629 woes...

[kimberst245]

So I traded for a 629 on Saturday. It is the full underlugged and unfluted cylinder. I noticed that the cylinder was a little hard to open and there is a wear mark on the recoil shield from the center pin dragging. Sometimes the cylinder is just plain HARD to open. Anyone have any ideas how to fix this? I don't care about the mark as this is a shooter, but I'd like to be able to open the cylinder a lot easier. More like the 28 and 66 I have. If I could figure out how to post pics I would.

 

[Com 45acp]

Did you make sure your ejector rod is tight? That's where I would start. And that it is straight.

 

[Dieseltech56]

When the cylinder is open does the bolt come out flush with the recoil shield? When you push the center pin in towards the ratchet does it come out flush with the end of the ejector rod?

Even the yoke being too tight or the cylinder stop being too square can affect the way it opens.

 

[kimberst245]

The ejector does seem to be tight and also straight. The center pin seems like the spring is pretty stout and requires a bit of effort to push into the channel it rides in. Definitely more than the 28 or 66, but I can't say that it is incorrect for the gun. The end of the pin itself seems to be not the same profile as the other two I own. There is also a wear on the hole in recoil shield where it's having trouble getting out and the previous owner(s) forced it out. How do you post pictures on here?

 

[SLT223]

Crud under the ejector star will also cause your symptoms.

 

[kimberst245]

When the cylinder is open does the bolt come out flush with the recoil shield? When you push the center pin in towards the ratchet does it come out flush with the end of the ejector rod?

Even the yoke being too tight or the cylinder stop being too square can affect the way it opens.

The bolt is a little under flush and the center pin does not come all the way out to the end of the ejector rod when pushed in.

 

[kimberst245]

 

[kimberst245]

 

[kimberst245]

 

[kimberst245]

 

[kimberst245]

Thinking I am at the very least going to need a new center pin. Anyone know of a source with these in stock? Midway and Brownell's are out of stock.

 

[Nightowl]

If the ejector rod is screwed in thight and the center pin is just a tad short, when pushed as far as it can be, then you can stone the ejector rod back flush with the center pin. That should cure the hard to open problem. Before taking metal off, though make absolutely sure that this is the cause. Make sure gun is clean, expecially under ejector, and you have pushed the center pin in as far as possible.

 

[kimberst245]

How would making the ejector shorter allow the cylinder to open more easily? I'm not being smart, it just seems like it would let the ejector dangle inside the shroud and the center pin would not change its length of travel to allow it to clear the recoil shield. Maybe I'm missing something. Again, I'm not trying to be a smart Alec, I just am not seeing the benefit.

 

[Ribwizzard]

Bought one with same symptoms, at first it looked like ejector rod was straight, but then I used make shift dial indicator and found it did have slight wobble. Replaced it and gun works perfectly now. The fact that it's harder to open in certain positions than others makes me suggest you try the same thing

 

[F75gunslinger]

If it were me the first thing I would do is remove the cylinder from the gun and soak it in the solvent of your choice. If the center pin was oiled and then it sat for an extended period that would explain why the pin doesn't like to move. My brother in law got a rifle from his father that the firing pin was sticking. Bolt action, it would cock, and the trigger would release the pin, but the pin never hit the case.After taking the bolt apart and cleaning the firing pin channel and pin it worked like normal.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Have you checked the cylinder for excessive endshake?

As I recall on my 29-2, when the endshake got to be too much it was hard to open the cylinder. Adding shims/bearings fixed both problems.

If, because the yoke's barrel is too short (causing the excessive endshake) the centerpin's spring can pushes the cylinder forward making it too far away from the bolt to be able to unlatch at the shroud easily.

Additionally I suggest you completely remove the cylinder & unscrew the ejector rod to examine, clean & lube the assembly as it sounds like the center rod is sticky.

And before I'd do anything to the ejector rod's end I'd try a new center rod if the above doesn't help. A new rod should be a little too long & require fitting.

.

 

[Gunhacker]

One other thing to check... the spring loaded bolt in the barrel under lug that engages the front of the ejector rod. That needs to be able to freely retract far enough, when the center pin pushes it, to allow the front of the ejector rod to release.

With the cylinder open, push on it to check it's ease and rearward movement and whether or not it feels gritty.

I bought a used 6" bbl 586 that had similar unlocking difficulties and found that there was a build up of caked powder/oil residue in the channel that the bolt retracts into, that was interfering with it's rearward travel, so it would not retract far enough to release the ejector rod.

There's a weep hole on the underside of the barrel under lug into bolt "channel", blast some cleaner through a spray tube into it, when I did that to my 586 I was shocked at how much black sludge that came out. A good cleaning restored the bolt travel and my unlocking issue vanished.

 

[kimberst245]

One other thing to check... the spring loaded bolt in the barrel under lug that engages the front of the ejector rod. That needs to be able to freely retract far enough, when the center pin pushes it, to allow the front of the ejector rod to release.

With the cylinder open, push on it to check it's ease and rearward movement and whether or not it feels gritty.

I bought a used 6" bbl 586 that had similar unlocking difficulties and found that there was a build up of caked powder/oil residue in the channel that the bolt retracts into, that was interfering with it's rearward travel, so it would not retract far enough to release the ejector rod.

There's a weep hole on the underside of the barrel under lug into bolt "channel", blast some cleaner through a spray tube into it, when I did that to my 586 I was shocked at how much black sludge that came out. A good cleaning restored the bolt travel and my unlocking issue vanished.

I will try that tonight. I've contacted S&W and am waiting for a return authorization. I also backordered a center pin from Brownells. It just seems like the pin is maybe a little too short or the bolt doesn't go far enough forward to allow the pin to release fully.

 

[Nightowl]

The ejector rod is hollow. If the center pin is too short, it does not push the locking pin far enough forward to clear the ejector rod. Stoning the end slightly allows the center pin to push the locking pin far enough forward to clear.

Agree with other posters on suggestions. I was posting just on the short pin issue.

 

[BigBill]

try Lubing it with moly. It will open and close much easier. I lube all my revolvers on the star and hands. Seems no one does. I lube the crane stud, cylinder stud and inside the revolver too with moly.