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10-10-2018, 05:53 PM
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Proper Way to Unscrew Ejector Rod
I know they’ve had a left handed thread since the late 50’s. One of my revolvers is a K38 from early 1957. The rest are all 70’s-early 90’s.
So if it am looking down the Cylinder as if the gun was pointed at me, and the ejector rod is pointing at me, to unscrew the rod for the newer revolvers, I’d have to turn the rod clockwise. Is that clockwise from the front of the cylinder as the rod faces me?
It seems easier to turn the cylinder while holding the rod. So padded vise or padded vice grip, and then turn the cylinder right or left?
And which way for my K38? We’re they still using right hand threads on pre model number guns?
Last edited by kbm6893; 10-10-2018 at 05:54 PM.
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10-10-2018, 06:18 PM
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Others may disagree (who are we kidding... they WILL disagree), but messing with a S&W ejector rod when you don't have the tool to properly do it is far too much risk to reward, IMO.
Brownell's sells the tool, I think it's $20, the tool works every time and will last longer than humankind will.
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10-10-2018, 06:21 PM
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And make sure you fill up the chambers with empty cases too.
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10-10-2018, 06:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sevens
Others may disagree (who are we kidding... they WILL disagree), but messing with a S&W ejector rod when you don't have the tool to properly do it is far too much risk to reward, IMO.
Brownell's sells the tool, I think it's $20, the tool works every time and will last longer than humankind will.
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I bought the tool. It never worked well. One of the inserts fell off and I had to epoxy it back on. When I tighten it very tight and turn it the tool would spin on the rod and rod not move. I just bought a pretty beat up mode 10 and completely disassembled and cleaned. Needed to wrap the rod in a piece of leather and unscrew by spinning the cylinder. All is well but want to see if there’s a better way. I watched a video from Midway USA and Larry Potter spin-off tbe cylinder to the right I believe as he had the rod in the padded vice.
And yes, I had dummy rounds in the cylinder as I did it.
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10-10-2018, 07:28 PM
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If you've got a drill press or lathe you can put the rod in the chuck if you can lock the spindle. Use some muscle on the chuck wrench. Works much better than either of the tools I bought to do it.
Possibly take a pair of channel locks and modify the jaws to remove the teeth and grip the OD of the rod?
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10-10-2018, 08:04 PM
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Ace hardware sells a pin vice that goes up to .41 in size (basically a drill chuck but as a hand tool).
I use this to chuck up the ejector rod, with two empty cases in the cylinder to prevent damage to the ejector.
Easy as pie. $11 at your local Ace.
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10-10-2018, 08:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kbm6893
I know they’ve had a left handed thread since the late 50’s. One of my revolvers is a K38 from early 1957. The rest are all 70’s-early 90’s.
So if it am looking down the Cylinder as if the gun was pointed at me, and the ejector rod is pointing at me, to unscrew the rod for the newer revolvers, I’d have to turn the rod clockwise. Is that clockwise from the front of the cylinder as the rod faces me?
It seems easier to turn the cylinder while holding the rod. So padded vise or padded vice grip, and then turn the cylinder right or left?
And which way for my K38? We’re they still using right hand threads on pre model number guns?
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For the newer guns with the barrel pointing at you you would turn the rod clockwise while holding the cylinder steady or you would turn the cylinder counter clockwise while holding the rod steady. But the right tool and turning the rod is the proper method.
Last edited by yrunvs; 10-10-2018 at 08:25 PM.
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10-10-2018, 08:34 PM
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I guess there must be more than one tool. Mine (from Brownell's) came with no inserts of any kind and has worked like a charm everywhere that I have used it.
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10-10-2018, 09:22 PM
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I use a clothes pin (wooden) squeezed together with a small vice grip. Works great and leaves no mark in the bluing.
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10-10-2018, 09:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sevens
I guess there must be more than one tool. Mine (from Brownell's) came with no inserts of any kind and has worked like a charm everywhere that I have used it.
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I got one from Power Custom that doesn't use inserts and fits J/K/L/N frames and some Rugers too. Worked every time I've used it.
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10-10-2018, 10:12 PM
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Nothing beats a 5c collet of the proper size. That stuff that's made for the purpose is junk compared to a 5c collet.
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10-10-2018, 11:06 PM
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Vise, leather padding, empty cases, and turn the cylinder.
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10-10-2018, 11:26 PM
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I'll bite, what do the empty cases do?
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10-11-2018, 12:21 AM
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Empty cases in the chambers support the extractor star and keep it from naturally trying to twist along with the rod to which it is screwed -- which you are purposely twisting.
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10-11-2018, 02:27 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WR Moore
If you've got a drill press or lathe you can put the rod in the chuck if you can lock the spindle. Use some muscle on the chuck wrench. Works much better than either of the tools I bought to do it.
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I have a DeWalt 120vac hand drill with a keyless chuck & it worked on a super tight extractor rod that I couldn't loosen by any other means.
Insert the extractor rod as deep as you can in the open chuck, then hand tighten. Hold the chuck still with one hand & turn the cylinder with the other hand.
Just remember to double (triple) check the way you need to turn the cylinder since it's easy to lose your orientation.
Removing the cylinder from the gun first makes the job easier.
The empty cases are needed with the old style extractor star that have a round rod & pins to keep the rachet/star aligned.
The newer models which have the "D" shaped extractor rod under the star are stronger but using empties on them won't hurt.
.
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10-11-2018, 05:06 AM
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Thanks. The tool I have is The Vicesmith tool. Looks like a vicegrip with a piece on each side of the jaws. When closed, the two pieces form the circle that the rod goes through. There are two holes. One for j frames and the other for k,l, and n frames.
