66 trigger getting "stuck"

[njl]

A friend and I were at the range shooting our 66 no-dash's today, and his started acting up. It's a gun he bought new probably around 35 years ago (perhaps longer) and has shot very little. It's had no work of any kind done to it. It even still has the original wood stocks. We noticed two issues with its trigger today. On some DA shots, the trigger would seem to bind, and then after an unusually heavy trigger pull, the trigger would break and the shot would fire. On other DA shots, as we pulled the trigger, the hammer would come back just a bit, and then it didn't matter how hard we pulled the trigger, it just wouldn't go. If we'd release the trigger and try again, it'd function properly.

Dry firing the gun, we were able to occasionally, but with no obvious pattern, see this happen. Another guy at the range suggested we could be short-stroking it. I'd never heard of that...but verified with my 66 that if I tried pulling the trigger after not quite letting it fully reset, it would not pull at all. I'm fairly sure this is not what was going on with the problem 66.

I'd be surprised if the gun has as many as a couple hundred rounds through it. Is it possible some kind of debris or dried up grease has gotten into the lock work and is causing some of the parts to bind?

I've read some accounts of galling in internal parts on early 66s, but that seems unlikely on a gun fired very little.

 

[snubbyfan]

Take it apart, clean it, relube and then try it. If you're not familiar with what's behind the side plate, have a gunsmith do it.

 

[njl]

Neither of us has removed a side plate before, but we're both curious...so I think we're going to do it. I told him I think we need to get a proper set of screw driver bits first.

 

[murphydog]

You can also remove the stocks, flush the internals through the frame openings for the hammer and at the top of the grip frame with aerosol brake cleaner, lightly relubricate and see if the problem is fixed. No harm trying this then taking off the side plate if it doesn't work, I think.

 

[Pilgrim]

are you shooting .357 or .38spls in it?

If .357, then perhaps the last time it wa shot, .38's were used and not cleaned properly, the carbon 'ring' in each cyl hole caused by the shorter 38spl may be preventing the .357 from seating completely and stopping the cylinder from turning.

Check each of the 6 holes for a dirt ring and clean it out.

 

[snubbyfan]

are you shooting .357 or .38spls in it?

If .357, then perhaps the last time it wa shot, .38's were used and not cleaned properly, the carbon 'ring' in each cyl hole caused by the shorter 38spl may be preventing the .357 from seating completely and stopping the cylinder from turning.

Check each of the 6 holes for a dirt ring and clean it out.

Good advice whether or not that's the problem. I keep the carbon rings cleaned out on my wife's 66-3. She practices with .38+'s and carries with .357 magnums. Of course she does like to blast some magnums through it just to show off.

 

[H Richard]

You mentioned 35 years ago about. That puts it in the late 70's, an early one. Are you aware that there was a recall of early 66's as the grade of stainless used when heated up via shooting actually stretched is size and caused binding. Contact S&W and inquire about it it should be still covered as a no cost fix. I believe they mill the cylinder face a teeny bit to open the tolerances.

 

[njl]

We were mostly shooting .38s through it...just a couple of magnums today...but we were able to occasionally reproduce the issue with the cylinder empty, so it's not carbon build-up.

The thought of removing the stocks and spraying brake parts cleaner all through it occurred to me, but I wasn't sure we could do an appropriate job of relubricating the parts under the slide plate without removing it.

 

[njl]

You mentioned 35 years ago about. That puts it in the late 70's, an early one. Are you aware that there was a recall of early 66's as the grade of stainless used when heated up via shooting actually stretched is size and caused binding. Contact S&W and inquire about it it should be still covered as a no cost fix. I believe they mill the cylinder face a teeny bit to open the tolerances.

It is a no-dash...so it's got to be from the early to mid 70s. I'll suggest he contact S&W...I doubt he ever had any recall work done on it. Do they cover shipping both ways?

 

[murphydog]

This was before the era of the lifetime warranty, so I would speak with customer service and see what they might be able to do. They may not accept it for repair at all because many parts for the early model 66s are no longer available.

 

[shawn mccarver]

Take it apart, clean it, relube and then try it. If you're not familiar with what's behind the side plate, have a gunsmith do it.

You don't need to remove the sideplate. A couple of drops of oil dropped into the action in the open space created when the hammer is cocked should do it. Don't over do it. After the oil goes in, dry fire a few hundred times to spread it all around. Visually inspect to make sure there is no garbage under the ejector star or around the front of the cylinder, especially near the center pin area. If the cylinder spins freely when it is open, then the cylinder itself is not the problem.

 

[BJoe]

It is a no-dash...so it's got to be from the early to mid 70s. I'll suggest he contact S&W...I doubt he ever had any recall work done on it. Do they cover shipping both ways?

Sorry no. As stated above pull grips, flush with break clean, and spray a little lube in the 'works.' If that doesn't do it get a GUN SET OF SCREWDRIVERS from Midway, pull the plate, and go at it.

 

[snubbyfan]

I guess I'm just a bit OCD. If I get a used gun and it's not working the way I think it should, I just gotta pull it completely apart and clean and relube each bit. Sometimes I feel compelled to do a detail cleaning just because I want to know exactly how it's been cleaned and relubed. I did find some corrosion in my 442 when I first got it.
Maybe try the squirting or dripping first and see if that helps.

 

[kaaskop49]

I've had the pleasure several times of PM'ing with shawn mccarver and he really knows his stuff. Like me, he errs on the side of caution. He wisely makes no mention of opening up the action!

May I add: under no circumstances should you try to remove the sideplate unless you really know how to do it. These are very nice, top-quality guns. I would visit a qualified gunsmith rather than 'kitchen-table' them (I just created a verb!).

 

[bigmoneylewis]

I had the exact same issue last week . I had just bought a 27-2 , and took it to the range . Halfway through it had the same issue you described . I brought it home and put a few drops of oil in it , and all is good now. I should have done that before I took it to the range , as it probably had not been fired in 35 years .
I'd say , get a few drops of oil down in it , and it should be just fine.

Greg