I recently purchased a new S&W performance center 44 magnum and got a chance to shoot it yesterday. It is deadly accurate, however, I have a problem. After the first 6 or 7 shots I had trouble cocking it. I thought maybe the lock was activated but no. I got it to cock and it fired ok for 3 or four shots and then it was difficult to cock. It seemed to be completely random. Without ammo it cycles perfectly. Nothing was under the extractor, it was factory speer 240 grain ammo. No drag marks on the front of the cylinder and no drag marks from the spent primers. Ideas?

The only immediate idea is to try different ammo. It almost sounds like soft brass or primers. Any extraction dramas?

It sounds like a trip back to S&W may be on the horizion.

__________________
Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Look at the primer pockets on those it seems to stick on. I bought a new 629 a year or so ago and on the 9th shot, it locked up tighter than a drum. Wouldn't cock or wouldn't open. After a bunch of messing around with it I finally got it open and unloaded it. I sent the pistol and the spent ammo back to S&W. Apparently the firing pin was piercing the primer and getting stuck. Whatever they did before they sent it back it did the trick as I've not had any repetitive problem with the same ammo. Good luck.

With the tight tolerances on P. C. gun I would start by looking under the star extractor for a grain of unburned powder.

Could the ejector rod also loosened up? Swing the cylinder out and see if you can finger tighten the ejector rod, my 629 does this all the time.

Sorry for the delay. I contacted S&W and they said I needed to send it in. Hell of a note its a hand fitting high end gun and I am having problems with it.

Unfortunate, but most folks around here who've had to send a gun back to S&W report a positive experience -- certainly not all, but most. My experience with most customer service is the better I treat them, the better they treat me.

Are you handy with revolvers? If so, before you send it consider some of the advice already given in this thread, especially the loosened ejector rod possibility.

If you're comfortable with the internals, consider too a complete tear down and cleaning and oiling, then put 'er back together and see -- might be something simple is out of place (like, say, the hammer block) that's an easy fix.

Ironically, this can be the frustration of tuned, tight tolerance pieces...

Take it baaaaaaaacccck.
nooooooooowwwww.

Sounds to me like the lock is partially engaging.

BTW, I have a friend with a 44 mag airlite that recocks itself and locks itself on firing with hot loads.

Way back in 1989 I ordered a 617. On its first range outing, I fired about a dozen shots, then the hammer wouldn't go to full cock SA or DA. I was pretty upset and called my dealer. He told me to carefully remove the sideplate and look for little pieces of metal. Sure enough I found a single flake of stainless millings jammed between the sear contact surfaces! A good flushing, some compressed air and a little oil was all she needed. Has been right a rain since.

S&W has offered to fix your revolver, however I would follow the advice here and check everything carefully before sending it back. The problem may be something stupid like my 617. I would definitely try different ammo and check the primers for flowback and piercing.

I bet a good cleaning followed by some good oil , then try it with some different ammo - its worth a shot - thats what I'd try before sending it home

When the cylinder and barrel gap is close, and you shoot five six rounds and reload to shoot again the gap has closed and the barrel is rubbing on the cylinder front. When it cools then you can shoot another fast 6 rounds and have the same problem all over again. They say the gap should be .004 to .006, I set mine up to be .006 to .008.