Hello all,
I was at my range one day, to go shooting and took two revolvers with me. My 629 and R8.
Put my bag down, put the targets up. Opened the cylinder to my R8 and ping! I shot something out?!
I thought, what the deuce!
I was sure it wasn't loaded! It was empty!
Nope. Shot out the ejector rod out almost 15 feet! I called out the RO's and had to shut the range down. Then I had the RO looking for the spring too (thanks Jacob!). He found the rod part, but I hadn't realized how it broke or why.
Has anyone broke one of these all of the sudden and launched it from their revolver? I'd sure like to know I'm not the only one!

Thnx, Lou.

It's most likely not broken, just unthreaded. Screw it back together and use some blue locktite

__________________
SWHF #595

It 'aint broke it's just poor machine work..Looks like the screw machine that cut the threads on the rod was out of spec.. some new parts needed.

I really did think it didn't break too. If you'll notice in the last pic, the center pin is still inside the extractor star. I sat there at home trying to screw it in as well.
The last threads off the extractor rod are still on the extractor star.
Trust me. I was very amused.

Post another pic of your site/rail configuration? Ive had my R8 since 2013 or so and its my favorite handgun, by far. Love that gun. Hopefully it is an easy and quick fix for you. Ever have other issues with the gun?

The barrel loosened twice already. Sent it back both times. Had the barrel shroud replaced due to the top rail , that scratches the shroud that no one tells you about. Had the cylinder replaced at 1600 rounds. As was the barrel replaced that time as well.
This is the current setup.....

That sounds like a S&W disposable gun. 1500 rounds and throw it away. YIKES!!! Anxious to see how many rounds you're able to run through it before it starts giving you trouble again.
I'm glad you're good natured and all Lou. The average person would be mad!

__________________
Don't You Ever Wash That Thing

I know huh! And its barely broken in too! Only 3k rounds!

You know I would have sold it, if it wasn't the most accurate 8 shot Smith makes! Next to my V-comp of course.

Ooohhh youve just admitted to owning the other gun on my list. Damn I want one of those!

Careful, we dont need your state eyeing to illegalize "high capacity moon clips" next....

If you don't mind telling us, what went wrong with the cylinder at 1600 rounds?

Thanks.

Some one has to take the "quality hits"! Thank you!

Attached Images

357 Mag SW 8 (2).jpeg (110.5 KB, 208 views)

I wish I knew. It was working fine. There was something that they didn't like about at the factory.
I sent it in for loose barrel the first time, they noted, ' repair barrel shroud'.
I only found out they replaced the barrel too on the second time, when they noted in my records, that the barrel had been replaced.
I knew they replaced the cylinder, as it had a very faint turn line. It looked new.

I sent in a 686 a few years back for push off. They replaced the cylinder and some other stuff when they fixed it. Never figured that one out. It was one with the lock that had never had anything but .38 ammo through it.

__________________
Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

I know we only hear about the bad ones, and I am sure there are good ones produced, but I would not consider buying a new S&W You need feeler gauges, magnifying glass and look for barrel cant, B/C gap and a host of other things. Buy vintage. Just my .02

__________________
Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

*shrug*

I check ALL new-to-me guns before I add them to the pile.

Now, I prefer the older examples as well ... But “Vintage” doesn’t mean they haven’t been abused by a previous owner, or that you aren’t buying someone else’s problem.

I remember the 29-3 that I purchased at the beginning of the year, that turned out to be junk, that had to be fixed at the factory.
We're in 2020 after all.
I had a thread in the gunsmithing section about it.
You can buy someone else's problem. I thought I checked everything, but it ended up having a deceitful symptom. And had to pay the factory $150(?) To fix.
Buying new to me , means having factory support for the heavy shooters, having a warranty that will back up the product.

Can't you just "weld it"

__________________
Still Running Against the Wind

Ha! I see what you did there!


Already got it back from the factory yesterday. The official report on the work order read, "broken extractor ". Which makes sense and doesn't.

