Hi All,

I recently bought a S&W Model 36 and took it to the range with an old college buddy. I shot two cylinders full of ball 38 SP. rounds and then let my buddy give the gun a try. On the 4th shot the cylinder stopped turning. My buddy suspected an over pressured cartridge. He set the revolver down, pointed down range and we went to get the range officer. The range officer looked it over but couldn't get the cylinder to open. So he managed to get the cylinder off and we noticed that the cartridge would not eject. It seemed to have expanded so much that it could not be removed. I took it to a local gunsmith and he was able to get the spent cartridge out with a special tool (reamer perhaps? I can't remember what he called it) and chamfered the chambers and put it back together.

I took it back to the range and shot a cylinder full of ammo and when I went to eject the empty cartridges 4 came out easy but the one that had the bad cartridge only came out halfway. I had to pull it out with a little bit of force, but not to the extreme.

My question is, is the gun safe? Does it need a new cylinder? It shoots okay, but that one chamber is now sticky.

Thanks for any and all advice.

I'm 90% certain that you need a new cylinder for that handgun. There is a small chance that it is only a problem in the extractor and a good pistolsmith should be able to tell in short order. The replacement is no big deal and there are lots of those used cylinders available from the de-milled parts suppliers. .............

I had a comparable problem with my new Remington 700 Long Range in 7mm Remington Magnum last year (yes, I know, comparing apples and oranges!). In the first 100 or so rounds, I was unable to extract about 60 without the assistance of a 2x4!

It turns out that the rifle left the factory with a rough chamber. After the chamber was polished, the problem disappeared. You can check this rather easily, especially if you still have the brass that stuck.

With a magnifying glass, check the brass for a scratch or two (or more) that runs along the body of the case. The scratch would originate at some point along the length of the brass and run in almost a straight line to the mouth of the brass. If you find such a scratch, save the brass as evidence of a rough chamber.

As I understand it, polishing a chamber is supposed to be an easy operation, but more than what I want to undertake. If you find evidence of a rough chamber, you have three options: send it back to S&W to have the cylinder chambers polished, hire a local gunsmith to polish the chambers, or you can polish the chambers yourself with your power drill. Chances are extremely good that your revolver passed through QC and the rough chamber was missed. If this proves to be the case, you don't have the cost of a new cylinder!

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Judge control not gun control!

Welcome, and sorry for your troubles. You didn't mention if your model 36 is new or used, but if it is the latter someone may have fired an overpressure round in the one charge hole and bulged the cylinder. The suggestion to find a new one is good advice.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Hi All and thanks for the responses. I bought the model 36 brand new. I figured it probably needed a new cylinder but I'm still fairly new to firearms.

If anyone would be willing to share any websites where I might find a good used cylinder I'd surely appreciate it, and of course I'll google the subject as well. Thanks again.

Was the cylinder wall left rough by the removal operation? One thing I like about old Smiths is that the chamber walls look like mirrors. I was just thinking that someone may be able to evaluate it for stress and polish it if it passes and is rough.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Any damage to the brass?
I have a 15-5 that I bought at an auction that had a damaged cylinder. Best guess it that it also was fired with over pressure rounds. It had a bulge in the wall of one chamber hole that started at the stop notch and went forward along the chamber wall about 1/2 the length of the chamber. First indication was hard ejection, second was bulged brass with hairline cracking at the bulge. A used cylinder went on with no issues and fixed the problem easy peasy.

No, the cylinder walls all look the same. The gunsmith did an excellent job of removing the stuck cartridge and chamfered the cylinder chambers for free. I can't tell which cylinder is the bad one just by looking at it and didn't think to mark which one was having the problem the last time I fired it. I just fear that it may not be safe to fire in its current condition, however I don't know if that's the case, it just seemed prudent not to fire it again until I found out some more information.

RE: Any damage to the brass - I wasn't savvy enough to even think about asking for the spent cartridge until you mentioned it.

Sounds like the best option would be to replace the cylinder. I'll google S&W Model 36 used cylinders and see if I can find a match.

Thank you to everyone who has replied.

Check for a bulge at the cylinder lock notch.
I have seen a few with bulges there.

If it is a current new model 36 (-10) bought at retail, I would contact customer service and have the factory replace the cylinder for you.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Since this is a new revolver that you are having problems with, you shouldn't spend money for a replacement cylinder! Your Smith came with a lifetime warranty, use it. Customer service typically states a longer turn around than really occurs. I sent my Model 57 in to have the cylinder release evaluated and repaired. I was told I would be contacted in about 10 weeks with a repair estimate. Three weeks after it was returned to Smith, it was at my door, repaired at no cost. This, on a revolver I have owned for 23 years.

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Judge control not gun control!

Post #9 shows a 5 shot cylinder, which does have the locking notches directly over a chamber, and subject to bulging due to excessive pressure, but the gun in question is a 5 shot, so the locking notches are between chambers, so nearly impossible to bulge with any pressure that doesn't blow the cylinder apart. A bulge is still a possibility, just not in the locking notch.

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Tom
1560

Ops.. Sorry, i missed that it was a 5 shot revolver

Okay, I'll check into sending it back to Smith and Wesson for evaluation and repair. Is the gun safe to shoot in its current condition?

I'm guessing the answer is no.

Maybe as a four-shooter, but personally I wouldn't risk it .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220