So I'm trying to take out the ejector rod but I'm having some issues. I think who ever worked on this last over tightened it and so im having a very difficult time opening it. I took out the cylinder. I put the rod between two pieces of wood and clamped it down with a vise and it upon twisting the cylinder the rod would just spin and squeek from the friction from the wood. I tightened more and tried again. After several tries the wood cracked. This is how I saw someone do it online. And I've tried almost every method posted on the net. What else can I try here?

There is a tool for that purpose - I bought mine from MidwayUSA. Also, the ejector rods on most later S&Ws have left-hand threads - are you trying to turn it in the correct direction?

Ed

In this case...."lefty-tighty-righty-lucy".

Or....you got it from some nut that figured red loctite ought to hold that darn thing in place. I make it a habit to try and keep my side-plate screws and ejector rods not much tighter than snug and check them often. If you have ever twisted one off in a frame behind some idiot that put glue on them......you will remember what you had to do to fix it FOREVER.

First question is which way were you turning it? On the 686 the Ejector Rod is a LEFT HAND thread. If you were turning in the direction for a Right Hand thread the person doing the overtightening was yourself. BTW, not being critiical here, sometimes the best of us forget details like this and those new to these revolvers might not be aware of this.

Next question. Was this a New revolver or did you purchase it used? If you purchased it used it's entirely possible that a Previous Owner used Locktite on the ejector rod, a practice I STRONGLY DISCOURAGE. If it has been locktited you should plan on heating it in a 180 degree oven and wearing heavy gloves so you can work on it while it's still hot. BTW, you don't have to worry about 180 degrees F effecting the heat treat, it's too low, however it is high enough to soften everything except the special high temperature locktite, which is usually quite rare on store shelves and mostly a special order product.

Solution is to get it good and hot, load every chamber with fired casings, and then remember it's a LEFT HAND THREAD, which means Righty Loosy.

Try dusting your hardwood blocks with a little powdered rosin. Any that sticks to the rod afterward will come right off with turpentine or mineral spirits.

Larry

By the way, welcome to the forum. I see that it's your 1st post. Hope it's been fruitful for you.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

If it is so blame tight the OP has to put it in a vice to remove it.....it's just in there too blame tight....or glued in. If he was turning it the wrong way and only spun the cylinder in the blocks of wood....that speaks volumes for the strength of the ejector rod. I would think one would almost twist-off the rod as opposed to spinning the cylinder in a vice.

Even factory tighened ejector rods typically require a vice to unscrew.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I am not above learning something new every day. I have never found one that tight. Generally....I can hold the cylinder with my hand and use a piece of leather and a pair of vice-grips.

I've been following the forum for a while reading the different threads. Just havn't posted anything since I joined.

But I had success! I was turning the the cylinder the right way by the way, it was just on that tightly. I'm surprised the threads had not stripped(assuming it was tightened). I guess it's also possible that after several heat cycles it turned into this. I bought this used so it's possible the previous owner never disassembled it or over tightened it. It came with a clean barrel but the cylinder was a mess. Not only is here the .38 special casing mark that is slowly going away with each cleaning I do, but the face of the cylinder was covered.

But getting it open sort of cost me a vise. It's not a big deal. I can just cut it off and insert a long bolt with a cap bolt or something. All that matters is that I got it off.



Some of my friends think Im a pack rat, but in reality I just think all the small things I keep will come to use sooner or later. Being resourceful really... Like the leather belt that broke several months back. I clamped the rod between the belt until the vise.. thingy bent(as seen above) and i kept going for maybe 10 more full twists. The cylinder rod at this point was still turning in place but with a lot of resistance. So I got a grip lock plier and I had it grip the tip of the rod where it's hatched. I then got another grip lock plier and had my brother use it to compress the end of the plier that was gripping the tip of the rod. Finally there was no movement and I was able to break it lose.

Now if you guys say that the older SW revolvers were threaded the other way I can understand over tightening because the direction of the cylinder twist is the same as losening the rod and I've read having the rod losen with the cylinder closed is a lot of headache. But assuming that someone tightened this thing this badly only raises question mark.

This brings me to my next question. How tight do I need to tighten the rod? No torque specs here, but I'm thinking something firm but not too tight.. maybe a little bit of tightening once the threads are fully in. And since with my design the direction of cylinder travel is the same as tightening I'm guessing I dont need to worry about the rod loosening, correct? I do a full disassembly and cleaning after each trip to the gun range but I also tend to shoot like 200 full mag rounds each time I go so we're not talking about tightening it once a year.

I've never seen anything made in China bend that far without breaking.
Glad to see you finally got the rod out....had the same problem
the first time I removed the one on my 686.

Glad I found this thread! I am trying to remove an ejector rod in my 586 to add some endshake shims, and the rod is just spinning in the vice. I've used wood and leather backing. I'll try the heat treat as well. In the morning I am buying the tool designed to remove the ejector rod from Brownells. It will be a good investment.

For reassembly, as tight as you can get it using just one hand with no pliers or viSe-grips should do just fine.

Larry

I don't think there is any need to remove the ejector rod at regular cleaning intervals. If that is your intent I would suggest you re-think that. Because if you do it too often you'll just wear out the threads and that means a new extractor and having it fitted to your gun. About the only time you should need to remove it is when installing an End Shake shim and that won't be very often.

