I have excessive end shake and barrel/cylinder gap. Both are 0.010. The gas ring wear appears to be excessive. Lots of slop on the front of cylinder/gas ring. Can the gas ring be replaced and will this correct end shake and b/c gap problems. I am ok with sending the gun back to S&W but you get no answers when you ask them these questions except send it in for eval. They charge an eval fee and I'm ok with that if it can be fixed. I don't think yoke stretching will cure the problems.

Since you mention "end shake", and just to clarify your question, are you referring to gauge on the yoke, and the resultant setting of B/C gap and headspace, or are you referring to an excessive side to side movement at the front of the cylinder when it is closed?

recent thread on gas ring replacement: Replace Gas Ring on 586 Cylinder

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

B/C gap. Pull cylinder back to rear and measure. =0.010= b/c gap. Cylinder End shake= push cylinder forward and measure= 0.0000. Yes, excessive side to side movement on front of cylinder. Did not measure the the cylinder slop

End shake can easily be repaired by use of shims added to the end of the yoke barrel. (or by stretching/peening the barrel end)


You can find end shake repair shims here: TriggerShims Brand Shim Kits


You might also check the front locking bolt to make sure it is working properly. The front locking bolt should minimize the side to side movement you are feeling at the front of the cyl when it is closed.

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

armorer951, I'm not a gunsmith or play one on TV but seems to me if you shim the yoke to correct B/C gap you will increase headspace???? What's wrong with my thinking aside from a really poor ability to draw mental images?? :~)

Stu

Poor use of words on my part. You are correct, thanks. I should have said "end shake" and, the end of the yoke barrel, not the yoke itself. (edited)

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Ret. LE, FA Instr, S&W Armorer

Shimming or stretching the yoke tube will decrease head space and increase B/C gap as it holds the cylinder towards the rear of the gun. Head space on a S&W revolvers held by the center of the ratchet against where it meets the recoil shield and by the length of the yoke tube. If tube is to long ratchet will bind against recoil shield, to short will allow the ratchet and cylinder to move away from the recoil shied especially when round is whacked by the firing pin. The only way you can hold head space and decrease B/C is to set back barrel. You can't easily shim the cylinder forward, lengthen the cylinder or close up the frame window. I suppose it would be possible to shim the extractor ratchet out or replace it with a slightly thicker one, but, not very practical.

The first thing to do is to correct the endshake, either by adding bushings, or stretching the yoke barrel. When endshake is corrected, measure the B/C gap. It is optimal at about .006. I believe that Smith says it should be less than .012. If you have a true .010, then shoot the gun and if it shoots ok, you don't have a lot of splatter out the sides, then you may consider it within specs.

I really don't like anything over .008, as that is the old standard and I have guns around there that still shoot fine.
Correcting over size B/C gap entails removing barrel, and milling fit so that is set back one turn and shank refitted to cylinder. I would prefer to have mine repaired at the factory.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

My K22 developed an issue where if would not reliably fire, light hammer strikes on the rim. My father purchased this revolver new in the 50's and it literally has had a zillion rounds fired through it. My LGS was having an open house and they advertised that a S&W factory gunsmith would be there and would be looking at S&W firearms that had issues at no charge. Figured I had nothing to loose so I took a ride and waited in line to see him.

After explaining the issue to him he looked it over and said there was too much forward play in the cylinder. When the hammer struck the cartridge rim it was pushing the whole cylinder forward and causing light primer strikes. He pulled out a small tubing cutter that had had the cutting blade replaced with a solid roller. He pulled the firearm apart and clamped the tubing cutter down on the yoke, tightened it up and spun it around a few times saying this would stretch/lengthen the yoke. He then measured the gap and did this a few more times until he was satisfied. He handed it back to me along with his business card from S&W saying the issue should be resolved and told me if I had any other issues with it to call him directly and he would take care of it no charge.

I have fired an additional zillion rounds through it since then with no issues. Now that was customer service!!