Cylinder problem

[xfarfuldog]

I picked up a 66 no dash at the OGCA last month. It had been polished and functioned fine. After getting home, I noticed that there was a place under the cylinder release where the cylinder has been hitting the frame. I didn't see it originally because of the polishing. The cylinder locks up in the frame tightly.

I took it out and shot it approximately 40 rounds without any problems. Now it is getting harder to get the cylinder out of the frame. It is not a problem with the ejector rod. It is nice and tight. There is very little clearance between the frame and the cylinder. What is the problem??

 

[358156hp]

It sounds like it may be dirty. Have you given it a thorough cleaning? Unburned powder can build up under the ejector star and make opening & closing difficult. Carbon can build up on the face of the cylinder and on the rear face of the barrel an will also make opening & closing difficult.

 

[xfarfuldog]

No, but that is a logical place to start. It does not look that dirty but that will be the first thing I do. Thanks,

 

[lebomm]

Try holding the cylinder in place, and pulling the yoke out by itself when cleaning. Then the cylinder won't drag on the frame.

Larry

 

[xfarfuldog]

OK. I cleaned the gun again. I scrubbed around and behind the star. It did not really help. It is very difficult to open the cylinder, I tried lubricating the cylinder, the ejecter rod and the cylinder release. Nothing helps. Is a recessed cylinder longer then a non recessed cylinder?? I didn't think so. Again the gun shoots fine.

I have to feel that the cylinder hitting the frame has the same causality as it being hard to open. There is a local gun show today that I will take it to be looked at. I may end up sending it back to Smith but I would like to know ahead of time the problem and a likely cost. Thanks for any assistance.

 

[Sailormilan2]

When you say the cylinder is hard to open, which part is hard to open? When you push the thumb latch forward, does that seem to work as it should? If it does, is the ejector rod clearing the latch as it should? Sometimes the ejector rod backs out, or is a hair too long, and catches on the latch when the thumb release is pushed forward and causes difficulty when opening.
Finally, if those two things work as they should, then it sounds like the crane retainer screw is binding. If the previous owner took the gun apart, he may have mixed up the two side plate screws. The crane retainer screw is a fitted part. It is often filed shorter to that it doesn't bind on the crane. It is identical to the other sideplate screw, except that it is a bit shorter, having been "fitted". Been there, done that.
I think I would try reversing the two sideplate screws, and then try opening the cylinder. If that works, then take the front one out again, put in a drop of oil, and replace the screw.

 

[xfarfuldog]

Sailormilan2 thanks for your post. The ejector rod does not touch the housing. The cylinder release is just very hard to push. The button inside the star is also very hard to push. I think that is the problem - that is the button on the end of the star. The cylinder release works properly with the cylinder down and out of the way.


It's all academic now. I ended up trading it at the gun show. I did not take it with any intentions of selling, just to have a gunsmith look at it. I still have a 65 3 inch, a 66-2 4 inch, a 686 no dash 4 inch as well as a Python. I will be looking for another no dash 66. Thanks to all who tried to help!!

 

[gutterman]

The same thing happened to me and if you swap the side plate screws it should work fine. A gunsmith had to show me that.