Finish reaming K22s, or, How To Solve Difficult Extraction In .22lr S&Ws

[max503]

bump (question added to last post)
Brownell's cutting oil is $26, not $8 as shown in the link. Surely there is something cheaper, and locally available. I'm thinking the brown fluid commonly used with pipe threading machines. That, or Tap Magic.

 

[Protocall_Design]

They have black and clear pipe threading oil (cutting oil) at the hardware store that will work fine. There are many cutting oils out there. They all work, some are better than others for different applications. You don't need $26 worth of cutting oil to ream a few chambers.

 

[max503]

Did my 1980, S&W Model 34 Kit Gun yesterday. It went just like you guys said it would. Took maybe 2 hours but I took my time.
All these years I've put up with difficult extraction and binding while shooting this gun. That, in addition to this gun being sent back to S&W at least once for tune-up and repair. It FINALLY functions like a S&W should.
I bought the reamer directly from Mansons. Had to pick up a handle from Ace Hardware for about $23 and a can of spray lube from Harbor Freight for another $8 but I feel it was well worth it. I feel like I got me a new gun! Now I'll re-blue the cylinder on this well-used companion.
I also have a safe queen K frame 22 that will get the same treatment.

 

[GBertolet]

I have a model 18 that exhibits the same issues. Cartridges that are hard to fully seat, having to use a fingernail to flush seat them in the cylinder, and having to hit the ejector rod hard to extract them. In this condition, it was no pleasure to shoot, so it became a safe queen.

After reading this thread, I finally got motivated to do something about it. I purchased a Clymer 22 LR cylinder reamer. I put the cylinder in a padded vice, put layout fluid on the rim recesses, and cases in every other chamber, to keep the extractor honest, and went to work. I removed a similar amount of metal as the original poster's photo showed. I ran the reamer down, clearing the chips often, until I just had a shiny spot on the rim's layout die, then on to the next chamber. The job went pretty well.

I went to the range right after, to give it a try. What a pleasure now. The live rounds fall flush in the cylinder, and the empties fall out with the slightest pressure on the ejector rod. I have fallen in love again with the 18. Total cost was $65, not bad.

 

[dogdoc]

Old thread but tired of several 17s and 63s being no fun to use. Oddly I have a 1990 vintage 17 that you can shoot 500 rounds without a problem . Same with a new 617. My older 17,18s and 63s are tight as hell. I just purchased a Clymer reamer from brownells as the mansen was out of stock. Should be the same per brownells alternate choice? Any body use Clymer .

 

[Protocall_Design]

I have had bad luck with Clymer over the years, maybe the newer reamers are better. I haven't tried a Clymer in a long time since Dave Manson started making them. The Manson ones are a sure thing.

 

[Nick B]

I wish I would of seen this thread before I sold my Diamondback a few years ago because of this exact problem.

 

[GBertolet]

I bought a Clymer from Brownell's, because the Manson was sold out there also. The reamer works fine. I believe Clymer has been under new management for several years now. Maybe the old issues were corrected. You can order directly from Manson if you like. He has them in stock. Cheaper directly from him the buying from Brownell's.Dave Manson Precision Reamers | Buy the Best to Build the Best I emailed Manson for info, and it took a week to get a reply. I didn't know if a reply was coming, so in the meanwhile I bought the Clymer from Brownell's.

 

[RGVshooter]

The following rant is my opinion, my opinion is based on my experiences, not everyone has the same experiences....Therefore opinions differ...movin' forward

I'm not a fan of modifying a gun when a simple good cleaning would cure the problem. Certain brands will stick more than others. And after shooting 2-3 cylinders and then you start getting stuck cases is NOT the gun, but the carbon buildup inside the chambers. I keep a bore brush with me and run it thru each cylinder and dry brush my chambers every now & then during a shoot and NEVER had to deal with a stuck or sticking case. I use my 617-6 for competition/plinking and I've been trying to tell you guys this but no one listens...

Certain brands will stick, others will not.... So all this reaming/polishing/removing metal potentially ruining your gun all because you failed to experient which ammo runs best in your guns...