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10-11-2018, 09:22 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sevens
Empty cases in the chambers support the extractor star and keep it from naturally trying to twist along with the rod to which it is screwed -- which you are purposely twisting.
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Got it, I understand. TX
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10-11-2018, 11:09 AM
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I use my Drill Press's Jacobs Chuck. To me, it is the best method because a Chuck is meant for securely gripping cylindrical type tools and will not mark, mar or scratch if tightened properly. A good quality Chuck is precise and works like a charm every time! Don't forget the empty cartridges (both on & off) and reverse thread in Smiths made after mid 20th Century.
Tighten Chuck firmly but do not "Gorilla it"! I personally pull out Drill Press plug so there is absolutely no way the motor can be turned on!
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09-26-2023, 11:50 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yrunvs
For the newer guns with the barrel pointing at you you would turn the rod clockwise while holding the cylinder steady or you would turn the cylinder counter clockwise while holding the rod steady. But the right tool and turning the rod is the proper method.
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Five years after you posted this, it really helped me out, thanks! Toughest ejector rod I've yet encountered--had me wondering if my Mod. 60 was assembled with old parts, unscrewing the "old way"--but the drill chuck worked like a charm.
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09-27-2023, 09:07 AM
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I've used the drill chuck and it works fine and for old revolvers with the knob on the rod I have to use a large chuck to get past the knob. But I prefer the Brownell tool, one for J frame and one for the others. It is handy and on my bench and the shape makes it difficult to put too much torque on the rod so I don't worry about overtightening or breaking a rod.
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09-27-2023, 09:11 AM
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My 638 came from the factory looking like someone used vice grips on it.
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09-27-2023, 09:36 AM
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Same tool as KBM6893 uses...very good tool
Obviously there are many ways to skin a cat so to speak but I found the Gunsmither tool to fit all my needs great. Very well made, has never slipped or marred any of my S&W's. Comes with a small bag of rosin if needed.
Sure came in handy when reaming out my sticky cylinder Model 34 and Model 17 (and a couple for friends too).
I'm basically a tool hound anyway, so another specialty in the tool chest doesn't bother me a bit.
Even comes with clear instructions for those that may not know their left from their right.
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09-27-2023, 10:15 AM
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I used the Power Custom tool to remove/tighten extractor rods and have had good results. I have found that on some occasions the extractor rod has slight excess runout after it has been removed and re-tightened. To easily solve that issue I use a Power Custom fixture to eliminate the runout. The fixture is a bit expensive but compared to my "valued" S&W revolvers it is justified (in my mind ).
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09-27-2023, 10:50 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sevens
Others may disagree (who are we kidding... they WILL disagree), but messing with a S&W ejector rod when you don't have the tool to properly do it is far too much risk to reward, IMO.
Brownell's sells the tool, I think it's $20, the tool works every time and will last longer than humankind will.
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I bought the tool. the rod just spins in it. I don't recommend it.
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09-27-2023, 11:01 AM
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I've used my Brownell's tool successfully. There are two sizes. Make sure you have the right size.
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09-27-2023, 11:12 AM
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Just a quick comment: did I simply overlook it or did no one mention that ejector rods with left-hand threads have a shallow annular groove machined just aft of the knurling to identity them as such? I find this identification aid quite helpful.
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09-27-2023, 11:46 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesmith
Just a quick comment: did I simply overlook it or did no one mention that ejector rods with left-hand threads have a shallow annular groove machined just aft of the knurling to identity them as such? I find this identification aid quite helpful.
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Can you (or someone) post a picture of this.? Also how to determine if the gun is a newer or older, What date did they change.? I always get confused with right or left, clock or counter??
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09-27-2023, 02:01 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rule3
Can you (or someone) post a picture of this.? Also how to determine if the gun is a newer or older, What date did they change.? I always get confused with right or left, clock or counter??
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Here is a photo that illustrates the way to differentiate between the RH and LH rods.
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09-28-2023, 09:10 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OutWest50
Here is a photo that illustrates the way to differentiate between the RH and LH rods.
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Excellent! Thank you
As to CW or CCW that is facing the front of the cylinder and rod yes?
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09-28-2023, 10:30 AM
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CW and CCW
Answer is yes.........hold cylinder your left hand, with rod knurled end facing you. With your right hand grasp the knurled tip of the ejector rod and then just pretend you are holding a normal bolt head in your right hand, and your left hand is holding the "nut".
With bolts and nuts normally threaded for right hand threads, you tighten by turning to the right, hence the old machinists saying: "Righty tighty...lefty loosey"...meaning Clockwise to tighten, Counterclockwise to loosen.
The OPPOSITE is true with left hand threads, meaning (same holding orientation).. turn bolt head Counterclockwise to tighten, turn clockwise to loosen.
Hope this helps.
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10-02-2023, 12:39 AM
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Besides the empty cases, don't forget the rosin on the vise-grip jaw's circular cuts to hold the rod. If you want your work to look good, you gotta have the tools; and i doubt i'd try to remove the rod w/o the Brownells vise-grips...
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10-02-2023, 12:41 AM
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Howdy Out West, Thanks heaps for that simple way to ID a LH or RH rod..never knew that! Best-mog
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10-02-2023, 12:47 AM
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gmarshall99, if the Vise-Grip is slipping on the rod and you cant get the jaws to close tighter, you can try using some thin cardboard- like the thickness of a matchbook used to gap points :-) sprinkle a bit of the powdered rosin that shoulda shipped with the tool on both sides of the paper and cut the paper just long enough to wrap around the rod, close the jaws tight and not have any 'double-thickness' of paper on the rod.
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10-05-2023, 10:26 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dieseltech56
And make sure you fill up the chambers with empty cases too.
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Preferably fired emptys at that to prevent the most amount of rotational movement.
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