My original question still stands:

Has anyone launched one of these extractor rods out of their revolver? (At least 15 feet!)

Brownie points if you've shot yours farther.

It's not unusual for an extractor rod to back out. In revolvers with a front locking bolt, you would know about it before it had a chance to completely loosen because the gun would open or close hard. The R8 doesn't have one of those so the rod was able to back all of the way out without binding the cylinder when you opened it. I would keep away from the lock tite. I have made checking the tightness of the ejector rod part of my cleaning routine. A good addition to your tool kit is one of the ejector rod tightening tools from Brownell's. Remember to put empties in the cylinder to back up the ejector star when tightening or loosening the rod. And remember that it is threaded backwards. Lefty tighty, righty loosey.

Does launching a model 1911 recoil spring and plug across a garage and behind around 800 pounds of steel count?

__________________
U.S. Coast Guard, retired CPO

You do understand me!

Under normal circumstances and every one else's experience with shooting revolvers, the extractor rod 'could' have backed out. That would be an extremely normal possibility.
I do have an extractor rod vise grip tool (ordered from brownells) that I did have to use on my 986. I'm well familiar with removing and installing the extractor rod.

And as you do mention, there is no front locking blot(correct nomenclature escapes me at the moment) on the R8's that differ from other models, instead its cylinder relying on the center pin and ball detent for closure, would I have figured out a backing out rod.
Instead , the few threads of the rod snapped off in the extractor itself, and at that moment, when opening the cylinder, caused the rod to fly out with the little tension the center spring still had at the moment of opening.

After the revolver was inspected at the factory, they concluded a "broken extractor " on the work order , fixed it and it arrived yesterday.

But this is what I'm saying or meaning:
That cylinder was replaced at 1600 rounds. It now has about 3k rounds.
It took 1400 rounds on the threads (that were over tightened at the factory at 1600 rounds) to snap off and fling itself forward!!!
Like, that's crazy right! They over tightened it, and it came to break off a few months later after 1400 rounds of use.

Agreed. You can be buying someone else's problem. I guess I have been charmed, because in 30 revolvers I have only had one problem, and the guy took the gun back. 95% of what I own, comes from forum members here. Some of the GB stuff scares me. There are a few dealers on there that sell junk. I know who they are, and I have told them so. They don't care. If I do not buy it, they will hang it on someone else

__________________
Pete
I ain't no fortunate son

....than the capacity of the gun. It's meant to be used in emergencies.

Here's a good example:

Harry to Zodiac: Well, did I shoot 5 times or 6? The question is 'Do you feel lucky PUNK?'

Zodiac goes for gun and Harry puts an ejector rod through his heart.

Harry to dead Zodiac: "I shot six.'

__________________
"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I love the In-person auctions..Got some real good deals, and learned a couple hard lessons...My biggest blunder turned out to be a great shooter,but, still has a bad spot inside the barrel! (paid too much also) but love shooting that 27-2

Pathetic - what else can be said?! Sorry to hear about your wooos! Tell S&W to repair it properly or send you a new gun.

I bought some years ago a Perf Center 6 1/2” 29-8, it was perfect inside and out, beautiful function too
I also bought a Pro Series 627-5, 4”, 8rnd, it wasn’t so perfect, the barrel shroud very slightly over rotated, loose strain screw, the muzzle crown appeared to have been finished with a chisel and a big nick in the finish.
I fixed all the problems except for the slight barrel over rotation and it was a good shooter. After having both for years, I sold them, sure wish I wouldn’t of done that, a couple of N frames ( a PC & a 8X) are now missing from my relatively small collection.

That's a whole different animal than the extractor rod just backing out! I don't think I've ever seen that kind of failure. I wonder if it was some kind of defect in the manufacture that may have caused your problem. It seems to me that if the rod was over torqued it would have stripped the threads before anything else as they are very fine but, who really knows? At least you were able to find a way to shoot your gun during this ammo shortage!

At least you were able to find a way to shoot your gun during this ammo shortage![/QUOTE]

The rod broke as I had just arrived , unfortunately.
I will take the same box of rounds to the range tomorrow for a more thorough, post factory inspection.

