Today I have used my brownells alignment tool for the first time. I have a well used S&W 64-8 trade in that had a few problems. After buying a new star to replace a burred and worn out ratchet. And finding out I needed a good smith to cut the ratchet. I discovered the thumb latch sticking on half the cylinder index positions. The cylinder was springing when I unlocked it at those positions. The tools are easy to use. The reason I write this is to let people know just how tiny the force it taked to twist the yoke. Basically two tools are used. One replaces the ejector rod and is made to fill the housing so the tube won't crush and straight so you see the alignment to the locking bolt hole in the center of the recoil shield. The other tool is a bar from the aligner tool that has no play sized hole in it you slip over the cylinder base pin that still has the ejector rod replacement in it and use the leverage to tweak it. After seeing just how little effort it takes you will never swing out the cylinder the same again. Once the alignment checking rod dropped in the hole I checked the extractor rod for straightness and all was good. Finally the little 64 is ready for the range. Remember don't flick your wrist to close up a revolver movies are fantasy and good guns cost real money.
Extractor rod and yoke alignment tool
Linear Mode
