Hey guys,

I am wondering if anyone can help me out?

I am very new to revolvers so please dont mind my lack of proper identification of part names...

I have a new X-frame 460V and after about 80 rounds I am having a problem... The yolk seems to be loose, when I close the cylinder the ring in front of the cylinder hits the frame and I have to push the yoke towards the cylinder to make it clear the frame and close properly.

If anyone can give me some advice on what has caused this and my best options for getting it fixed it would be greatly appreciated.

Just to give you some more info It was working before my last cleaning, hopefully I did not bend something while cleaning...

Ben

Check the yoke screw to make sure it is present and tight. This is the screw directly to the left of the Marcus Registradas on the right side of the gun.

I will check that! thanks...

I checked the screw and it is tight...

I should make sure I am calling the yoke correctly, it is the arm that swings the cylinder out, correct?

I feel a little revolver dumb but we all have to start somewhere...

Ben

Yup, it's called the yoke. Colt calls it a crane on their revolvers, so you will see that term used as well.

If you swing open the cylinder, is the yoke able to move forward, as if removing it from the frame? The cylinder can have a tiny bit of play front to back, but the yoke should not.

Yes, when the cylinder is open I am able to move the yoke forward and back towards the cylinder...

So the yoke will move forward, but not fall completely off the frame? and the yoke screw is tight? This is not good. I am not an expert Smith smith by any means, but I suspect you have either a poorly fitted yoke screw, or a damaged yoke. Either would be best solved by a trip back to S&W under warranty.

Use a properly fitting screwdriver, and remove the yoke screw. Then remove the cylinder and yoke, and inspect the yoke. Note where the yoke screw contacts and retains it, and check for damage in that area. Do a google image search for "S&W yoke" to see lots of different pics of what the yoke should look like.

Thank you for your help... I will take it apart and check to see if anything looks damaged.

Well I took it apart and cleaned it inspected it and put it back together and now it seems to work...

Although there is a little play in the yoke still, but I suspect this is just the combination of the v in the screw not fitting perfectly in the notch on the yoke arm and the play in the sprung set screw.

I don't know why the yoke was moving so much before I did this perhaps the set screw was dirty and stuck up?

Anyway, thank you again for your help.

Yeah, might have been the screw not sitting properly. Well, at least it's mostly fixed for now. Keep an eye on it over the next few range trips and see if the problem persists or gets worse.

Because the spring loaded yoke screws depend on a rather small center pin they are more prone to issues than the older design. I would suggest that you purchase a couple of spares from Brownell's or Numrich's. With the recoil the 460 Magnum can produce you'll probably need to replace it a lot more frequently than a milder caliber.

BTW, the thread size is a standard 4mm Metric but I don't recall the pitch, vague memory has it being either .75 or .80 but don't count on that. However, it is a standard Metric pitch, that I do remember because I got one at a local screw supplier.

I mention this because it may be possible for you to locate a 17-4 Stainless screw in this size and "fit" it to your yoke to obtain a solid one piece screw. I did that with my 617 when it still had an Aimtech sideplate secured mounting rail on it and the yoke screw that it came with only had 1 1/2 turns of engagement. Aimtech had copied the appearance of the standard spring loaded screw and that took away a lot of threads for engagning in the frame. What I did was purchase a Metric Socket Head screw and beveled the tip to fit the groove in the yoke and kept adjusting that bevel until the yoke JUST stopped dragging on opening with the screw fully tightened.

If you want to do something similar and have it look factory, you'll first have to locate a metric screw that is slotted and made using a high strength stainless steel such as 17-4. Next I expect that you'll have to reduce the diameter of the head of the screw because I suspect it'll be slightly smaller than the standard. Use your existing yoke screw to determine sizing and I've found a Dremel holding the screw and using a stone will work well for reducing the head diameter. It also help to keep the stone "wet" with either water, oil, or beeswax so it doesn't load up. One you have the head turned to size, flip the screw over and chuck the head in the Dremel and once it is running true, snug it up FIRM. Then use the stone to bevel the tip so it eyeball matches the groove in the yoke. After that you snug the screw LIGHTLY in the frame and check the yoke for dragging as you open it. Keep going back and forth until the drag vanishes with the screw snugged LIGHTLY and then start dusting it down until you can tighten it fully with either a tiny hint of drag or the drag has just disappeared. Based on my experience it'll probably take about an hour to fit it perfectly, however you'll then have a yoke screw that is a lot more suited to the recoil your 460 Magnum can produce.

BTW, if you can't find a slotted stainless screw you could use a blued socket head screw. If won't look "factory" but who cares about looking factory at the range. When you want to dress it "factory" just install the standard yoke screw. If you go with a socket head screw, two tips. One, start out with the yoke screw a bit loose and keep an eye on it tending to shoot loose. Use the amount of bend you see in the hex key with a fingertip on the end as a guide to how tight to set it. One issue with socket head screws this small is they tend to strip the hex key and then the socket, so you never want to set it "stupid tight", you want it just tight enough it won't shoot loose. Second tip, keep and eye on that hex key and if you see any hint of the corners rounding over, grind the end back for a fresh tip. One thing I've learned from years of experience is that it's easy to over torque one of these smaller screws due ot the length of the moment arm and if you strip the socket it's a nightmare getting it out.

Actually it sounds like the yoke screw plunger stuck. I have no idea why "you'll probably need to replace it a lot more frequently than a milder caliber." The yoke screw plunger does nothing with the cylinder closed. It just keeps the yoke (and cylinder) in place when open. You can replace the plunger spring with a short piece of paper clip or any other high tech short piece of rod that fits. You have to fit it for length. Thats the fix for the guys who push the yoke out during reloads.

Hey guys,

Thanks for your suggestions...

It seems to have worked itself out for now, but I will keep an eye on it.

Cheers, Ben