34-1 22LR doesn't always fire?

[DuneShoot]

I picked up a very clean 34-1 and found it doesn't always fire. I have to go twice around the cylinder to get all rounds o fire.
Used CCI SV ammo.
Cylinder locks up tight and appears to be inline with the bore on each hole in the cylinder.

First pic shows, what I think, are firing pin divots hitting the cylinder. Is that correct thinking?

Any ideas how to fix this non-firing issue?

 

[bobsguns]

Welllllllllllllllllllllllll.................... There's two major components to firing off a rimfire: mainspring & firing pin.

Sounds like light strikes to me. Someone may have backed off the mainspring screw or clipped off a couple of links if it's a coil mainspring.

Have you had the grips off yet? Show the rims of fired cases as well. Let's see how deep both strikes went into the primer heads.

Should be an easy fix.

 

[BillBond]

If you get tired of messing with it take it to Nelson Ford.

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

Agree with Bobsguns, someone probably fiddled with the hammer spring to reduce the DA trigger pull weight. Definitely not recommended on a 22 since rimfire requires a hard hit on the rim of the case. CCI SV is normally a very reliable rimfire.

 

[DuneShoot]

I have not had the grips off yet. I will open it up this weekend and take a look. No pics of the fired rounds, but they looked like good strikes to me.

 

[Jimmyjones]

When my 34 doesn't fire on the first strike, it's because of the crude build up in the recesses. I bring a tooth brush and a bore brush to the range and when I get a mis-fire I clean the cylinder. Works till it doesn't. .22s are dirty. When the cartridge's don't seat flush I've waited too long, but they usually fire on the second strike.

 

[austintexas]

One other thing to check, tight or dirty chambers. If dirt or a tight chamber doesn't allow the round to chamber completely, what happens is the first strike seats the round (doesn't go off) second strike fires the round since the rim is completely against the cylinder. The extra strike dimples may be caused by crud under the sideplate making the cylinder stop returning too slow and the cylinder over revolving before the hammer drops.
SWCA 892

 

[walkin' trails]

Sometimes it’s the ammo. My 34 had an action job after I got it, but the shop did not lighten the trigger press either due to liability or the .22 rimfire primer thing. That said, I seemed to be getting misfires from Aguila ammo more than anything. Particularly on SA. A couple of Beretta 21As I have from the 80s tend to not like CCI primers. My 18-4 that had a trigger job to rival the stunt one I had put on my Model 19 will ignite everything despite the light trigger. Also has a target hammer. Yours may also have some crud in the firing pin channel, or perhaps the firing pin spring needs attention. But if it’s been dryfired, the pin may need a look.

 

[max503]

I've had mine for going on 50 years.

It has required regular replacement of the mainspring.

Reaming the charge holes was a vast improvement.

Keep it clean.

 

[Lt.Donn]

One other thing to check, tight or dirty chambers. If dirt or a tight chamber doesn't allow the round to chamber completely, what happens is the first strike seats the round (doesn't go off) second strike fires the round since the rim is completely against the cylinder. The extra strike dimples may be caused by crud under the sideplate making the cylinder stop returning too slow and the cylinder over revolving before the hammer drops.
SWCA 892

Great description

 

[Hondo44]

All those firing pin dimples on the rear face of the cylinder between the chamber holes indicates to me that the chambers weren’t aligned with the barrel when the hammer dropped.

You probably have a timing problem. Cock the hammer and check that the cylinder is locked in place for each chamber. Then do the same thing in double action mode but hold the hammer from dropping.

 

[DuneShoot]

I have checked timing and alignment. It seems perfect however, the strikes on the face do not look good.

 

[2152hq]

The extra FP strikes on the face of the cylinder are from the cylinder skipping passed it's intended locked position when the revolver is cocked. The cylinder misses being locked and skips passed the position slighty leaving the space betw the intended cartridge to be fired and the next up cart as the area that is struck by the firing pin when the hammer falls.

This usually happens when the cylinder is rotated quickly and has a lot of momentum speed. It can happen in either SA or DA mode if the action is cocked very quickly and the cylinder is given that HS momentum.
It happens more so on the heavier frame guns and heavy calibers where there is more weight and size involved. But I've seen it on the J frame .22's as well.
I had an otherwise nice Model 35 that the back side of the cylinder was tattooed w/o mercy betw the chambers from this.

