Can't get dwell high enough...

Thanks for the help so far. I'll try to address the questions for clarification:

1. It's not a Briggs. It's a 383. I purposely keep some details out of the question so that the replies are not unduly influenced.

2. The dwell meter is on the right scale. Both of them. That's too easy of an answer.

3. Living in the south, I understand "slap", along with pretty near, about liked to and won't stay cranked...lol.

4. I had 4 different distributors to choose from. Two were original un-rebuilt units and two were remans, which I don't ever use. All of the distributors, with the exception of one original unit, had negligible side to side shaft movement. I selected what I thought was the best unit to clean and use. I suspect that the worn cam lobe is a possibility. I'll look at it again.

5. I agree that points "can" work as well as electronic. My slant runs just fine with points. However, you constantly have wear going on with points which leads to something like what I am going through.

Thanks again.