Ejector problems for 1957 4 Screw 22 Combat Masterpiece

[Dave Haynes]

I bought this pistol 40 years ago as a shooter. It is a 4 screw #K315202 .22 Combat Masterpiece. It is a matching gun but was not a safe queen. The screws had been messed with and the ejector tip had the knurling all messed . I understand that this is a right handed thread ejector. It is a great shooter that I've used a lot but it has the usual S&W issues of very tight fired cases. I got tired of beating on the extractor end to get the fired cases out and decided to get a finish reamer and clean the chambers up. It is a Manson finish reamer Cyl). I went to unscrew the rod and it flat refuses to unscrew. I've tried every thing I can think of and besides wrecking the already bad finish on that part I am at a dead end. I've tried liquid wrench several times and securing the poor buggered tip into a padded vice it still just hangs in there. I am using snap caps in the chambers and kept the cylinder from getting ruined. The poor rod will need to have some blue applied. It is either I figure a way to undo it or I try and finish the chambers with the star extractor in place or I just live with it. I think that a lot of the problem is a result of all of the banging on the rod with a wooden block to clear the brass. What's next? Heat? It is a very presentable pistol except for the ejector rod the only piece I won't be able to find, shame.

 

[Protocall_Design]

You don't want to remove the extractor anyway. Leave it in there to use the chamber reamer. The extractor needs to be done along with the chambers, as it is part of the chamber at the back. Just ream the chambers with the cylinder all together, clean it up and go shoot!

 

[Dave Haynes]

Wow.. I could have saved about 12 hours of stupid wasted time if I'd known that. My ejector would have been better looking too.
Thanks Brother
D

 

[Steve St.]

I have taken ejectors out that were way overtightened without harming any parts. I place the ejector between two pieces of soft wood, put it in my vice and clamp it down tight. Then I wrap the cylinder in several layers of soft cloth, take a large pair of Channellock pliers, firmly grip the cylinder, and turn the cylinder in the PROPER direction. I have had a couple that took a lot of force to break them loose, but they came loose, and nothing was damaged.

Good luck with it.
Steve

 

[chief38]

Almost sounds like someone used Locktite on the Ejector Rod Assembly. I have never encountered one that tight.

A few hints......

You can carefully insert (disconnect the electric plug of the Drill Press so it can't turn on) the ER into a good quality Drill Press's Chuck (past the knurled end so it doesn't get mangled by the Drill Press chuck jaws). Tighten down firmly (but not Gorilla tight) on all three of the Drill Chuck's holes with the Chuck Key, insert empty cases (every other charge hole is fine) and while holding in the empty cases, turn the cylinder while grasping the Chuck. With that leverage you should be able to unscrew the Ejector Rod.

If someone has used Locktite, a gentle heat applied to the ER should loosen up the Locktite. DO NOT get it overly hot!

BTW your Revolver appears to me made in 1957 which is the year I believe they made the change from a right hand thread to a left hand thread on the ER. Because of this, yours could be either one! Carefully try one way - then the other, but do this in a Drill Press Chuck so it grips well, won't spin and gives you the leverage and grip to remove it.

While reaming, the ER should be in place in the Cylinder. That said, I would not want a ER that I could not remove for service or cleaning purposes.

 

[Dave Haynes]

One of my hobbies is watchmaking. I don't have many problems taking complicated things apart without wrecking them and putting them back together. The information on this forum places the date of the switch to left at 1959. So I should be well before. Believe me, I tried both ways. I've tried using layers of protective tape, blocks of wood, sheet soft lead to secure the knurled end and they all slipped. After the knurling was beyond saving I tried more aggressive tools like tap wrenches, low speed drills none worked I bought a quality strap wrench wrapped the cylinder in duct tape and using it beyond grip pressure, nothing worked. I bought a new pair of vice grips and using tape, rubber tubing, and again sheet lead and the new vice grips, nothing budged it. It is like committing a crime having to do all of this bad stuff to a beautiful piece of industrial art. It came apart years ago when I went through and cleaned everything and lubed those parts. It has never been wet so I would rule out rust as a cause. At this point I'm going to just leave it and finish ream the cylinder and leave it. When doing all of these horrible things I constantly checked that pin for movement since if that tube crushes it destroys the pistol. Back together it operates fine and actually is a nice pistol. I'm 78 and in a very few years these guns will be gone anyway.
Thanks for all of you guy's help.
D

 

[chief38]

