Cylinder Won't Open

[Dosgatos]

I have an early .38 Outdoorsman (pre-23) and apparently the ejector rod has unscrewed itself, as the cylinder won't open. I've tried taking out the bolt to push the center pin (or is it the extractor rod?) forward, but the cylinder still won't open. Being a N-frame with a shrouded ejector rod, how does one tighten the rod?

 

[joe44va]

Counterclockwise

 

[Dosgatos]

Counterclockwise

The question is: How does one get to the ejector rod to tighten it while it is in the barrel shroud?

 

[Jimmyjones]

I believe you can wedge something firm but soft, like a q-tip stick or something, between the rod and the shroud, pull back the hammer or trigger just enough to drop the cylinder latch and then rotate the cylinder counterclockwise.
Just tighten it enough to get the cylinder open then you can do a proper tightening.

 

[Nightowl]

Slip a piece of cardstock, like a business card between the cylinder and frame where the cylinder stop is, forcing it down and the cylinder can turn, The hold your finders against the ejector rod and turn the cylinder counterclockwise to tighten the rod enough to get it open.

sometime I use a plastic flat piece to force the latch forward out from the ejector rod to open the cylinder, kinda depends on how tight it is.

 

[Dosgatos]

Thank you - I held the cylinder stop down with a card as suggested, and held the ejector rod with a thick rubber band while I turned the cylinder, Worked like a charm.