OK guys, I'm not a gunsmith nor do I play one on TV, so opinions please. The lemon squeezer on my freshly re-finished .38 4th model is stuck in the engaged position, apparently since the gun will function as normal(cylinder turns, trigger good, etc.). I guess one reason may be the 'smith reassembled incorrectly? I'm kind of leaning towards the re-finished parts are rubbing and need to be broken in. Any ideas on what a novice would start with to remedy this? A brief glimpse under the stocks showed nothing obvious. As always, thanks for the assist.

You can open the latch? But, the cylinder won't open? The cylinder may not be screwed all the way down on the center pin. If you can lift the latch up , trying screwing the cylinder further down on the center pin. Right to tight.

Guy

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

I would agree that it may be tight because of the recent re-finish.....especially if it was working normally prior to the work.
You might try removing the grips and spraying some light lubricant, like Remoil, on the gun. With the grips still off, try lightly tapping the grip frame with a plastic mallet or wooden tool handle.

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

Right after receiving it back the latch was extremely stiff, but with use has loosened up since. I have not fired it yet, but everything seems to function correctly when pulling the trigger.
It's just the squeezer itself stuck and not moving one way or the other. When i get home tonight I will remove the stocks and get a little Rem Oil or penetrating oil in the general area, to see if I can free things up. I've had great luck with Walmart brand penetrating oil (don't laugh) on the internals of not just my Smith top breaks, but also my Ivers, etc. In fact, it's become standard practice when I make a new acquisition. You never know what kind of gunk is up there after 100 plus years.

when i refinished mine, i had already cleaned out the whole gun with evaporust, wd 40, and soap hot water and scrubbing. After refinishing, i sprayed all the internals with remoil.. WD 40 works good after a shooting session cleaning on occasion to get all the gunk blasted out with the stock panels off.

I'm not a gunsmith either and have no experience with the grip safety on these revolvers, so this is just a shot in the dark. I believe these came with a pin that could be used to lock the grip safety in the "fire" position. Probably not the case here, but worth checking. I doubt the refinisher installed such a pin.

If it is the ejector rod coming loose, you probably need to take out the pivot screw and remove the barrel assembly. The screw and pin is all that you need to remove to do the job. Once the gun is apart, you to lift the top latch and unscrew the cylinder. Check to see if the pin that protrudes from the cylinder turn easily. Other than that, get the gun back to the gunsmith for repair. Any decent gunsmith will most likely disassemble the gun and get it working without cost, unless something is broken.

You might also use the proper name for the revolver. It is a 38 Safety. Smith & Wesson never made a gun named Lemon Squeezer.

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Gary
SWCA 2515

Question: Did whomever refinished your gun disassemble it and re-blue individual parts, or did they remove the grips and dunk the entire assembled gun and process it that way?

If they did it without disassembling, it needs to be disassembled and thoroughly cleaned inside.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I agree with glowe. Take it back to the guy that refinished and explain the issue. If he is a stand up guy he should be willing to make it right.

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James Redfield
LM #497

The way I'm reading this problem is that the grip safety lever has been squeezed (squozen?) and does not rebound to the safe condition. I think some clarification as to the problem might clear up the question.

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Mike Maher #283

If the gun was refinished then cleaning it wont help. More than likely if it was taken apart, which should have been done, it is not put back together properly. A lot of new gunsmiths do not know the internal workings of these guns. If you cant get your gunsmith to fix it I can help.

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Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

Sorry, when I used the term Lemon Squeezer, I meant the safety itself, not the gun. Yes Mike, the safety does not rebound to the safe position...although with the grips off it does have some play. I Rem-Oiled the insides, put the grips back on, and it's stuck again. I'm not sure how the gunsmith did the nickel, whether by complete disassembly or not. He and I had a somewhat rocky relationship, so I hesitate to question his abilities.

squozen? Where in the heck did you get edumacated?
Just kiddin. Sounds like a build up of nickel on parts that rub. Best

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

If this is that little snubby we PMd about, when it aggravates you enough, my offer still stands.

The very one. Send me the note again so we don't get in trouble on this thread.

"Sounds like a build up of nickel on parts that rub." I believe this statement to be absolutely correct. I'd start by removing the stocks and drive the pin out of the frame that the Safety Lever pivots about; at the bottom of the grip frame. I believe this would be the most likely part that got an excess build up of nickel. The sides of this part may be rubbing and, if so, would need to be polished down. Before doing anything drastic, run a (number) drill through the hole of the safety lever to remove any excess plating being careful NOT to remove any of the safety lever metal; only the plating. Reassemble the safety lever and try it for function; don't forget to lube it. If it works then you're done. If not, remove the lever again and then the pin at the top of the lever on the grip frame, and remove the Safety Latch; the part that blocks the hammer movement - remember that it is spring loaded. Run a drill through the body of that piece, clean the slot that it pivots in if any nickel is in the slot, lube and reassemble to test. I fully believe this revolver is suffering from excess nickel unless one finds a broken part.

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Mike Maher #283

Thanks for the detailed instructions. A bit apprehensive about digging too deep into this SH, so I think I will save it for a weekend project. I too don't believe any parts are broken, and fortunately I can put it side by side with my 2nd model and compare as I go along.

AFAIK S&W offer at least 3 lemon sqeezers whose 1 in 38 specia +p, 1 in 357 mgm (ONLY this 1 advertized in the site S&W url), with a purple laser pointer, btw any chance 2 get 1 with green
pointer? and a 3d one in 327 hrm:never had 1 at hand BUT I'm sure the 1st and 3d exist, since I saw them on UTUBE.
btw: heard rumors of a new issue of 32 s&w long lemon squeezer: by chance I stumbled on the new H&R it's NOT a real lemon sqeezer, but a "puller" since it IS nescessary to hold the last fiinger in a ring at the bottom of the handle, any new of the
bottom; any new of the new S&W??

I love the term "weekend project". OH, how many have we had? that turned in to weeks and months? And they were never cheap. Best.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Sorry, but Smith & Wesson never offered a Lemon Squeezer, ever! It is a Safety Hammerless. Same as the never offered a Ladysmith until recently.
Also don't believe everything you see on UTUBE.

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Don Mundell

I realize I'm a bit late coming back to this thread, but can anyone on the forum recommend a top notch shop that could re-do this nickel plating job? In other words, if cost was not a worry (it is), who would I go to for a "nicer then new" refinish?

Home - Accurate Plating & Weaponry | Cogan Custom

Just be sure to tell them you want the trigger guard and barrel latch blued and the trigger left alone.

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

Many thanks, decisions to be made. Sell or refinish again....