Help a newbie- Davis 22 Mag Derringer

[Guest n2hunting]

Was wanting to see if someone could help here.... I have a Davis model D22M 22m Derringer that will not strike the primer hard enough to fire. Can get a "dent" in the primers, but no bang! Also, cannot load both barrels and then close and lock the barrel, only one shell at a time. Any ideas, or where I might find info? Thanks in advance for your help.

n2hunting

ps.. also thought I would say, my spelling stinks! Typing too! HAHA

[Oh Shoot]

Was wanting to see if someone could help here.... I have a Davis model D22M 22m Derringer that will not strike the primer hard enough to fire. Can get a "dent" in the primers, but no bang! Also, cannot load both barrels and then close and lock the barrel, only one shell at a time. Any ideas, or where I might find info? Thanks in advance for your help.

n2hunting

ps.. also thought I would say, my spelling stinks! Typing too! HAHA

Can't help with the no bang, but I have a Cobra, pretty much same as the Davis.

Are you putting that baby on half cock BEFORE you try to close it after loading?

If not, you'd BETTER!

The reason it won't easily close is because one of the firing pins is still out in firing position, and can go BANG! if you force it closed. (maybe your's can't, if it's broken, but...)

Mine is centerfire .38 but I imagine you are seeing same problem with the rimfire, which may or may not have the same degree of danger involved.

Since you didn't know this basic and IMPORTANT factoid, I'll risk insulting you and ask, is the bar safety off when you pull trigger?

And btw, on my Cobra, it will occasionally fire the top round even with the safety ON.

Just another reason these puppies are among the most dangerous guns made - at least to the owner.

- OS

Edited January 6, 2009 by OhShoot

[xd shooter]

Try useing ammo besides the bulk stuff from wolly world. Though the bulk stuff works great in some guns it does missfire quite often in some. CCI usuall does good. You get what you pay for.

[Fadex]

I have one if them myself. I think OhShoot is correct. Make sure it's on half cock before you load and close. That can keep it from closing and go bang!! (don't ask...damn thing scared the crap outta me and burned my hand pretty bad too)

Not sure why you can't load both barrels though. Is one of the ejectors bent or shifted out of place?

[Oh Shoot]

I have one if them myself. I think OhShoot is correct. Make sure it's on half cock before you load and close. That can keep it from closing and go bang!! (don't ask...damn thing scared the crap outta me and burned my hand pretty bad too)

Not sure why you can't load both barrels though. Is one of the ejectors bent or shifted out of place?

On my .38, whichever was the last chamber shot will still have the firing pin sticking out. You could load the other chamber and close the gun without being on half cock. But if you load the chamber that was last shot and attempt to close without going to half cock, you get the resistance, and possibility of discharge. I'd bet this is the reason he "can't load both barrels".

Why it doesn't fire when he wants it to seems to be another matter, maybe the ammo, maybe not.

- OS

[Guest Major Pain]

I believe the firing pin rotates between barrels, maybe its firing on the empty barrel. Double check the half-cock and try some CCI. Careful and don't shoot your eye out.--MP

[Oh Shoot]

I believe the firing pin rotates between barrels, maybe its firing on the empty barrel. Double check the half-cock and try some CCI. Careful and don't shoot your eye out.--MP

Well, it alternates between barrels....each barrel has its own firing pin, there's a doober (tech term) on lower part of the hammer body using a spring that shifts up/down to strike each. This on the centerfire models, and I'd guess something much the same on the rimfire. I've never handled a Davis, but everything I've read says the Cobra is exactly the same design, they just took it over.

My Cobra .38 on half cock, with safety engaged.

- OS

Edited January 6, 2009 by OhShoot

[Fadex]

Yep they look identical. There is a firing pin for each barrel. The mechanism on mine alternates top/bottom. You can hear a distinct "click" when pulling the hammer back when it is set to fire the lower barrel.

[Tacblack]

I have the exact gun you have. Like others have said I load with hammer half cocked and safty on. Only used Federal Classic ammo and have not had any issues. Only ran about 30 rounds through it thou and never dry fire it.

[Guest n2hunting]

Thanks for everyones help...

[Oh Shoot]

Thanks for everyones help...

So, what's the upshot?

Can you load both barrels now?

Will it SHOOT?

- OS

[Oh Shoot]

So, what's the upshot?

Can you load both barrels now?

Will it SHOOT?

- OS

Dontcha hate it after trying to help, when OP never gives final report?

- OS

[Guest BroTedC]

Bumping this, hope you all don't mind. I'm having the same issue with a used Davis 22cal 22Mag Derringer I bought recently. The bottom firing pin didn't seem to protrude far enough to strike the primer, so we did a thorough cleaning and noticed that if we swapped the pins, but that made both barrels not fire. After putting them back, neither will strike the primer very hard. The rims are dented quite well, which leads me to believe it might be a hammer velocity issue?? Sometimes we would have to fire both rounds twice to get them to fire. Any suggestions?

[DirtNasty]

I have a cobra chambered in 22mag. I bought CCI ammo and it won't shoot. From what I though 22mag is center fire, but the gun is striking the rounds on the rim. Any input?

[DirtNasty]

It also marred the inside of the barrel where the firing pin struck the rounds.

[Murgatroy]

.22WMR is a rimfire round. Did you buy the firearm used? If so someone may have dry fired the firearm and scarred the chamber. It is NEVER a good idea to dry fire a rimfire firearm.

[xtriggerman]

On ‎9‎/‎18‎/‎2011 at 8:56 AM, BroTedC said:

Bumping this, hope you all don't mind. I'm having the same issue with a used Davis 22cal 22Mag Derringer I bought recently. The bottom firing pin didn't seem to protrude far enough to strike the primer, so we did a thorough cleaning and noticed that if we swapped the pins, but that made both barrels not fire. After putting them back, neither will strike the primer very hard. The rims are dented quite well, which leads me to believe it might be a hammer velocity issue?? Sometimes we would have to fire both rounds twice to get them to fire. Any suggestions?

The first thing to check is head space. If the chamber was bored a tad too deep, you can get just that. A what looks like a well defined FP dent but no fire. You can run into the same problem in rim fire revolvers that have too much end shake in the cylinders. Basically, the sudden impact of the firing pin is absorbed by the rim as it lurches forward in a too deep chamber.

 Then the next consideration is firing pin extension. With the hammer down on the FP, it should extend out of the breach face by .035" Then another consideration is the hammer cocking all the way back against its drive spring? If some one was inside the gun to "lighten" the trigger and shortened the hammer sear, you can feel the hammer can go rear ward beyond its fully cocked position. In that case you need new what ever was monkeyed with.

Next, remove the hammer drive spring and "feel" its movement from fully cocked to fully forward FP extended. If its dragging at any point, that needs to be cleaned up. Also, at times the FP return springs can be way too stiff killing the hammer momentum. That would require a slight spring trim by a half coil.

If all the above checks out good, Then its time to washer load the hammer drive spring to the point where the spring is about fully compressed just rear of fully cocked position.  Some where in all the above is your problem and fix.