Difficult Extraction From S&W .22 Revolver

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I have an old (but in very nice shape) Model 18-3 .22 revolver. I don't like shooting it, though, due to extremely difficult ejection of .22 spent cases. It's even a little hard to insert them in a newly cleaned chamber. What's causing this? I used to have a Model 17 and shot it all the time with zero such issue. Solutions?
 

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This is a common issue with Smith 22 revolvers.

Takes about 15 minutes for my gunsmith to polish the chambers and solve the problem.
 
This is a common issue with Smith 22 revolvers.

Takes about 15 minutes for my gunsmith to polish the chambers and solve the problem.

Thanks. I'll take it to the gun smith down the street.

PS I just tried it with CCI Mini Mags, and it didn't have the problem much at all. It seems to be mainly the cheap stuff that causes the problem of being tight in the chambers. But it would still be nice if it could shoot the cheap stuff, too.
 
Some need some reaming
Most all of mine have been "fixed" by a hand drill or a drill press with a cleaning brush adapted in the chuck and polish the cylinder holes I always coat the rest of the cylinder with some oil or grease just so I don't get the finish or get too aggressive. It's worked for me many times.
There have been many post over the years on this subject.
 
I had no idea that this was such a common issue. Thanks for the information. I think I may do that reamer solution.
 
My 17-2 1965 has that same problem with all ammo except CCI and Federal. Rather than reaming around with my most accurate shooter I own, I rather use CCI and Fed. That is my solution and happy for it.
 
My 17-2 1965 has that same problem with all ammo except CCI and Federal. Rather than reaming around with my most accurate shooter I own, I rather use CCI and Fed. That is my solution and happy for it.

I guess I could do that, too, since mine seems to handle CCI without any issues. Insertion and extraction are a little snug, but they work just fine with CCI. I have an Uberti SAA that handles the cheap .22 lr just fine, if I want to shoot the cheap stuff. No adjustable sights on the Uberti, and it prints just a hair left, but that's no huge deal. I guess you can only rarely have perfection.
 
I guess I could do that, too, since mine seems to handle CCI without any issues. Insertion and extraction are a little snug, but they work just fine with CCI. I have an Uberti SAA that handles the cheap .22 lr just fine, if I want to shoot the cheap stuff. No adjustable sights on the Uberti, and it prints just a hair left, but that's no huge deal. I guess you can only rarely have perfection.

In mine for instance, Aguila red box, easy to insert, very accurate but impossible to extract. Tells me that the brass is too thin and expands to much inside the cylinder.

I would soak the cylinder overnight in kroil and then work it very thoroughly with a bronze brush, repeat, maybe polish it with a tight fitting mop and JB non embedding bore compound, make sure all old crud is out. By hand, not w power tools please. Then rinse and blow out with ballistol. Now use Fed and CCI from that point on.

I mean a 1960s model 17 is precious, it is as accurate as a gun as any and what is the point be able to shoot **** with it and foul up the whole thing. Get a Ruger and shoot all else with that.
 
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