I have a fairly new (about 3-6 months) 686 plus, not heavily shot yet, I had trouble with banging my index finder against the trigger guard with the standard grips. Fixed that with a Hogue one piece grip, fits my hand great and puts my grip so the trigger guard can not bang my index finger. I took the gun to the range last Saturday to check and see if the index finger banging was remedied. All ok their but to get to my problem, while cleaning the gun tonight, I found I could not close the cylinder. After comparing it with my 686, I discovered the pushrod for ejecting cartridges would not seat beneath the barrel. Further inspection revealed that it had started to un screw, making it too long to seat properly, I tightened it finger tight and now it closes. After all this explanation, my question is, does this occur on the Smiths revolvers, and is finger tight OK. I have not had this problem with my 686 6 inch which I have had for several years, with 6 round cylinder (the 686 plus is a 7 round cylinder)?
S&W 686 Plus 7 inch barrel .357 mag cylinder closing problem.
- Thread starter Tom Corbett
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I had a no dash 610 that used to do that. But instead of having trouble closing the cylinder it would prevent it from opening. If that ever happens at the range you can make sure there are no live rounds in the gun and then hold the rod in place and work the action until it tightens up enough to open the cylinder.
Some people take the approach of beating the cylinder open which is why you sometimes see used S&Ws with bent ejector rods.
My current revolvers haven't had that problem. Not sure how much torque it takes to stop it but judging from my results with the 610 its more than finger tight.
Some people take the approach of beating the cylinder open which is why you sometimes see used S&Ws with bent ejector rods.
My current revolvers haven't had that problem. Not sure how much torque it takes to stop it but judging from my results with the 610 its more than finger tight.
Benchrest1
Member
I've had this happen on a couple. If it happens more than once I unscrew it, clean it good, put a drop of blue Loctite on the threads, and this has always worked.
They make a nice little tool for tightening the ejector rod. It doesn't need Loctite but it should be secure.
You can also get away with using a pair of vice grips. Put a piece of leather between the jaws or at least a rag so you don't damage the end of the rod.
Make sure you have at least two empty cases in the cylinder so that you don't break the pins that are under the star.
You can also get away with using a pair of vice grips. Put a piece of leather between the jaws or at least a rag so you don't damage the end of the rod.
Make sure you have at least two empty cases in the cylinder so that you don't break the pins that are under the star.
The best way to do it without marring the finish on to is to use a good drill chuck. With the cylinder removed from the gun. Place rod in chuck and tighten. Place 2 or 3 fired cases in chambers space around cylinder and hold chuck and cylinder by hand and tighten. Don't grunt it, but apply firm pressure.
Heavy leather in a vise or in vise grips will work. But if is thin the grip jaws can mar finish
Loctite, I have never used it on a revolver rod or screws. If I was to use it on a rod or screw I would only use a very tiny drop of the blue or purple. I would NOT USE RED. I would also be very careful it only got on the threads, it it got on center pin or springs they would probably get stuck and I mean stuck.
The green and purple are designed for small fasteners and for future disassembly with hand tools. The Red requires heat over 360 f to break down and release it's very strong bond. You might well destroy the rod or ejector trying to dissemble after using it and you would need to heat the whole cylinder assembly to say 400f and use oven mitts to hold it while you tried. Don't use red!
The red stuff S&W put on some of screws was NOT loctite, but more of a silicon based substance.
Heavy leather in a vise or in vise grips will work. But if is thin the grip jaws can mar finish
Loctite, I have never used it on a revolver rod or screws. If I was to use it on a rod or screw I would only use a very tiny drop of the blue or purple. I would NOT USE RED. I would also be very careful it only got on the threads, it it got on center pin or springs they would probably get stuck and I mean stuck.
The green and purple are designed for small fasteners and for future disassembly with hand tools. The Red requires heat over 360 f to break down and release it's very strong bond. You might well destroy the rod or ejector trying to dissemble after using it and you would need to heat the whole cylinder assembly to say 400f and use oven mitts to hold it while you tried. Don't use red!
The red stuff S&W put on some of screws was NOT loctite, but more of a silicon based substance.
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Welcome to the S&W Forums! Steelslaver has given you some really great advice. It is important to support the extractor star when tightening or removing the ejector rod. Fired cases placed in two, three, or all of the chambers is a good way to prevent damage to the star and any locator pins that keep the extractor in its proper position. As for using Locktite, definitely do not use the red. Generally speaking, with the more "modern" S&W revolvers, the ejector rod has a reverse direction thread, so it will usually tighten itself as the cylinder rotates during firing. The old S&W's had right turn threads and it was more common for them to unscrew. I think S&W started switching to left turn threads in a period from just after World War II to the early 1960's.
Protocall_Design
Member
The blue is medium strength and the purple is low strength, and need no heat to remove.
Red and green are both high strength that need a lot of heat to remove.
I'm pretty sure that Steelslaver meant blue instead of green.
Red and green are both high strength that need a lot of heat to remove.
I'm pretty sure that Steelslaver meant blue instead of green.
This happened on my 610-3. Took a little while to realize what was happening and then that it is reverse threaded. I bought purple loctite but have not used it. Waiting for next range trip.
Ya, Thanks for correcting my error. Edited my post.
i only have red and some purple on my bench.
For an idea about the red some guys use it to secure liners when installing liners in mess up barrels. I recently used some to secure inserts in a model 19 cylinder when converting it to a 22lr cylinder to fit a model 53. I fired a bunch of 22 rounds though it and none of them moved. Think of it as more of an high strength metal adhesive than just a thread locker. Guys use it for stuff like securing bearing races in some hard use applications.
I had a 1911 that suffered a loose plunger tube. I put a little red Locktite under it, clamped it down, restaked it and it has not moved since. Also, when staking in a new front sight on a 1911, a little red Locktite under the sight before staking and they are far less likely to come loose. Red Locktite does have its uses in firearms, just not on something that you may need to remove at a later date. Oh, a S&W Model 645 that had a little fore and aft movement in the barrel bushing, a little red Locktite to stop it from moving.
John Patrick
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I have a Colt’s and a couple of S&Ws that need the tool to get tight enough they won’t back out.
Now I just use the tool on all rods.
Now I just use the tool on all rods.
