Hard single action hammer pull, 2 chambers

[1magi]

Hello,
I tried to find this in the threads but didn't...
I was shooting my SW 1970 M-14-3 last night and it suddenly became hard to cock it by using the hammer for single action. It feels a bit harder on all chambers but especially hard on one, and less hard on a second chamber.
I was shooting reloads- Speer 148g HBWC with 3.1 grains of Bullseye. I didn't notice any hot loads and I can't figure what would cause it. I was told it had an action job at some point.
Any ideas floating out there as to what the problem is and how hard or expensive to repair? I definitely appreciate any response, thanks ahead of time! 1magi

 

[1magi]

Hello,
I tried to find this in the threads but didn't...
I was shooting my SW 1970 M-14-3 last night and it suddenly became hard to cock it by using the hammer for single action. It feels a bit harder on all chambers but especially hard on one, and less hard on a second chamber.
I was shooting reloads- Speer 148g HBWC with 3.1 grains of Bullseye. I didn't notice any hot loads and I can't figure what would cause it. I was told it had an action job at some point.
Any ideas floating out there as to what the problem is and how hard or expensive to repair? I definitely appreciate any response, thanks ahead of time! 1magi

 

[tomcatt51]

High primers?

 

[john traveler]

If the action suddenly becomes tight, the most likely cause is ammunition firing residue fouling the BC gap. Look for lead, hardened powder, and bullet lube deposits on the forcing cone. The other place to inspect is unfired powder grains under the extractor that prevent it from seating fully in the cylinder. Fouling in either place will reduce the free play necessary in the cylinder fit to the frame, thereby increasing the trigger and hammer cocking force required.

 

[Spotteddog]

Check what T/C and J/T said. It'd be the first two things I would.

 

[1magi]

Thanks there guys, I will detail clean it tonight and repost to let you know if that was it,I appreiciate the quick response... this is a great site1 1magi

 

[2152hq]

Does it do it only when there are cartridges in the cylinder?
Or is the action hard to cock with the cylinder empty also?

Clean it out as advised already and then if the action works freely with the cylinder empty, try shooting it with factory ammunition and see if the problem reoccurs.

Note while you're cleaning if there is a problem w/ the bullets shaveing lead at the barrel/cylinder gap perhaps causeing a problem as JT sez.

Another thought to check if the above doesn't cure things...
An 'action job' could also be a hint to a problem. Sometimes end shake shims are placed down into the cylinder to take up the slack. However if the mating surfaces they are ment to snug up are not square, the shims can be beaten out of shape by the high and low spots during recoil. That will cause a smooth running action to become an intermittantly hard to cock one.

 

[1magi]

Howdy... I cleaned it again and it solved the problem; I don't even know what or wear it was, but I concentrated on the forcing cone, front of cylinder and under the extractor and it freed it up. Welcome to revolver amateur hour! Thanks again to all of you who jumped in to help.I thought the suggestion by 2152hq was especially interesting, about the uneven surfaces and end shake shims with the potential of intermittant hard pulls...2152hq; are you a smith?? 1magi

 

[Spotteddog]

Glad you tried the suggestions, and one worked! The two cleaning area's mentioned, are probably the most misunderstood and therefore "gone unloved" area's on a revolver. And BTW, in order to experience truly dumb questions, you'd have had to know me when I was first starting!