I picked up the subject. 357 from my LGS yesterday and noticed the cylinder is hard to close. Loosening the crane retention screw solves the problem. I switched the two similar screws to make sure someone didn't get them in the wrong place but it was the exact same. So, should I just file/sand a little off the end of the screw until it works correctly, or is this indicative of a problem that I'm not seeing?

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Chris Rivers

Just reread... could be that the previous owner installed a new yoke screw without properly fitting it?

Did you check the extractor rod for tightness? Also under the extractor star for any crud (unburned powder kernels, etc.). The Pre 27 is a precision fitting gun, and any .002+ crud can bind the cylinder when it is loaded.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Back the screw out 1/2 turn and see if it frees up the crane ,try 1/2 again and so forth .If that does not help then you have another problem

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age is just a number

Backing the screw out does fix the problem, as stated in the post. The idea of someone replacing it without properly fitting it is probably dead on.

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Chris Rivers

To be clear, the problem is like the crane is tight when opening and closing, not the actual latch mechanism. I am almost pi=ositive the screw is too long.

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Chris Rivers

If as you say simply switching the two rounder head screws doesn't solve the problem (which would mean a previous owner mixed them up) and backing out the crane retention screw does solve it, then yes I would agree that Bubba saw you could get new screws from Brownells. Since he already buggered up the originals, he replaced them without fitting the one in question. So yes, carefully file and try, file and try. Go easy, steel doesn't grow back. Like 1 stroke at a time