Ammo getting stuck causing cylinder to stop

[Brandon0413]

I took a model 14-1 I recently picked up to the range today and put 100 rounds through it. It shoots really nice, but the cylinder got stuck 3 times in the middle of shooting a cylinder full. Once when I was shooting and twice when a friend of mine was shooting it.

My friend just unloaded it and reloaded not paying much attention, but I kept a round that was damaged like it got caught on something. I was shooting double action and the first round went smooth, but then when I pulled the trigger again it got stuck halfway through the trigger pull.

I have some spent casings that I've been trying to reproduce the problem with to no avail. Any ideas?

[mr-mom]

What ammo were you shooting, hand loads by chance?
Dave

[DWalt]

Factory or reloaded ammo? Reloaded ammo could have high (incompletely seated) primers, or inadequate resizing. There are other possible causes, but reloaded ammo would be my first suspicion.

[Brandon0413]

No reloads. The round it got stuck on when I was shooting some winchester 38 special fmj 130gr. We were also shooting 158gr lrn cci blazer and fiocchi 130gr fmj and 125gr jhp. I tried finding some 148 or 158gr wadcutters, but no luck.

I've tried to take a picture of the round that got stuck, but my camera sucks. I've also tried to figure out what it got stuck on, but I can't figure it out. There is a mark half way around the rim and/or outer edge of the round in question. And, the cylinder won't even close with it in the cylinder anymore because the round is damaged.

[mikepriwer]

It sounds like the base of the cartridge case is deforming backwards a bit, and
pressing up against the recoil shield. Or maybe its the primer is being forced back
a bit, and hanging up on the recoil shield.

Mike Priwer

[RaceBannon]

Any chance the rim of this cartridge was damaged before it was ever loaded. It would be tough to damaged a rim that severely just by pulling the trigger.

Sorry, I missed where you said it happened several times.

[flagman1776]

Check the ejector rod to see if it's backed out or debris under the extractor star. Such malfunction might hold the case back far enough to hang on the recoil shield? Do the cartridges chamber easily? Possible lead build up in the chambers, holding cartridges back as above. Possible faulty ammo... even with factory loads, ammo companies working around the clock to meet demand...

[RaceBannon]

Did these rounds get stuck toward the end of firing those 100 rounds?
I once installed a very thin washer, used to reduce cylinder gap, in a Model 19. The gap was reduced enough that in the middle of a shooting session, the fouling seized up the gun. Right in the middle of the trigger pull just as you describe. Does the gun function normally now, unloaded?

[Brandon0413]

Mike,

This was an unspent round that got stuck. I'm not sure exactly what you mean as I am pretty new to shooting guns.

RaceBannon,

They were new rounds right out of the box, but I guess it's possible. I just inspected all 50 rounds in another box of the same stuff and don't see any problems. Allthough, this does make since. I just put the one in question in a chamber along with the rest unspent cases, making sure the live one in question was imediately after the chamber at the barrel. I then cycled through a couple of times and it got stuck in the middle of pulling the trigger back the second time. This was very similar to what I experienced at the range.

[Brandon0413]

Yeah, it happened twice to my friend but he doesn't seem to remember any details. I tried asking him.

[Brandon0413]

I cleaned it before going to the range.

The ammo chambered easily. I checked the ejector star and noticed it didn't seat all the way once when I was looking at it a few minutes ago, but I don't think the cylinder would close if that was the case.

I think the ejector rod is tightened properly, but not sure.

It functions properly unloaded and with some spent casings in the cylinder chambers.

I was able to shoot it after the problems occurred and everything functioned properly.

I did notice that if you do not close the cylinder back all the way it kind of sticks there but it seems like it's in place properly but the cylinder release switch is still forward and not back locked into place. It takes a little force to get it to seat properly sometimes. It's like the cylinder release switch (what's the correct term?) is sticking sometimes.

The problems did occur towards the end of firing it. I fired about 100 rounds and I think my friend fired 100 as well. We were taking turns between a few different guns.

[Brandon0413]

I am in the 3 day inspection period for this revolver.

Is the general consensus that it was most likely ammo related?

Is this a common problem?

Thanks for your help.

[murphydog]

The ejector rod has a left hand thread, so turn counter-clockwise when viewed from the muzzle to tighten. Also, check for unburnt powder granules under the extractor star.

If you have time for another range session that may confirm a transient problem, but most post-sales inspection periods specify "no firing" so you may not have the return option, especially if you have already transferred it.

[RaceBannon]

I've never heard of this problem. I do have a thought that just occurred to me. Let's see what others more knowledgeable than myself think about it. I'm wondering if this could be a timing issue. Is it possible that the hand, the part that turns the cylinder is somehow coming into contact with a cartridge from time to time?

[RaceBannon]

If the ejector rod has backed out, it may prevent you from opening the cylinder, but I don't know if it would have any other effect.

[DWalt]

I had a Model 28 at one time that started binding badly on two adjacent cylinders, even without cartridges in the chamber. I stripped it completely down, cleaned everything, reassembled and lubed it, and it didn't help. Then the problem magically disappeared. To this day, I don't know what caused it. But I no longer have the Model 28.

[mr-mom]

My first thought was bullet creep, firing of rounds forcing a bullet loose from the crimp and up against the front of the frame. But with factory loads, that usually doesn't happen. However, I've learned to never say never!
Dave

[Nightowl]

Check the front of the cylinder. If after firing several rounds and you have a "lock up" check to see if there are scratches on the face of the cylinder. It is not unusual for debris to build up enough to bind the cylinder on the back of the barrel. It takes only a little bit make it impossible to pull the trigger. Then when you open it up, it works fine. This most often occurs when you have developed endshake. Repair endshake and no more problems.

[H Richard]

Similar situation happened to me with a Pre 27. A small amount of crud or spent powder residue had gotten under the ejector star and even after cleaning it still had the problem. This was 30 years ago, so I took it to a friend who was a gun writer and had been through the S&W Armorer's school. After looking it over a little (with cylinder open) he pressed the ejector rod all the way down then let it snap back a couple times. A very small piece of crud fell out and that solved it.

[Frank46]

Check the firing pin bushing where the firing pin comes through the back side of the frame. Sometimes they develop small burrs caused by folks using el cheapo bore brushes that have the stem that holds the bristles being cut off at the front. The cleaner just runs the bore brush through the barrel and the cut end is usually very well aligned with the hole in the bushing. Even the steel ones with the rounded ends can damage the hole. I use only the brass or bronze type cleaning brushes with the core being made from brass with the rounded end. Even then a couple wraps of electrician's tape works. Frank