So I'm just curious how the wobble in the thumb latch cylinder release can be rectified. I found this discussion with my friend, mr google.

https://www.thefiringline.com/forums...d.php?t=232014

It would appear that wobbly latches are common and varying in degree. How bad of a problem is this? No surprise my 1968 m36 has more wobble than the 77 m66-1; just seems contrary to the watchlike precision the rest of the gun seems to display.

Any idea

__________________
Joshua Brown(Town)

I just replaced the latch plunger that goes into the front of the ejector rod on my 629-1. I think the new latch is a MIM part and it fits much tighter into the end of the ejector rod.

The MIM part is all polished and smooth where the stock part is roughly ground. It reduced the side to side cylinder play quite a bit. It's cheap and I may do it on more of my Smiths.

If you're talking about the cylinder release which you push with your thumb make sure the screw is tight. Otherwise no problem.

If it is the cylinder release, this may sound very basic, but I would check not only the tightness of the cap screw, but before that also make sure that the piece is sitting in the slot properly. Sometimes it may appear that it is completely seated when in fact it is not. Upon installing the release, it usually needs to be pushed slightly foreward to seat properly.

Where do I find step by step direction to do this?.I bought a used 638-3 airweight 1 1/2 yrs old.

I put roughly 100 rounds down range of mixed bullet types and weight, came home to clean it noticed the cylinder release was loose tightened the screw tight but still wobbles N/S...any other advise would be greatly appreciated.

A few of mine do that. As long as they work properly and the cap screw is snugged, it's a non-issue.

Buy Jerry Kuhnhausen's book on S&W revolvers. It will be a valuable aid for future forays into the innards of your revolver.

__________________
So many S&W's, so few funds!!

As long as the thumbpiece nut is tight and the thumbpiece moves freely when pushed there is nothing wrong! Various degrees of verticle "wiggle" in the thumbpiece are completely normal in all S&W revolvers.

__________________
Gunsmithing since 1961