Why short ejector rods on large revolvers?

Handgun Hunter · Jan 9, 2016

A thread on sticky cases in a S&W .500 prompted this thread on a related subject.

I learned decades ago brass that's been loaded many times, along with a revolver that's been shot tens of thousands of times, will result in brass not falling out on their own after pushing the ejector, even with relatively mild loads. This isn't a problem caused by too much pressure. .44 mag rounds loaded in old brass, scratched up and resized many times, coupled with a revolver that's been shot tens of thousands of times and the chamber walls scratched up to a degree from cleaning with wire brushes over many years and so many cases going in and out of them will give you somewhat sticky cases after firing. Brand new brass will fall out after firing and hitting the ejector, but brass that's been reloaded many times will stick in the chambers a little, enough they will not fall out on their own weight, as new brass does. The same goes for other magnum rounds, like the .357. I often have to pick old .44 mag brass out of the chambers one at a time (the last 10th of an inch) unless I really punch the ejector rod hard to provide enough momentum, otherwise the ends of the spent brass will stay in the chamber. (Yes, I know you have to turn the muzzle up to take advantage of gravity.) Using .44 Special or .38 Special, with their shorter cases, solves that, but I don't like using them for several reasons. All of this is the result of the ejectors not being quite long enough to push the cases out completely and I don't know why S&W makes the ejectors so short. (This is understandable on short barreled revolvers like the M 60 Chief Special. There just isn't enough room for a longer ejector.) The problem on N frame revolvers with 4" and longer barrels is only pronounced with older cases and guns. Punching the ejector rod hard solves the problem, but the end of those rods become sharp with wear and cut into your hand a little. After an hour of shooting, your hand gets raw.

The question is why doesn't S&W make the ejector rods a little longer? A tenth of an inch would do.

BUFF · Jan 10, 2016

Just a guess, but when the guns were first made, the ejector rods were long enough for the rounds the guns were chambered in (K frames .38 Special, N frames .44 Special), and the Magnum guns coming later were designed to use as many as the same parts as the earlier guns used. Longer ejector rods would be more subject to bending when pushed hard due to increased leverage to the sides when not pushed straight back; they get bent sometimes now.

Just a wild piece of speculation.

scooter123 · Jan 10, 2016

My current favorite revolver to shoot in a 19-3 with a 2 1/2 inch barrel. Anyone familiar with these snubbies knows that the ejector rod is shorter than normal. Even so I don't have any problems ejecting my reloads. In part because my Magnum reloads for this revolver are actually loaded between +P and Magnum starting charge weights to insure the forcing cone isn't damaged. Also in part because as I have learned with any revolver featuring recessed chambers it is critical to insure that stray particles of powder be retained inside the cases. Fail to do that and you'll find a cylinder that is difficult to close that jams the trigger or increases trigger pull weights to those suitable for a Russian Weight Lifter. So, my technique is as advised in almost any training manual of arms for modern revolvers. That is turn the barrel straight up and give that ejector rod a good smack. Works for me.

Handgun Hunter · Jan 10, 2016

As I posted, with new brass ejection isn't a problem, the cases fall out from their own weight with a gentle push on the ejector rod. It's after the brass has been reloaded many times the problem comes up. I cannot afford to load new brass only once or twice, or even ten times. I already spend thousands a year on ammo and components. In fact I get dozens of loadings out of magnum revolver brass. The problem also gets worse after 10,000 or so rounds have been put through a revolver. So I always figured it's a combination of the brass getting scratched up and the chambers also getting scratched up from use. S&W use to burnish their chambers glass smooth. They don't do this anymore. That helped, but the chambers will still get microscopic scratches after enough rounds and enough cleanings with a wire brush. I use a bronze brush on chambers (instead of stainless steel) for that reason. Gun metal is not very hard and scratches easily. There are certain parts of a gun that have hard surfaces, but the main frame, barrel, and cylinder are not hardened much because they must be "tough," as apposed to hard. This problem of the cases not coming out all the way without punching the rod hard doesn't exist when using moon clips. But then I've only put about 8,000 rounds through my 627 since I bought it a year and a half ago. My .44 magnum revolvers have all been shot a lot more. Most of the time I use only 10 grains of Unique behind a 250 grain cast bullet, so the loads are not hot at all.

Handgun Hunter · Jan 10, 2016

BUFF said:
Just a guess, but when the guns were first made, the ejector rods were long enough for the rounds the guns were chambered in (K frames .38 Special, N frames .44 Special), and the Magnum guns coming later were designed to use as many as the same parts as the earlier guns used. Longer ejector rods would be more subject to bending when pushed hard due to increased leverage to the sides when not pushed straight back; they get bent sometimes now.

Just a wild piece of speculation.

I think you're correct. My first Mod 29 was bought in the mid 70s and it had an ejector rod long enough the brass came all the way out as I recall. But I traded it off about 10 or so years back. Even so, I do remember after many reloads of the same old brass they would require more force to punch them out with the rod. Keep in mind I don't use hot loads, as I found decades ago that 10 grains of Unique pushes a 250 grain cast bullet plenty fast enough to go through deer and hogs. Wild hogs are by far the heaviest game animal in this area.

I still have about 600 rounds of .44 mag brass that I bought in the 70s that's been loaded 55 times. It started out as 1,000 rounds, but the rest split before they got to 55 loadings. Since then I retire brass much sooner. That box of brass has been sitting on the shelf for decades now. I don't know why I keep it, except it could be used for light loads - if I ever loaded anything other than 10 grains of Unique again.

at_liberty · Jan 10, 2016

If an ejector is long enough, it can control what type of grips will fit on the gun.

Why short ejector rods on large revolvers?

Handgun Hunter

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BUFF

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scooter123

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Handgun Hunter

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Handgun Hunter

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at_liberty

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