I do realize it was such a unique malfunction, that will possibly never happen again, that prompted me to post in the first place.

Below is the factory work order, stating it was a "broken extractor " and all the parts replaced on the visit.

Big thanks to S&W customer service for repairing the gun and having it back in 6 weeks time.
If something happened to this model, I would replace it again with the same one. Its that good.

Lou

For a revolver that was designed to be used by SWAT and high risk units, these sorts of threads lead me to think that S&W needs to re-examine their QC standards. Especially on a revolver that costs 1200 bucks.

We all know the fiasco that the NJSP went through when Trooper Gonzalez's HK P7M8 stopped working due to a broken firing pin bushing, which led to his execution style murder by a shotgun wielding murderer.

It would be unconscionable if a similar event occurred due to poor QC on current handguns like this revolver.

1776,

Technically you are correct but I bet you'd have to search long and hard to find a SWAT team or other "high risk unit" that actually carries one of these things. I suspect their use by law enforcement is part of a S&W marketing fantasy.

Haven't you heard, the mighty 9mm is King of all things handgun related. No other caliber need apply!

Dave

__________________
RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

Their purpose is for use by entry teams. Specifically, the operator who is utilizing a bullet resistant shield. Usually, the non shooting arm is holding the shield and the gun hand is, well, holding the gun. The problem is that when the gun is being fired, it is in close proximity to the edge or top of the shield. That can get in the way of a reciprocating slide and cause a malfunction. A revolver would be more reliable under these conditions. I read someplace that the revolver was built at the request of a German police agency to solve that issue. It did get some traction with SWAT guys in the US but different agencies train different ways and it didn't have an application for all of them. Also remember that for most teams, the handgun is not their primary weapon. It's also a really good weapon for zombies. Just ask Maggie on Walking Dead!

++ on Locktite: Never use on ejector rod!

To remove or tighten an ejector rod I use an old drill chuck, or unscrew the chuck from a newer drill! I tighten it on the rod just like on a 5/16" drill and then use it just like the gun smith tool to tighten or loosen ejector rods!

Smiles,

Just got back from the range....
Shot about 300 rounds on clips. No problems!
Everything went well.

When you play catch up you do it right!! And a bonus dirty gun pic too!

__________________
Don't You Ever Wash That Thing

What sight/mount is that?

It's an Allchin mount with a UTG mini green dot.

How’s it working for you?

I’d like to try a red dot but fear the less-expensive ones won’t hold their zero

Back on topic, I keep one of these in my range kit:


https://www.midwayusa.com/product/100713197

Put empty brass in your chambers when using to support the extractor.

I was a little apprehensive about getting one too!
But having my son drop a UTG on cement 3 times and still work, gave me a little confidence. (Dont worry, it was on a pellet gun - not a real gun)
The optic itself had skid marks from the cement but the optic still worked well and has worked. So much so, that I ordered another for a gun project not knowing I'd put it on the R8. And mistakenly received a green dot.

After my last post here, I received a titanium cylinder and fitted it to the gun. And shot another 200 rounds. I am happy to report no problems so far. (And am extremely happy with the Ti cylinder. This gun should have come with one from the beginning! )
I did have to move windage on the dot the second time BUT the screws to the mount had loosened. So , I'm sure that's what it was.
Had windage and elevation been off, it would have been the sight.

That looks like part of a tube flare tool I used to use for the older transmission lines.

I like my Brownells "vise- smith" , something tool? It's like a Vise grip, but clamps on the extractor rod to loosen.

Cool, but that looks too much like vise grips, which means someone in the house would borrow and not put them back.

Totally agree on Ti. Wish to hell they’d bring em back in .45 ACP.

I don’t think it’s a QC problem. Maybe a design problem. Sounds like extra parts might be in order if your going to keep it.

Nothing new to me in stocking extra parts that may break or wear out in my surplus military guns. I have those little draw cabinet with firing pins, extractors, springs ect.