Broken extractor on Model 17 PICS!

[mitchell]

I have a well worn (finish) circa 1958 Model 17. I bought it sight unseen and received it yesterday. I gave it a pretty good cleaning and have put about 200 rounds through it. I noticed this afternoon, after ejecting some sticky rounds, that the star was loose on the rod. After another cleaning, the star is now completely separated. It appears that the star was brazed/soldered on the rod. Is that the case? Is this able to be fixed by a good gunsmith or is this a job for S&W. I'm not opposed to sending it away as I wouldn't mind having it tuned up a bit, but may just rather have it fixed local. I wouldn't say it's as tight as my barely fired M-36, but it's pretty good.

I'm going to call S&W on Monday to see what they say but would love to hear some other opinions as well.

Thanks for the input!

You should be able to see the copper colored remnants of what I believe to be solder. The extractor star is numbered to the gun. I'd obviously like to get this fixed instead of replaced, but I'm not sure how you'd put it back together and keep it indexed at the same time. When I got the revolver Friday, it was initially very hard to open and I thought the thumbpiece was stuck because of all the dirt and gummed up oil. I now think that the star was out of alignment and was binding up the cylinder. See this post for the background info on the gun...

Original Thread

The solder?



The best target before the separation.

 

[mitchell]

I have a well worn (finish) circa 1958 Model 17. I bought it sight unseen and received it yesterday. I gave it a pretty good cleaning and have put about 200 rounds through it. I noticed this afternoon, after ejecting some sticky rounds, that the star was loose on the rod. After another cleaning, the star is now completely separated. It appears that the star was brazed/soldered on the rod. Is that the case? Is this able to be fixed by a good gunsmith or is this a job for S&W. I'm not opposed to sending it away as I wouldn't mind having it tuned up a bit, but may just rather have it fixed local. I wouldn't say it's as tight as my barely fired M-36, but it's pretty good.

I'm going to call S&W on Monday to see what they say but would love to hear some other opinions as well.

Thanks for the input!

You should be able to see the copper colored remnants of what I believe to be solder. The extractor star is numbered to the gun. I'd obviously like to get this fixed instead of replaced, but I'm not sure how you'd put it back together and keep it indexed at the same time. When I got the revolver Friday, it was initially very hard to open and I thought the thumbpiece was stuck because of all the dirt and gummed up oil. I now think that the star was out of alignment and was binding up the cylinder. See this post for the background info on the gun...

Original Thread

The solder?



The best target before the separation.

 

[SW CQB 45]

pics, I would like to see what you are talking about.

 

[n4zov]

Never seen that happen before, and I will be interested in what the real experts have to say on this! I've never seen red solder before, and I'm betting it is some kind of adhesive applied outside the factory to "repair" the problem.

 

[Alk8944]

Originally posted by n4zov:
Never seen that happen before, and I will be interested in what the real experts have to say on this! I've never seen red solder before, and I'm betting it is some kind of adhesive applied outside the factory to "repair" the problem.

That is brass, not solder. A very common method of assembling composite or built-up parts is by induction brazing. S&W has used this method on parts for several models, particularly the automatics, for many years. The small amount of brass seen is indicative of a poor job of cleaning/fluxing the joint prior to the brazing operation. This happens in mass production, and there isn't really a very good way of assessing the quality of the bond on a part by part basis. They could be dye-penetrant checked, but that would run up production costs quite a lot.

Send Lee (Hand-ejector) an E-mail, he may have one of these. Another possibility is David Chicoine (Old West Gunsmith as I recall, Google that). If you can't find an extractor there is a good chanace David could repair yours by silver soldering. If you find a replacement it will have to be fit, and a likely place for trouble is the extractor pins, they are not all located quite the same.

 

[mitchell]

Originally posted by Alk8944:

Originally posted by n4zov:
Never seen that happen before, and I will be interested in what the real experts have to say on this! I've never seen red solder before, and I'm betting it is some kind of adhesive applied outside the factory to "repair" the problem.

Thanks for the info. Having a new one fitted is what I am trying to avoid. I'd like to have this one repaired, but like you noted, that must be a pretty difficult job getting it all aligned. I imagine that the index pin holes were drilled after the extractor assembly was fitted? I don't know...I guess my biggest question is what will S&W do? Will they send it back with a 10 shot alloy cylinder? I just want it fixed, you know...

 

[SW CQB 45]

not sure if they will work on it since its over 50 years old.

call them to find out.

 

[Alk8944]

mitchell,

Unfortunately, with the age of the gun (based on finish type and stock type) S&W will just send it back. They have an age limit that they will only repair guns to that date and not before. It has to do with differences in tolerances over the years. Sometime back in the late 1970s there was a fire in the service department and a large percentage of the parts they had for the older guns were destroyed. So far as I know they would repair anything they had parts for until that, and really that hasn't changed, they don't have the parts due to depletion of stocks and the fire. In all seriousness, David Chicoine is your best bet.

 

[mitchell]

I was under the impression that if it has a model number stamped, S&W would work on it. The gun is a 1958 according to the serial and the "book". I'll give both S&W and Mr. David Chicone a call tomorrow. Someone can (and will) fix this. I just hope it doesn't cost more than the gun!

ETA: I emailed Dave this morning and he replied in a few minutes that he can most probably fix it. I did make the mistake of looking at some of the refinished revolvers on his site and now......Regardless, it's making a trip to NC this week.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

Should be a easy fix if you have the equipment to do it. A good local gunsmith should be able to fix it.

 

[RichC]

After talking to S&W I sent my M28 in for excessive endshake. They told me the cutoff for parts is 1958. I just bought the gun. I had to push the cylinder to the rear to get it open.The cylinder was a little sloppy. once they received it. I called to get the estimate faster than waiting for the mail. Besides having to stretch the yoke, They had to rebraze the loose extractor stem. I am assuming it is in the same place as what is being discussed. I never noticed the issue. I thing they will work on anything that needs gunsmithing. Parts availability is the only issue. I'm interested to knpow what they told you.

Rich