I purchases a LNIB 34-1. Beautiful gun. Took it to the range Sunday for testing. I had quite a few no fires using random 22 ammo. The ammo shot just fine in my 63 so I knew something was off with the 34. When I got home, I disassembled the 34, looking for any visible issues. Discovered someone had ground the leading end of the yoke off, taking away the raised section the cylinder rides on. They also filed the length of the yoke down. No reasoning for this type of work I can think of.
I called Smith & Wesson on the issue and was informed they will need to fit a new yoke to the gun. This will require a complete re-blue and quite an expense. I am not excited about a new blue job as I do not think it is near as nice as what is on the gun now.
Is it possible to have a good gunsmith "swell the end of the yoke back to factory diameter? Can one shim the length of the yoke to eliminate the excess play caused by the filing? If any of you knowledgeable folks have input, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Steve

Can you post a photo of the damage? Depending on the extent of the modification to the yoke barrel, it may be repairable.

It is possible to restore the yoke barrel to the proper length by stretching or shimming with "end shake bearings".

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

there are replacement yokes on numrich $61.00.

Good Luck
Pete

Best fix: Install a replacement yoke and match its finish to the rest of the handgun. Easy......don't mess with the original. It sound too far gone and messed with to ever be satisfied with a 'fix'.

Can you check the rear gauge of the cylinder, the area beween the breechface and the rear of the cylinder? (empty cylinder)

Place the feeler gauge in the area between the rear of the cylinder and the breechface in the area in front of the firing pin bushing. When checking, push forward on the cylinder....make sure the surfaces are clean, and the yoke screw in the sideplate is installed.
Ideally, the gauge should be between .008" and .010"

Don't assume the yoke is damaged "beyond repair". I'm not sure if this is the case with your particular gun, but I have seen "new in box" revolvers with artifacts from factory fitting similar to the ones in your photos. What you are seeing on the yoke barrel may, in fact, not even be the cause of the problem you described in your original post.

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

Armorer951, Thank you for the advice. Did the measuring and have way too much gap. Yoke bearings on order from Brownells. Will update after install and testing.
Have a great long weekend,
Steve

Shims will correct the fit for length.

The easiest fix for the outer diameter that's been ground off would be to build up the outside of the shaft by nickel plating it.
This would require a skilled plater who understands GUN plating. You'd need to explain things very carefully so you're both on the same page, and you'd need to send the cylinder in with the yoke.

After plating, you'd use very fine valve grinding compound to final fit the shaft to the cylinder.

I can recommend Ford's and possibly APW/Cogan for the plating.
Cogan is also a Master gunsmith. You might talk to him about other options.
(If you call make sure your phone is fully charged, he likes to talk to customers, especially about unusual work).

This OP reminded me that I need to contact Brownells for some of the frame boss washers (shims)to elevate the MIM trigger on my wife's 65-2. Not attempting to hijack here, but those shims come in really handy in these problems.

How can a 22 develop such a difficulty, outside of " COWBOYING" the cylinder?? I mean outside of normal wear, and a ton of shooting, 22 is dirty as all get out, but if you clean it regularly after shooting sessions, metal wear is severly reduced.

Excess gap is one thing. The only way to eliminate gap is set the barrel back.

End play is another. Filing the end of the yoke opens up a tight fit cylinder to frame fit. To much and shims are needed to limit that play and keep the cylinder from moving forward and rubbing on the barrel.

I really doubt the gap is so excessive that it would cause light strikes.

Have you pulled the side plate and looked at the firing pin. Gun may have been dry fired and damaged the pin or bushing.