My 686-1 has started seizing after shooting 25-50 rounds rapidly (158gn RN/4 gr Unique). This problem continues after the empties have been ejected. The gun will function again after a cool down period. The barrel/cylinder gap (pushing cylinder foward) is .004-.005". Endshake is .004". Headspace (empty casehead to receiver) pushing back on cylinder-.009-.010". I could drop in a washer to reduce endshake, but could that be the cause of the gun locking up? Any suggestions as to what I should look for?
Cylinder hard to turn, open, close
- Thread starter dpsix
- Start date
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My 686-1 has started seizing after shooting 25-50 rounds rapidly (158gn RN/4 gr Unique). This problem continues after the empties have been ejected. The gun will function again after a cool down period. The barrel/cylinder gap (pushing cylinder foward) is .004-.005". Endshake is .004". Headspace (empty casehead to receiver) pushing back on cylinder-.009-.010". I could drop in a washer to reduce endshake, but could that be the cause of the gun locking up? Any suggestions as to what I should look for?
tomcatt51
Member
Loose ejector rod?
Bullseye Smith
Member
You need to take care of the endshake first after a good cleaning. Make sure you get under the extractor. With that much endshake you could have the cylinder binding on the crud on the yoke.
If it's still shooting and not scraping the cylinder against the barrel forcing cone on closing I would correct endshake last. Pull the cylinder/yoke assembly out of the frame then seperate those two parts.
Clean the yoke well making sure the inside and outside of the tube are very clean. I like to soak a stainless cylinder in solvent, put it onto the yoke and spin it, repeat until the black gunk is gone. Dry the yoke then put one drop of good oil on the inside of the tube and one drop on the outside. Reassemble, spin, put the whole thing back into the frame. You may have to wipe the cylinder out(and dry under the star) for a couple days but that should solve your problem. When revolvers seize up as you describe, accumulated crud in the yoke is often(not always) the problem. Bullseye is correct: excessive endshake will make the problem of crud build up happen quicker. With the age of your gun and if its not been done for awhile(or ever)try the no smithing approach first.
Clean the yoke well making sure the inside and outside of the tube are very clean. I like to soak a stainless cylinder in solvent, put it onto the yoke and spin it, repeat until the black gunk is gone. Dry the yoke then put one drop of good oil on the inside of the tube and one drop on the outside. Reassemble, spin, put the whole thing back into the frame. You may have to wipe the cylinder out(and dry under the star) for a couple days but that should solve your problem. When revolvers seize up as you describe, accumulated crud in the yoke is often(not always) the problem. Bullseye is correct: excessive endshake will make the problem of crud build up happen quicker. With the age of your gun and if its not been done for awhile(or ever)try the no smithing approach first.
Is there a possibility that you have inadvertently switched the front and rear side-plate screws when reassembling after a thorough cleaning? The front side-plate screw is also the retaining screw for the cylinder yoke, and it have have been "fitted". (Slightly shortened to prevent rubbing and binding). Measure both screws and install the shortest one in the front and see if that makes any difference.
w9kcj
Member
+1 Wayne M
Sounds like a good cleaning will fix you up! Just take the screw under the cylinder right side out. This will allow you to remove the yoke and cylinder. Once out clean clean clean.
Sounds like a good cleaning will fix you up! Just take the screw under the cylinder right side out. This will allow you to remove the yoke and cylinder. Once out clean clean clean.
Bullseye Smith
Member
Check and see if your cylinder will move back and forward a little bit, if it doesn't move then it will lock up when it gets hot.
To update; clean all areas of cylinder internal and external, use copper scrubber on cylinder face to remove any lead sheen, drop a .002" washer into cylinder to reduce endshake. Fire 50 rounds rapidly, no problem so far. Keeping my fingers crossed.
DBox
Member
A whole bunch of years ago when I shot my first PPC match my model 10 locked up on me. It was in southern Mississippi with temps around 100 degrees and humidity around 70 percent.A veteran shooter tore the yoke/cylinder down between stages and it was full of a thick black gunk. He wiped it off and put it back together dry. It ran like a champ for the rest of the match. He later explained that oil in the cylinder would cause the powder residue to gum it up. I clean them now and put it back together with only a wipe from a cloth with a little oil on it. I've shot a lot of matches since and haven't had any trouble. A little oil goes a long way.
