I have a model 36 built around 1974. After shooting as few a 15 rounds, the cylinder gets so gummed up from powder residue that making the cylinder turn takes great effort. I have to remove the cylinder and clean the inside of the cylinder and the crane. I have talked to others and they do not have this problem. Any ideas?

What kind of ammo are you using ? Do you have a set of feeler gauges to measure the barrel / cylinder gap ?

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1st smiles,lies.Last,gunfire.

I shoot various brands of ammo, mainly reloads loaded using a mild charge of Winchester 231 and 158 grain cast bullets. Yes I do own a feeler gauge and it has a cylinder to barrel gap of .011".

Your gap is generous and shouldn't be prone to getting gummed up.
Is the gap the same on all the cylinders?

So what is the gap at the read of the cylinder to the frame? Any chance it's dragging there?

Could it be that your primers are dragging or does it do this even when empty?

In any case, popping the side plate off for an inspection /cleaning of the insides may not be a bad idea.

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Dave

When you eject your empties to you hold the gun with the barrel up? If you hold it barrel down any residue in the cases falls into the opened area beneath the ejector. Then the ejector doesn't close up tight.

Thanks for the help guys. First off it is not primer set back. After emptying the gun the cylinder is gummed up so bad it takes effort to rotate with the cylinder open. It is easily fixed by removing the crane from the cylinder and generously hosing it down with carburetor cleaner spray. I do not like to removes side plates as it can bell the edges even when doing it properly. To clean the insides, I remove the grips and use a spray cleaner in all the gaps, the use a compressor to blow dry. I have used a car wash at one time to wash a muddy model 19.

Problem with gas ring?
Bent yoke?
You might try to figure out if your yoke is bent. Check the barrel to cylinder gap on both sides of the barrel. If it's significantly different it's possible due to a bent yoke. Look down on your revolver from the top and see if the cylinder looks square in the frame or if the rear of the cylinder looks like it's got a symmetrical gap between it and the recoil shields.

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Scoundrel & Ne'er-Do-Well

Sounds like the OP has the version without a gas ring. There was a time when S&W put a gas ring of sorts on the yoke instead of in the cylinder. Didn`t work too well. The best you can do is clean the yoke and cylinder often.

Excatly what I thought, also avoid any oil on the inside of the ejector rod because the hard carbon sticks to it and builds up under the star.

Guess how I learned that.....