S&W 327 Federal - difficult extraction

[505Gibbs]

I did a search under the S&W smithing and while it might be there I wasn't going to go thru 163 pages worth and so :
I took my 3" out for the first time using the Federal Eagle 100g factory load and all but one cylinder require the use of a screwdriver and some 'sound' pounding with my hand to extract the fired cases.
I believe some options to eliminate this are :
a. JB's on a brass brush
b. Flitz or Simichrome on a wool swab
c. the hone & oil from Brownell
I've checked the cylinders with a bright light and there doesn't appear to be any obvious tools marks.
Opinions based on experience being sought - thanks to all responders!!

 

[Tyrod]

Have you owned this gun since new? If not, someone may have fired shorter cartridges creating a ridge in the chamber. Clean the snot out of your chambers. Put bore solvent in thickly and let it sit for a while. If that doesn't work and it's a newer S&W, send it in for warranty repair. If it's your dime and you're inclined to fix it yourself, then start with the least destructive method until you're satisfied that method won't work. The fear, of course, is that you may go way oversize and end up with bulged cases or an oval hole.

 

[505Gibbs]

Have you owned this gun since new? If not, someone may have fired shorter cartridges creating a ridge in the chamber. Clean the snot out of your chambers. Put bore solvent in thickly and let it sit for a while. If that doesn't work and it's a newer S&W, send it in for warranty repair. If it's your dime and you're inclined to fix it yourself, then start with the least destructive method until you're satisfied that method won't work. The fear, of course, is that you may go way oversize and end up with bulged cases or an oval hole.

Gun was purchased new.

 

[ogilvyspecial]

I had the same issue right out of the box with my M632-1 back in 2009. It's kind of been a back burner issue and I have yet to try it again after lightly polishing the chambers with JB Polish. I've had about 6 range sessions since 2009 with the gun hoping that it would work itself out over time and since it hasn't I tried the polishing route.

My goal in the near future is to see what, if anything, the light polishing may have done and if it's still hard to extract the spent brass I'll be sending it back. When I say "hard", I mean more than tight, it's pound 'em out hard.

I had a similar issue with my Ruger SP101 (.327 Fed Mag) that I got back in '08 and once I sent it back to the factory they replaced the cylinder and the problem went away.

My wife's S&W 632-2 has never had a tight extraction issue and neither did the Charter Arms Patriot I had, which was also chambered for the .327 Fed Mag round.

 

[msinc]

If it takes that much force to get the cases out...I have to ask, dont you see a clue on the sides of the cases??? If it's to the point that you have to beat them out with a hammer there should be some readily apparent marks on the cases. You may not be able to see what's doing it in the actual chambers but sticking that hard should be leaving marks. I have never had any luck with "polish" when cases stick this bad. It has always taken the Flex hones and proper oil from Brownell's. It helps if you have access to a borescope to see when to stop. Sadly, I have seen several S&W guns with pretty severely chattered chambers in the last few years...something I never saw twenty years ago.

 

[ogilvyspecial]

If it takes that much force to get the cases out...I have to ask, dont you see a clue on the sides of the cases??? If it's to the point that you have to beat them out with a hammer there should be some readily apparent marks on the cases. You may not be able to see what's doing it in the actual chambers but sticking that hard should be leaving marks. I have never had any luck with "polish" when cases stick this bad. It has always taken the Flex hones and proper oil from Brownell's. It helps if you have access to a borescope to see when to stop. Sadly, I have seen several S&W guns with pretty severely chattered chambers in the last few years...something I never saw twenty years ago.

In my case, I think I did look at the cases back in 2009 but felt that trying to "root cause" the issue on a new gun was a waste of time. Either it'll have to go back to S&W or it won't.

The only reason I tried lightly polishing the chambers on mine was one of those "Benefit of the doubt" kinda things to see if there may have been a burr or something simple causing the issue.

As I said above, I feel it a waste of time trying to explain to those who work in the S&W repair shop what might be causing a problem. It is what it is and they will probably handle it in their own way no matter what I write on a note.

I'm currently doing some reliability testing on some J Frames (after reduced springs were installed) and one of these times I'll grab my 632-1 and see what's going on. If the first 6 stick I'll simply leave the spent casings in the cylinder and send it back that way. Adding a BIG note that tells them the brass in the cylinder has been fired.

 

[FAL]

Federal A.E .327 load is a very hot load. It has sticky extraction issues in my blackhawk. I believe it may be the ammo and not your gun. If your cylinder walls look smooth,then the ammo is the likley problem. I hope you dont bulge a cylinder in your J-frame.

 

[tomcatt51]

I'm slowly accumulating chamber finishing reamers because of the way the "newer" S&W's are. Out of spec chambers, undersize, out of round, "wavy" walled, etc. unfortunately are not un-common. You look at how the reamer is cutting and wonder what they (S&W) did to get them in that shape.