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S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 3-Screw PINNED Barrel SWING-OUT Cylinder Hand Ejectors WITH Model Numbers


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  #1  
Old 04-21-2017, 06:43 AM
kbm6893 kbm6893 is offline
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Default Model 60 Cylinder Difficult to Open

It's from 1975 and it is immaculately clean. I used to be able to use my thumb to hit the cylinder release and my trigger finger to press on the cylinder and it would fall out effortlessly. I have checked the ejector rod by hand and it seems tight.
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Old 04-21-2017, 08:34 AM
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Have you checked under the extractor star for some crud? Try cleanding it out even if it looks okay and see if that helps.
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Old 04-21-2017, 08:51 AM
Aquarik Aquarik is offline
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The screw that retains the crane may be to tight; back it out a little and the problem could disappear.
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Old 04-21-2017, 06:50 PM
kbm6893 kbm6893 is offline
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Nothing under star. I'm fanatical about cleaning. I had taken the sideplate off a while back to clean under there since it was a used gun. Don't recall it being an issue opening. I shot it last week and cleaned it and that's when I noticed it. Don't think I messed up the order of screws. I'm pretty OCD about that.
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Old 04-21-2017, 07:36 PM
rct269 rct269 is offline
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I don't know diddly about model number guns--------------but

"Pre- Model" number guns usually/typically/often times had the crane screw fit to the gun----which is to say it had been shortened---so as to not bind the crane.

Fast forward to this day and age, and YOU took your sideplate off! Did you put the EXACT SAME screw that came out of the crane screw hole back into the EXACT SAME hole---OCD or not? I didn't think so----mostly because I make the same mistake-----not frequently---but often enough that I immediately recognize the cause of the problem if/when there is a problem.

Helpful hint: Remove the sideplate screws. Line 'em up, and sit and stare. If there's a short one, it goes in the front hole. If there isn't a short one, you need help from someone else.

Ralph Tremaine
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Old 04-21-2017, 07:43 PM
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Default ejector

Also the ejector rod can unscrew some and bind things up. I think t
hey changed to different direction threads on one of the dashes.
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Old 04-21-2017, 08:08 PM
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I'll second the extractor star as a likely culprit. Spritz underneath with a spray cleaner and see if that helps.

Good luck!
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Old 04-21-2017, 10:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rct269 View Post
I don't know diddly about model number guns--------------but

"Pre- Model" number guns usually/typically/often times had the crane screw fit to the gun----which is to say it had been shortened---so as to not bind the crane.

Fast forward to this day and age, and YOU took your sideplate off! Did you put the EXACT SAME screw that came out of the crane screw hole back into the EXACT SAME hole---OCD or not? I didn't think so----mostly because I make the same mistake-----not frequently---but often enough that I immediately recognize the cause of the problem if/when there is a problem.

Helpful hint: Remove the sideplate screws. Line 'em up, and sit and stare. If there's a short one, it goes in the front hole. If there isn't a short one, you need help from someone else.

Ralph Tremaine
Yes, it's in the right hole. Because when i take them out, I line them
Up on the bench in the same order.

And I took the plate off months ago. Only shot it last week. And the tightness wasn't there before I shot it.

Last edited by kbm6893; 04-21-2017 at 10:19 PM.
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Old 04-21-2017, 10:33 PM
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Did you remove the cylinder when you cleaned it? If so, was a brush Used to clean the cylinder face? If so a bristle​ could have found it's way into the ejector rod channel in the cylinder.
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Old 04-22-2017, 05:54 AM
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Did you remove the cylinder when you cleaned it? If so, was a brush Used to clean the cylinder face? If so a bristle​ could have found it's way into the ejector rod channel in the cylinder.
I did not remove the cylinder to clean, but did scrub the face with a brush. I'll remove the first two screws (no way is the back one out of order. It has a different look than the other two) and compare the two to see if one is shorter and I'll blast in the ejector rod channel with brake cleaner and compressed air to make sure it's clear.

Last edited by kbm6893; 04-22-2017 at 05:55 AM.
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Old 04-22-2017, 07:54 AM
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This sounds like a case of dissembling the cylinder for a good cleaning and lube. That usually solves these issues. However, if the cylinder rotates freely, then disassembly is not necessary.

