17-4 should I modify it?

[Dvus]

A question for those who reamed their chambers...(sorry to threadjack) where can you get a finish reamer? Brownell seems to be out of stock.
BTW, don't swap the barrel and cylinder, the parts will cost as much as what you would have to give boot if you traded it on a nice one.

 

[smithman]

I’d swap that barrel.

 

[Smolt Smython]

So polishing made extraction even more difficult if I'm following your post correctly? Wow, I got no answer to that....

For hard extraction on .22 rimfire S&W revolvers the knee jerk reaction seems to be that everyone just grabs a reamer and starts cutting metal out of the chambers.....obviously this works....but it's kinda drastic.

I've experienced difficult extraction on 3 S&W rimfire revolvers, one stainless and 2 blued. I'm the first to admit that's not a very big sample to go by, but for whatever it's worth, a 22 caliber cloth cleaning "mop" chucked in an electric drill and used with car parts store valve lapping compound soon had those 3 revolvers extracting effortlessly.

Methinks it's not so much "tight" chambers as it is microscopically "rough" chambers....

And hey, if a little polishing doesn't work you can always ream 'em out...

Sounds like you may be a good candidate for a reaming......

 

[Ruger 13]

I would refinish it if I owned it.

 

[Moo Moo]

At least the Stocks/Grips look O.K. Lol.

 

[stansdds]

OK, I polished the cylinder chambers and I can now empty the cylinder with out a hammer! I do think I will leave it as is as I am not going to carry it, will just be a range toy. I want to thank all for the input as it did help with my decision to leave it alone and just shoot it.

Glad that polishing the chambers solved the sticky extraction issue. Given the cost of obtaining another barrel, having a qualified gunsmith perform the barrel change, then refinishing, you could be looking at enough money to buy another handgun. I think you chose wisely to leave it alone and enjoy it as is.

 

[Drifter Mike]

Tragets

Went to the range today and test fired the 17-4 after another round of chamber polishing. Still a touch sticky with high velocity ammo but with standard velocity, it's a easy push to eject them all! These targets were shot at 10 yards off hand, slow double action. Think I will just leave it alone and shoot standard velocity

 

[Lou_NC]

I'll never understand people's reluctance to use a SAAMI spec chamber reamer to correct the typical out of spec factory chambers. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that worn factory tooling results in undersized chambers. Bringing your chambers to SAAMI specs is neither drastic nor foolhardy in any way. It's simply makes the revolvers perform the way they were designed to. I've done it to many high value Smith and Wesson revolvers and will continue to do so and enjoy them to their fullest.

 

[Drifter Mike]

Except I don't have one and to purchase one for the occasional need is somewhat counter-productive, my feelings.

 

[Heinz]

My 17-3 functions just fine with target ammunition or Eley standard velocity. I get some sticking with CCI mini-mags. I cleaned the cylinders when I first got it with a Lewis Lead remover.

Target revolvers, like target automatics, have tight chambers, requiring appropriate ammo. Try measuring the case diameters on cheap 22 hi velocity ammo after it is fired. I do not know if reaming the chamber has any effect on the accuracy of the gun. Probably not anything that you would notice shooting off hand, but the manufacturer would have some reason for those tight chambers, don't you think?

 

[Chukar60]

Have the chambers reamed. Nothing so frustrating as having one of the nicest 22 revolvers made and then fighting ejection issues every time you shoot it.
As for the barrel? That sucker would get lopped off to 3 1/2” maybe 4”.
I am biased as I don’t care for a revolver sporting a barrel longer than 4”.

 

[steelslaver]

Except I don't have one and to purchase one for the occasional need is somewhat counter-productive, my feelings.

You can rent one from 4DReamerRentals for about $50 once you ad shipping. I also know there was one that was getting passed from member to member here.

Your more apt to screw you chambers up with polishing methods than a reamer unless you are a 100% clutz

 

[StrawHat]

Using a chamber mop or brush impregnated with polishing compound can easily lead to chambers that , while round, have varying dimensions in their lengths. Or to put it another way, may be wiser in the middle than at the breech. A proper reamer will produce a proper chamber.

Go easy with the polishing.

Kevin

 

[steelslaver]

Using a chamber mop or brush impregnated with polishing compound can easily lead to chambers that , while round, have varying dimensions in their lengths. Or to put it another way, may be wiser in the middle than at the breech. A proper reamer will produce a proper chamber.

Go easy with the polishing.

Kevin

Exactly. I have an 5 K frame 22s and a I frame 22. I have fired my 18-4 for hundreds of rounds and never had a ejection problem. Not so with my pre model 4" or 6" 5 screws, they were real hard to eject from, my 4 screw is a bit sticky, my 17-3 sucked, The I frame was OK. I have reamed everyone of them except for the I frame. Only got very fine cuttings from any of them some more cuttings than others and they all eject easily now ever after 100 rounds.

All depends on where the reamer used on your cylinder was on its wear life. At the factory one reamer might ream a thousand chambers each in one pass, from what ever sized pilot hole they use. A hand turned finish reamer coated in oil re cutting those factory chambers only removing a tiny bit should last forever.