Posts like this is why I shy away from buying used guns...

 

[GBertolet]

By using a reamer cut to SAAMI specs, all you are doing is making the chambers the size they should have been made in the first place. You are not touching the cylinder throats or affecting the headspace. The newer S&W's do not seem to have this issue, like the older pinned barrel ones do.

 

[RGVshooter]

I went to Brownells but they're out of stock/backorder on the reamer..

You guys bought them all!

 

[Protocall_Design]

A finish reamer will only take out any metal that is an undersized hole. If the chambers are already the right size, it won't cut anything. You would have to deliberately TRY to ruin a gun by doing this. Look at all the people that did try to do it right and the wonderful results they got. Just cleaning does not fix an improperly machined part.

 

[sigp220.45]

I bought a Model 63 at a bargain price because the owner said he had to pound the empties out with a mallet. He had sent it to Smith, and they returned it saying the chambers were oversized and they had no replacement cylinders available.

I rented a .22 Magnum reamer from 4D Reamers in Kalispell, MT. I think it was 40 bucks for a week long rental (plus added time for shipping). It worked like a champ and in a couple of hours I had a perfectly funtional .22 Magnum.

 

[dogdoc]

Just got the reamer today at my office. Will ream this weekend. Has everybody used the solid pilot type(this one is the solid type). It looks well made and is made by the NEW Clymer precision.

 

[dogdoc]

The following rant is my opinion, my opinion is based on my experiences, not everyone has the same experiences....Therefore opinions differ...movin' forward

I'm not a fan of modifying a gun when a simple good cleaning would cure the problem. Certain brands will stick more than others. And after shooting 2-3 cylinders and then you start getting stuck cases is NOT the gun, but the carbon buildup inside the chambers. I keep a bore brush with me and run it thru each cylinder and dry brush my chambers every now & then during a shoot and NEVER had to deal with a stuck or sticking case. I use my 617-6 for competition/plinking and I've been trying to tell you guys this but no one listens...

Certain brands will stick, others will not.... So all this reaming/polishing/removing metal potentially ruining your gun all because you failed to experient which ammo runs best in your guns...

Posts like this is why I shy away from buying used guns...

No, some of them are undersized . You are only reaming them to saami spec so you are not ruining anything. Also I do notlike being limited to one or two brands of ammo especially during the next ammo shortage after 2020 elections. I have revolvers that are virtually useless because of the chambering problems no matter how much you clean them

 

[dogdoc]

Well I reamed a 1970s vintage smith model 63 tonight that took a mallet to eject fire cases. It removed a good bit of metal. It was way undersized. Took about one hour to do all six chambers. Piece of cake. I will shoot it tomorrow with several brands of ammo including cheap stuff and report back.

 

[max503]

I went to Brownells but they're out of stock/backorder on the reamer..

You guys bought them all!

Bought mine directly from Manson's. The contact info is in this thread. Cheaper than Brownells, too.

 

[BC38]

Any chance any of you folks who bought a reamer would be interested in recouping some of your investment by renting it out?

I have an old High Standard Double Nine that I suspect has undersized chambers, or at least some tight spots. After a thorough cleaning it will shoot about two cylinders full before the empties start getting progressively harder to eject, and after four or five cylinders worth they are nearly impossible to eject with the ejector rod.

 

[steelslaver]

Any chance any of you folks who bought a reamer would be interested in recouping some of your investment by renting it out?

I have an old High Standard Double Nine that I suspect has undersized chambers, or at least some tight spots. After a thorough cleaning it will shoot about two cylinders full before the empties start getting progressively harder to eject, and after four or five cylinders worth they are nearly impossible to eject with the ejector rod.

If no one responds you can rent one from 4DReamer rentals for I think $42, plus shipping.

 

[GBertolet]

I have the solid pilot reamer. I feel the live pilot is not necessiary, especially since you are not running it at machine speeds, just turning it manually. Nothing to be gained. Save some money, and buy the solid pilot reamer.