Daryl:
No problem taking it apart. It is the putting together thing that always stumps me. The gun needed a good cleaning anyway. It is a genuine F. Bannerman Model 1890 with a serial number in the 8000s.
I see nothing that obviously would cause the problem you have. At the end of the rearward stroke of the slide the hammer should cock (with the forward trigger moving forward) and the block released to move to its upper position. At the very end of the stroke the hammer/trigger should move back under spring tension a bit even if the hammer is cocked.
When the block snaps up it brings the shell to be loaded up into line with the bore. The forward movement of the slide pulls the shell into the chamber and, at the very end of the forward stroke, cams the block down and into battery. It may be that the little pivoting lug that snaps behind the shell to pull it forward is hanging up some way. That is the only thing happening at that part of the cycle that, as I see it, could impair the forward movement of the slide. Unfortunately, this lug is inside the loading chamber of the block when the slide is back and therefor hidden from mortal eyes.
There should be no effort required to start the slide forward, as all it is doing is pulling the shell forward.
I would put a little force on the slide to see if it can be coaxed to move forward. There are no delicate parts to be damaged excepting the lug mentioned, and even that is fairly sturdy. Failing that it would seem the action has to come apart.
Glenn