One of my hobbies is watchmaking. I don't have many problems taking complicated things apart without wrecking them and putting them back together. The information on this forum places the date of the switch to left at 1959. So I should be well before. Believe me, I tried both ways. I've tried using layers of protective tape, blocks of wood, sheet soft lead to secure the knurled end and they all slipped. After the knurling was beyond saving I tried more aggressive tools like tap wrenches, low speed drills none worked I bought a quality strap wrench wrapped the cylinder in duct tape and using it beyond grip pressure, nothing worked. I bought a new pair of vice grips and using tape, rubber tubing, and again sheet lead and the new vice grips, nothing budged it. It is like committing a crime having to do all of this bad stuff to a beautiful piece of industrial art. It came apart years ago when I went through and cleaned everything and lubed those parts. It has never been wet so I would rule out rust as a cause. At this point I'm going to just leave it and finish ream the cylinder and leave it. When doing all of these horrible things I constantly checked that pin for movement since if that tube crushes it destroys the pistol. Back together it operates fine and actually is a nice pistol. I'm 78 and in a very few years these guns will be gone anyway.
Thanks for all of you guy's help.
D

I stand corrected - I was thinking 1957 was the year of change - thanks for correcting me that it was 1959.

 

[H Richard]

Just make sure to use plenty of cutting oil, and never turn the cutter backwards, and remove and clean the cutter frequently. Go slow.

 

[steelslaver]

But it in an oven at 300f for a while, that is way to low to effect any temper, but should break down most adhesives. If that doesn't work stick it in a coffee can covered with 1/3 auto tranny fluid, 1/3 kerosene and 1/3 acetone cover and let sit for 3or 4 days and try again

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I have taken ejectors out that were way overtightened without harming any parts. I place the ejector between two pieces of soft wood, put it in my vice and clamp it down tight. Then I wrap the cylinder in several layers of soft cloth, take a large pair of Channellock pliers, firmly grip the cylinder, and turn the cylinder in the PROPER direction. I have had a couple that took a lot of force to break them loose, but they came loose, and nothing was damaged.

Good luck with it.
Steve

You never mentioned putting empty cases in the cylinder charge holes to support the extractor.......How many extractor line up pins have ruined or broke off?

 

[Dave Haynes]

You never mentioned putting empty cases in the cylinder charge holes to support the extractor.......How many extractor line up pins have ruined or broke off?

That was the first thing I did. But I used snap caps.


The reaming went smooth as a whistle. I marked the chamber in progress with a piece of tape which advanced as I went along. That new Manson finish reamer works like a champ. I'd pull and clean the cutter about 3-4 times per hole, The metal was brushed out of the cutter each time, lots of cutting oil. The debris looked like fine metal sand. Took about an hour. The chambers look great no scars or scratches, some of the extractors were slightly cut. I used canned air and then solvent to clear the scraps. It is back together and cartridges go in about the same as before. I'm looking for improvement in how they come out. I just used a tap wrench and a couple of wraps of duct tape on the cutter so there was no slippage. Easy to do.

 

[Elroy]

I tried both ways. I've tried using layers of protective tape, blocks of wood, sheet soft lead to secure the knurled end and they all slipped. After the knurling was beyond saving I tried more aggressive tools like tap wrenches, low speed drills none worked I bought a quality strap wrench wrapped the cylinder in duct tape and using it beyond grip pressure, nothing worked. I bought a new pair of vice grips and using tape, rubber tubing, and again sheet lead and the new vice grips, nothing budged it.
D

I understand that you have remedied the situation at hand. However, If you retain interest in achieving disassembly, may I make this recommendation for your consideration. This method will grip the ejector rod in a superior fashion to all other methods !! Measure the diameter of the rod and select a full split steel shaft collar from Ruland that matches the diameter.

Two Piece Split Shaft Collars: Metric | Ruland

These collars are available in both metric and English bores. Place the collar where the extractor is thickest. Tighten the two allen head screws securely. Clamp the collar in a vise is such a manner to augment the clamping force. I'm confident you're aware to load a full set of spent rounds into the cylinder to support the extractor. I prefer spent rounds as they will more firmly register in the bore over slightly under size snap caps. Apply some light heat if for some reason loctite was used in assembly. Turn in the "correct" direction

The advantage to using these collars is that you'll achieve near 360 degrees of contact. This will transfer the maximum amount of clamping load to the rod and distribute it in such a manner to minimize egg shaping the rod.

Simply a suggestion. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Dave Haynes]

Thanks Elroy, good Idea.