I don't recommend cylinder disassembly unless you've had some armorers' training.
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Old 04-22-2017, 11:34 AM
Tired Gunsmith Tired Gunsmith is offline
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Also possible there is crud in the channel for the thumb piece to ride in, or loose thumb piece nut.
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Old 04-22-2017, 02:15 PM
JGR_LV JGR_LV is offline
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Default Mod. 60

I just checked the 60-no-dash I've carried for 40 years, and there should be some resistance when you first start to press the cylinder open. The locking bolt, which is that little plunger captured in the lug under the barrel, is under considerable spring tension, or should be. It has a bevel on the left side to let the end of the extractor rod push it forward easily when you close the cylinder. When you open the cylinder, the pin on the end of the bolt at the back of the gun pushes the center pin through the extractor rod and it, in turn, pushes the locking bolt forward to clear the end of the extractor rod, releasing the assembly to pivot out. The right side of the locking bolt, which has a relatively sharp angle, will ride across the slight groove between the extractor rod and the center pin, and you should feel that. It's a distinct break on my Mod 60. It's much less pronounced on my N-frames, probably because the sheer mass of the cylinder masks it, but it's there. My K-frames vary. My point is that the cylinder doesn't, and shouldn't, just flop open on any of them. You should feel a distinct click as it opens. If you don't, you've got a problem, anything from a binding problem that's keeping the locking bolt from doing its job properly to an over-long center pin.
If you're really having to push hard to get the cylinder to release, that's something different and we need to find the cause. The last S&Ws that used a right-hand thread on the extractor rod, to my knowledge, were the four-screw models from the late 50s-early 60s, and the Model 60 didn't hit the shelves until well after that. The left-hand thread was adopted so that the inherent drag on rod would tighten it rather than loosen it, so that's unlikely to be the problem unless you actually removed the rod from the extractor assembly. You didn't do that, so we can cross that off.
I believe you said you've already checked for grunge, loose brush bristles, etc., under the extractor star, so we'll cross that off, too. Does the crane move smoothly across its arc once the latch is disengaged? If not, take out the front screw and see if it moves properly. If that cures the problem, most likely you did mix up those two dome-headed screws and swapping them back will fix the problem. If it binds with the screw out, remove the crane & cylinder and look for some foreign material in the hole in the frame. I'd flush it with some sort of spray cleaner, wipe it out with an appropriate size jag and patch on a short rod, re-lube it and try again.
If the crane moves smoothly and it's just something interfering with the latch releasing, look for the issues some other members mentioned, like a loose thumb latch nut (it's a nut, not a screw) or foreign objects in the groove the thumb latch slides in or inside the lockwork between the bolt and the back of the recoil shield. If none of this solves the problem, it's time to consult a qualified pistolsmith.

Last edited by JGR_LV; 04-22-2017 at 02:23 PM.
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Old 04-22-2017, 02:18 PM
JGR_LV JGR_LV is offline
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One last thought: anybody who takes the sideplate off a S&W revolver made after 1905 should have Jerry Kuhnhausen's book, S&W Shop Manual,5th Edition, at his elbow. It's well worth the $35 price tag, particularly when you're trying to diagnose issues like this.
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Old 04-22-2017, 03:07 PM
kbm6893 kbm6893 is offline
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I took the cylinder off a hosed it down in the rod channel with brake cleaner. The screws were not in the wrong spot. Opens a bit easier now. I can use my trigger finger but it's not as easy as a k frame. But it appears to be working fine. It's been a while since I had a j frame so maybe they're just different.

As for removing the sideplate, I have done that to every used S&W revolver I have ever owned. Seen some nasty stuff in there over the years.

And yes, once the cylinder comes out of the frame, the crane moves very freely.

Last edited by kbm6893; 04-22-2017 at 03:10 PM.
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Old 04-23-2017, 01:28 AM
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I've got a 66-1 snub that has a 'hard to open' cylinder.
From reading this thread, I decided to try a few things today.

I checked the thumb-latch and noticed that it did not move all that freely.
I removed it, put a few drops of gun oil there, replaced the latch and worked the oil in.

It seemed to help a lot! (thanks JGR_LV!) This revolver is kept very clean, and I thought it had enough oil. But apparently the cylinder-release thumb latch needed a few extra drops.

I'll try it again tomorrow and see how it's working.
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Old 04-25-2017, 02:08 PM
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One of my 60s was hard to open. (Pawn shop find). I did three things before it became satisfactory. Cleaned crud from behind the thumb latch, internally. Polished the bevil on the end of the ejector rod. Stoned and polished the ejector rod plunger/retainer underneath the barrel. It had really sharp angles. It is still the most stubborn of my J Frames, but it works with the described click/snap.

Luck,

Jack
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Old 04-25-2017, 02:18 PM
gman51 gman51 is offline
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Remove the crane and clean out where the screw goes through the crane pivot. Apply some graphite or very light oil and reinstall the crane screw. Powder residue or corrosion can cause the crane to become tight.
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