Cylinder sluggish in out-of-battery rotation

[brokenprism]

Bought a used, exc cond 25-5, nickel. Didn't notice till I got it home that the cylinder rotatation was sluggish when turned CCW (the direction it cycles in). Not a problem in battery, but it was stiff in rotation when extended on the crane. It appears to be rubbing against the cylinder... 'stop' (?) on the frame. I removed the cylinder and crane and the 'sleeve' on the crane had an old layer of oil on it like lacquer, so I cleaned it off. Oiled the parts, put the cylinder/crane back on. It spins more freely, but still not like [all] other Smiths I've owned, whose cylinders whizzed around with a simple spin of the ejector rod. It's still a tad sluggish in the CCW direction, a little better when going clockwise. If I pull on the ejector rod when spinning it (to move it off the frame stop) it moves more freely, so I suspect the fore and aft tolerance more than anything. What would make the assembly 'long' in that direction and cause the cylinder to rub?* Does anything in that axis 'tighten,' or work itself loose? I've seen an ejector rod unscrew itself before and lock up a 25, but this one is on tight and apparently not an issue.

* I only just learned what the gas ring was by looking at a Numrich's diagram tonight; still don't know what end-shake is, but this gun is tight, not loose. Wasn't fired much, judging from the very light wear after 30+ years.

Thanks for any ideas. It's not a show stopper, but the purchase would comfort me more if the gun behaved more like other S&Ws I've owned.

 

[s&wchad]

Were you doing that with the barrel pointed down?
Have you tried loosening the front sideplate screw half a turn to see if that's the problem?

 

[scooter123]

That stop lug on the frame is what keeps the cylinder on the yoke when it's open. That is it's sole and only purpose, it's not a wheel bearing, roller bearing, or any other type of bearing. So, it's kind of to be expected to drag a bit when you spin the cylinder with the barrel pointing in a direction that allows it to drag on the frame stop. BTW, I wouldn't make a habit of doing that, it will only lead to increased wear on the frame stop and some rather ugly marks, point the barrel DOWN when you need to rotate the cylinder.

Bottomline that drag is normal as is a bit of "rattle space" because all it does is keep the cylinder from falling off the yoke when you eject the casings.

 

[brokenprism]

Chad -- it was usually level when I tried it, but I'll monkey with it nose down and let gravity assist. I did loosen the yoke screw (?) a little and that made the cylinder assembly a little less stiff when I opened it, but I expected that.

Scooter, I don't want it to drag on that lug, which is why I'm asking. In all my experience with other Smiths, the cylinder never touched the lug unless it was muzzle up. I don't want to wear through the nickel, for one thing.

I spent more time with it this morning. When I point it muzzle down and spin it slowly, I meet no resistance. After about a turn and a half of the cylinder, I feel the stiff spot. It ony happens when the cylinder moves CCW.

So nothing in the horizontal axis can be tightened or loosened that would affect the cylinder's contact with the lug?

 

[s&wchad]

It was early this morning when I replied.

Loosening the front sideplate screw would help if the yoke was difficult to swing out, but it wouldn't help with the cylinder rotation. I don't know what would cause the cylinder to hang up in only one direction when spun.

 

[brokenprism]

Chad

You're the king. I pointed it muzzle down and rotated the cylinder and it spins freely with no hang ups, and no stiff spot like I thought. Don't know whay I didn't try that earlier. Problem solved, thanks for the replies, have a great day!