Yoke stuck in 329 cylinder

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Paul105

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I have a 329 Alaska Backpacker IV. Was going to swap the stainless cylinder for a titanium one. Pulled the yoke, and usually the cylinder releases from the yoke as the yoke is removed from the frame - not so this time.

Unscrewed the ejector rod and removed the center pin/spring and ejector and still the yoke would not separate from the cylinder. Tried pulling the two apart just using hand pressure - the yoke would move maybe 1/8" from the cylinder but would not separate.

Didn't try anything heavy handed with tools - didn't want to really screw anything up -- so I put it back together and it functioned tested ok.

Any Ideas?

Here's the gun

SandW%20329%20Alaskan%20Backpacker%20thumbnail_IMG_4602.jpg


Any Ideas?

Thanks,

Paul
 
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Small burr on the end of yoke tube or it has become slightly mushroomed and will nor allow cylinder to slide off. I would give it a auto transmission fluid kerosene soak for a day and pull hard and keep turning it.

Never had that problem before.

If it will not come apart after soak and pulling hard while turning it a bunch I would send it to S&W
 
Thanks, I was hoping you'd chime in. I have never had this happen either. Did try tuning the cylinder while pulling the two in different directions. I'll try the "soak".
 
I have a Taurus revolver that is tough to remove as well. You can take a small flat tip screwdriver and carefully place it between the yoke and cylinder, give it an easy twist and it should easily separate.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk
 
flgolfer29 said:
I have a Taurus revolver that is tough to remove as well. You can take a small flat tip screwdriver and carefully place it between the yoke and cylinder, give it an easy twist and it should easily separate.

Sent from my SM-G981U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

And based upon the old saying, "Some's good, more's better, and too much is just right.", maybe a large flat tip screwdriver would provide a bit more leverage-------but not too much.

Ralph Tremaine
 
rct269 said:
And based upon the old saying, "Some's good, more's better, and too much is just right.", maybe a large flat tip screwdriver would provide a bit more leverage-------but not too much.

Ralph Tremaine
Click to expand...

And maybe a piece of heat shrink tubing on the blade to protect the gun?
 
The ejector rod might be bent. I think your solution is to apply a liberal dose of elbow grease and yank on the yoke. You are probably going to have to replace the ejector rod anyways so I wouldn't worry about damaging it.
 
He stated he removed the rod, center pin and ejector. That just leaves the yoke tube inside the cylinder.

I believe the cylinder has mushroomed yoke tube a bit. The heavy steel cylinder working on the end of the alloy tube wouldn't take much. Does it have much endshake???

I have a vise that I replaced the jaws pads with brass bars. Using something similar and a couple brass wedges you could remove it. using a wedge on both sides would keep the pressure straight up on cylinder. Wedge a bit then tun it. Wedge some more turn it. It is a round hole on a round tube. The problem has to be either on the end of the yoke tube or some small piece of material jamming along side the tube, As long as you force cylinder straight off the tube I can't see how you would damage it beyond repair. If It is a bur or mushrooming the material should move back as the cylinder is forced off. The steel cylinder has to be harder than the tube.

Another yoke for a 329 would be difficult to find
 
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ms said:
If the yoke tube is aluminum alloy, freezing should shrink it more than the steel cylinder, possibly loosening it.
Click to expand...

Very good point. Aluminum has a way higher rate of thermal expansion then steel. If a day in the freezer don't do it, Try sitting it on a chunk of dry ice. (-100f) Use gloves with the dry ice method. Many grocery stores have dry ice.
 
Last edited:
steelslaver said:
He stated he removed the rod, center pin and ejector. That just leaves the yoke tube inside the cylinder.

I believe the cylinder has mushroomed yoke tube a bit. The heavy steel cylinder working on the end of the alloy tube wouldn't take much. Does it have much endshake???

I have a vise that I replaced the jaws pads with brass bars. Using something similar and a couple brass wedges you could remove it. using a wedge on both sides would keep the pressure straight up on cylinder. Wedge a bit then tun it. Wedge some more turn it. It is a round hole on a round tube. The problem has to be either on the end of the yoke tube or some small piece of material jamming along side the tube, As long as you force cylinder straight off the tube I can't see how you would damage it beyond repair. If It is a bur or mushrooming the material should move back as the cylinder is forced off. The steel cylinder has to be harder than the tube.

Another yoke for a 329 would be difficult to find
Click to expand...

I missed that. The 1/8" of movement is throwing me off on the mushroom theory. But I do agree that the solution is to just pull it off.
 
Did a bit closer inspection this am. Looks like someone (I bought it used) tried to "crimp" the front of the cyl on the yoke. Can't see how this damage (pic) can be accidental.
.
329%20cyl%20ding%202%20thumbnail_IMG_5705.jpg

.
329%20cyl%20face%20yoke%20thumbnail_IMG_5715.jpg

.
Hard to get a good pic with handheld light and cell phone
.
Absolutely no back and forth movement (endshake) when cyl closed.
.
Paul
 
Under recoil its hitting the barrel? Every dent lines up with a chamber..hitting under forcing cone?How about putting pins in two holes opposite sides of the cylinder, then clamping the pins in a vise, then padded jaws on pliers( pliers inside leather glove) to work it with lube and heat on the cylinder...

Edit: just looked at my 329pd its doing the same thing only on a few holes though..these baby's flex, just like my 340s..

Not really something I'm concerned about..looks like you're gonna need a
Lil bit of muscle and hold it with pins twist till yer elbow clicks!
 
Last edited:
DO NOT use heat. The alloy yoke will expand way more than the cylinder making it tighter. I would either go the cold route or sent it back to S&W. I don't know the status on these parts wise. You may end up not getting it back it they don't have any yokes. If you do get it off and replace it with a TI cylinder keep a eye on it for similar damage.

Maybe under recoil it flexes enough the gas rig is hitting the barrel shank. Neither of my 325s exhibit this, but they have less recoil. A bit of a flat on bottom of barrel shank would give gas ring more clearance.
 
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I think MitchP may be correct re "hitting barrel extension". Couldn't see any corresponding marks on bottom of bbl extension.

I checked my 329 PD which, as far as I can tell, has been shot a lot more and there is barely a hint of same damage - have to magnify and look real hard. I know these guns "flex" quite a bit as there is evidence of the cylinder hitting the bottom of the frame by the cyl stop.
.
329%20bottom%20fram%20thumbnail_IMG_5723.jpg

.
329%20ti%20cyl%20flex%20thumbnail_IMG_5724.jpg


I have another 329 (which I'll dig out later) and check cyl for similar marks. I'll swab the ti cyl/yoke assy with the Alaska BP to see if it's worth trying to fix.

Based on above comments and prior experience w/S&W cust svc, I'm reluctant to return to mother ship. The Backpacker works fine as is and my inclination is to leave it alone.

Thanks for all the input.

Paul
 
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Since it appears to function well and the cylinder swap is optional, leaving it alone sounds like a fine decision. :)
 
The gas ting is replaceable and once you had the cylinder off a the dings in the present one could be removed. Having a lathe I would turn a piece of steel to ID of normal gas ring, make a shallow taper to that dia. Polish, put a little oil on it and tap into gas ring. bottom of barrel shank it would be able to hit it.

I love my 325s, 296 and 396. I never got a 329 as the recoil with a 325 is plenty.

I am also wondering if a TI cylinder would be more or less apt to do this being lighter

Plus, like I said it a bit of material was removed from
 
I've decided to just leave it alone.

Thanks again for all the input.

Paul
 
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