Cylinder doesn't rotate freely on like-new Chief/Model 36

[tomcat017]

Good morning all - just my second post here. Have passively read here for years, but was not able to find an exact replication of this issue in searching. Most threads with "tight cylinder" led me to issued with chambers, or cylinder fit in the frame. If I missed it, please let me know.

I recently picked up a model 36, not quite NIB, but incredibly lightly used. I believe manufacture is mid-1960s (from the Standard Catalog book). Everything on it is nearly mint. I realized quickly, however, that (1) the double action trigger pull seems unusually heavy, and (2) the cylinder doesn't seem to want to spin too freely -- both, compared to all my other S&W revolvers.

I put a quick video on youtube showing the cylinder spin issue, compared to my 686 for reference (which behaves like all the rest of my s&w revolvers). I don't want you to think I routinely go wheeling the cylinder as fast as I can and swinging it into the frame -- for illustration purposes only.

Cylinder on Chief’s Special doesn’t rotate freely - YouTube

Any ideas? My first thought is just 60-year old lubricant that's gotten dry and viscous. Not sure on the action weight issue.
I've held off shooting it until I have some input and maybe a solution, or some additional checks to perform.

Thank you in advance for any help or advice!

 

[PeteC]

Dried lubricant is a good bet. I might consider removing the yoke and cylinder (carefully) and doing a little cleaning, especially if the yoke barrel seems sticky when you have it out.

Q: Are you comparing the trigger pull to another J-Frame, or K/L frame?

 

[tomcat017]

Q: Are you comparing the trigger pull to another J-Frame, or K/L frame?

Thank you PeteC. J-frame to J-frame, although on a 340PD.

How risky is taking a cylinder off the yoke for someone with no revolver armoring experience? I’ve read alignment can be an issue.

 

[Sevens]

Your short video is actually pretty helpful in expressing -how- gummy that cylinder is. If we could place bets, I would slide a fat stack of chips in to the middle of the table that a previous owner religiously squirted RemOil inside there.

After many months, this awfull stuff gets sticky and gooey... and then after many more months, it turns to a hard tan/brown lacquer.

Cleaning this out properly is something that I believe you can HALF do easily and the other half is a little more complicated.

The easy half is to carefully remove the most forward (muzzle-end) screw on the right side of the revolver and this will allow you to pull the yoke from the frame -- and the cylinder from the yoke. Doing this is extremely easy and there are no adjustments whatsoever that you will alter.

With the cylinder off the yoke, get some good solvent everywhere you can and scrub that old congealed or lacquered oil out of there.

And you can test your progress simply with the cylinder on the yoke, the yoke needn't be installed in the revolver to check and see how freely it moves.

The more difficult part involves removing the ejector rod and star from the cylinder and cleaning all those guts out -- doing this requires unscrewing the rod and that's more advanced and requires care and tools.

Obviously, if this nasty gunk has the cylinder dragging, it's probably inside the guts of the revolver also, and that's even more involved, but it's not that difficult once you're familiar with being inside a S&W.

Just making that cylinder spin freely WILL be a phenomenal improvement. Please update us with your success!

 

[Protocall_Design]

Make sure to also clean out under the extractor well with old toothbrush and solvent, and the cylinder where the extractor seats. There may be old oil, unburnt powder, carbon, etc. there as well.

 

[kev74]

In addition to the advice above, use a properly fitting screwdriver to remove and install screws to keep from boogering them up. And take the grips off before the solvent comes out!

If you're nervous about disassembly, a soak in Ed's Red or another solvent would clean out the crud.

 

[PeteC]

Removing the cylinder and the yoke is easy. No training necessary.​

• If the yoke screw does not want to come out, a drop or two of Kroil or any other penetrating oil usually helps.
• I would not unscrew the extractor rod, at least not the first time I cleaned it.
• The small S&W screwdriver kit is only about $20 at Brownells, and should be all you need, or a correct size screwdriver with tapered blade for the yoke screw/sideplate screws, and thumbpiece nut.
• Penetrating oil will be your friend. An almost new S&W revolver should not require Ed's Red or any extreme measures like heat.
• Protect the grips, number matched grips can't be replaced. If I the grip screw does not want to move, I usually put masking tape around it to protect the wood grips. Only takes a minute.