hammer spring... It fires the .38/.357's but the primer strike is a lot lighter than it used to be, and the dent in my hammer is pretty deep... I tried to increase the tension on the hammer spring but it made no difference.

Where can I get S&W hammers? I found a couple at Midway, but they just have a target and standard version. Do they make "fancy" hammers for S&W revolvers like they do for 1911s? I think something like a titanium skeleton one would look neat...

Heres one I found: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/892765/smith-and-wesson-target-hammer-assembly-s-and-w-17-18-617-648-500-blue

For S&W models 17, 18, 617, 648 .500 Blued... What does the measurement mean? I seen a couple of different ones? :confused:

Another question.. Whats the difference between a target and a standard hammer?

The spur....