Some of your 'misfires' may actually be when the cylinder is skipping by a cartridge and landing in a position betw the chambers. The hammer fall places the FP into the blank area of the cylinder betw the chambers and you hear the 'click'
You assume the click was upon a cartridge and it was a misfire.
But it could be it wasn't striking the cart at all and was just the click of the FP striking the steel area betw the chambers.

Or a combination of issues like the above plus,,a weak main spring,,a firing pin spring and FP that is loaded up with dried oil/crud slowing down the FP motion,,crud under the extractor cushioning the FP strike.
Excess headspace can cause it as well.
With todays less than Steller spec .22 ammo, I wouldn't be surprised to see
some with under spec rim thicknesses causing that problem in a gun chamber that measures perfectly.

 

[Hondo44]

2152 hq above, is right on. The cylinder bolt in the bottom of the cylinder window is too low and slipping out of the cylinder notch allowing the cylinder to slip by. You may even be able to turn the cylinder even when locked in place.

Just looking at the turn line on the cylinder which appears to start at the high side of the cylinder notch tells me the bolt is worn and needs a simple adjustment to make it higher.

It’s adjusted by removing it from the frame and filling a little on the bolt stop adjustment pad just in front of the bolt hump.

Google “S&W cylinder bolt adjustment” for a video to get the side plate off without damaging it and where to file to adjust the bolt. Or take to a gunsmith that repairs revolvers.

Also: from the looks of the barrel throat in front of the cylinder, it’s been a long time since that gun was cleaned! First thing to do is use a spray gun cleaner and saturate the inside thru all openings (especially around the cylinder bolt) and let it drain until no more black gunk runs out. That might even fix the issue if there’s gunk buildup on the bolt adjustment pad.

 

[jaguargolf]

I had to replace the mainspring on mine

 

[DuneShoot]

2152 hq above, is right on. The cylinder bolt in the bottom of the cylinder window is too low and slipping out of the cylinder notch allowing it the cylinder to slip by. You may even be able to turn the cylinder even when locked in place.

Just looking at the turn line on the cylinder which appears to start at the high side of the cylinder notch tells me the bolt is worn and needs a simple adjustment to make it higher.

It’s adjusted by removing it from the frame and filling a little on the bolt stop adjustment pad just in front of the bolt hump.

Google “S&W cylinder bolt adjustment” for a video or take to a gunsmith that repairs revolvers.

Not much shows up for that search. Mostly end shake and lock up video's.
Again it seems to lock up tight when cocked.

 

[moosedog]

All of the above, plus try some different ammo. CCI is hard to ignite in a few of my guns too.
Also check to see if the main spring retention screw is backed out.

 

[bobsguns]

If you get tired of messing with it take it to Nelson Ford.

Maybe he's not ready for a new truck yet?

 

[Law-dog]

This is very common on J frame size rimfires, I have several. I have a model 63 original from 1981 and an identical stainless Rossi copy. The Rossi has chambers cut a little larger and does not seem to have that problem as much.

I have one of two problems with these. First, you cannot change the springs, I have tried it many times, Wolff reduced power springs never work work, and if they do, they do not work for long because as the gun gets dirty in the chambers you will start getting misfires. The cases will just not go all the way in, so light primer strikes will happen. When you have to run the cylinder twice, that is likely the problem.

So, the number 1 solution to try is to Flex Hone the chambers. You polish them to a mirror finish and maybe a touchup every 500 rounds and never have that problem. And EZ way to tell if the dirty chamber is the problem is just buy a box of Stingers. The nickel plated cases slide in an out and go a very long time before they chamber gets dirty and misfires. So, clean the gun and if it will fire the Stinger your problem is rough chambers. These are 800 grit but 400 is fine, I use both. I use them on every new gun of every caliber then periodic touch up as needed. If you keep them oiled when polishing the chamber they will do many guns for many years.

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[Law-dog]

If the Flex Hone does not work you have a spring problem. If you cannot adjust them, just buy the factory level Wolff springs and they will work fine. There is zero reason to try and reduce the DA pull weight on any of these SW rimfires in 22 or 22 mag. The horrendous DA pull is just a rimfire design issue. WE learned over years, just fire them single action, or use that pull to build up you hand and grip strength. It will help you shoot every DA wheel gun better. We also have similar guns from Taurus, Rossi and Charter. We like the little rimfires a lot and I use them for training. I became a CCW instructor in 1996, and use these when a student want to train with a wheel gun. The Charters have the best trigger pulls FWIW.