As for tightening it properly, my preference is to use a trial and error approach to find the point where it doesn't shoot loose but isn't needlessly over tightened.

Vicesmith by Gunsmither Tools

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NRA Benefactor

I clip a wooden clothespin on the knurkled end of the rod and clamp it in a vise. Works like a charm.

Everyone that anticipates removing an ejector rod should get one of the excellent tools available for that purpose. I have the Power Custom tool, which was $25 from Midway. It can handle J,K,L,N frames and Ruger DA revolvers. There are others out there and I am sure they all make this task child's play just as the PC tool does. It would be a bargain at twice the price.

When removing or installing a rod, a few empty cases should be inserted in the cylinder. These provide support for the extractor star during what might be a strenuous operation, as the OP discovered. Also, the tool should be positioned as close to the cylinder as possible.

Incidentally, the instructions that came with the PC tool state that rods should be torqued to not more than 50 inch/pounds. All threads should be thoroughly degreased with denatured alcohol or something similar prior to re-installation.

I've just never been able to justify spending money on a tool for a job that's so easy to do safely another simple way.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Best way to loosing the ejector rod from the cylinder is to put the ejector rod in a drill chuck and tighten up then put some empty brass casings in it and then grasp the cylinder and been carefull then turn it to loosen and it works everytime. I had one gun that i buggered up the knurl end of the rod with a set of vise grips. Never will do that again. The Drill Chuck works great...

Super old thread, so sorry for bringing it back. I was able to use some heavy-duty cardboard wrapped around the rod with a good set of pliers and turned it off. Mine was on really well, but, not as much as the OPs... thats ridiculous.

I don't go ape**** tightening it back on, I don't know if its really necessary to do so.

Also, I never really advocate using locktite, however, if I do... its Blue Temporary stuff.

Since this thread was resurrected, I will say this again. NEVER grip the ejector rod with a tool (like vise grips) that compresses the rod in one direction. It's a hollow tube, and it can be crushed by a vise grip fairly easily, especially near the knurled end. You might get lucky once or twice, but it will eventually happen. Buy one of the correct circumferential gripping tools that were made for this. The compression tools grip the rod in such a way that if they are insufficiently tightened and slip, they operate on the part of the rod inside the yoke, and slippage marks don't show. I have removed and reinstalled several hundred ejector rods with no damage at all.

Don't be a bubba gunsmith - get the right tools. They cost a lot less than a gun (or original parts).

Buck

Totally agree. I ordered a clamping tool along with my replacement rod (old one was bent as it was).

Another clever idea. Vise grip users need to buy tools, while craftsman are crafty.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

very good information to remember...haven't taken my ejector rod out of mine yet but will save a huge headache now

Notes about Post war extractor rod thread directions:

As most already know, K and N frames were changed to left hand thread in the '59 to '62 period and identified by their Model # dash #. Again, as always with Smith, beware of those with dash # but right hand thread and visa versa. Often an L is stamped on the front face of the cylinder and/or a groove is cut between the knurled and straight part of the rod.

The post war I frames were changed to left hand threads on straight extractor rods soon after the commencement of production following WW II, therefore their spawn, the 1950 introduced J frame Chiefs Special, began life with left hand threads on straight extractor rods.

Just for the record however, and not pertaining to J frames; I must acknowledge that some early 'Transitional' post war I frames were produced with right hand threads and these are identifiable by the pre war 'barrel' style extractor rod knob,
BUT: a very scarce few 'late', early post war I frames with the "barrel" knob have been observed with left hand threads! Again this is irrelevant to J frames.

To summarize: on the post war I and J frames; all straight extractor rods are left hand thread, but on the I frames not every "barrel" type extractor rod is right hand thread! As usual with Smiths, the I frame extractor rod changes were subject to a transition period of a couple of years.

Separate vs. Integral extractor knobs (pre war):
From my observations, I believe the separate screw-off "mushroom" and "barrel" (with shrouds) style knobs were of the pre 1920's period and possibly before Smith became embroiled in WW I contract gun production, in 1917. I could use some help from other members on that.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thanks ,that's a good tip.
I haven't found the need to use this on an ejector but a smidgen of clear nail polish will lock a screw and you'll remove the screw easily if need be.

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noli illegitimi carborundum

I realize this is a resurrection of a resurrected thread,but I suppose it doesn't hurt to revisit a topic on occasion. I have another trick that works for me. A tubing flaring tool will also work. I take a rat-tail file and polish the ridges out of the holes I intend to use for that particular size rod. Like mentioned above....take the assembly out of the yoke and apply the tool in an area of the rod close to the cylinder that will not be exposed if something should slip. The tubing flaring tool will clamp-down around the entire circumference of the rod just like the modified vice-grip tools do. You will be using the smaller tube-holes on one end of the flaring tool and have a handle to hang onto. These can be had for around $10 or less in those grab-bag tool bins at hardware stores.

I may also add....that if you go shopping for a new 686/681 ejector rod, unless S&W has them....they are HARD to find. Use any tool back there close to the cylinder and stay away from the knurled end of the rod. I have a rod from a 617 that has been pressed into an oval shape out on the end as haggis mentioned above by some over-zealous would-be gunsmith using a pair of pliers.

Just another idea that has always worked for me.

That is a brilliant iea that I wil be using tonight! Seems like the diameter of the rod is almost exactly that of the two radiuses combines, plus it expands if its a hair too small! THANKS!