repair of deactivated snail drum

[Ray]

Several weeks ago I posted a question about my
drum that had the bolt/nut replaced by a pin on
the flat plate part of the straight magazine section.
Lugerholsterrepair noticed that my drum was in the
28 cartridge loaded position as if it was loaded. I
mentioned that the loading lever would not go down
to the normal 12 position.

I subsequently sent the drum down to George Fortier
(fatkat1936@comcast.net) in California who opened
the drum. He felt that someone had deactivated the
drum to make it as if it was loaded so that no shells
could be loaded. Mr. Fortier later suggested the idea
that the loading handle on the front had been removed
in the past and reassembled with the handle rotated 90
degrees counterclockwise to the approximate 28 loaded
position. In that position the handle cannot be turned
clockwise past the locking slot location, effectively deactivating
the drum.

To repair the drum, I followed the following procedure:
Disassemble the loading handle (remove screw in front
exposing square shaft in center of handle), gently pry up
loading handle, and reposition loading handle to the 12
cartridge position.

I have enclosed two photos showing the drum in the
deactivated position and the second with the loading
lever moved to its proper position. It is not necessary
to open up the drum from the back side.

Many thanks to all on the Forum who helped with my
troublesome drum.