Model 14 cylinder binds when shooting

[dannej]

Hi, This gun is used shooting Distinguished match at PPC competition. When firing this gun it will sometimes bind as the trigger is pulled, causing me to increase trigger pull weight. Suddenly it releases causing a yanked trigger. Sometimes it locks up completely.
1. The timing is perfect.
2. It will not bind while dry firing with dummy rounds.
3. It will not bind when riding the hammer, pulling the trigger
with live rounds. (Done safely at the range)
4. It does not bind on the same chambers every time.
5. The side plate screws were not tight. Tightening them
seems to have done away with complete lock up.
6. When it binds, I checked the gap between the barrel and
the cylinder and it is always clear. Cylinder not touching
barrel.
7. Yoke and cylinder are clean and the cylinder spins freely
opened and closed with the hammer back part way. Spins
both loaded and empty.
both loaded and empty.
8. Ejector rod is not bent. Does not wobble when cylinder is
spun in the gun either.
9. Gun worked fine for about 300 rounds before problem arose.
10.This happened after gun was worked on.
11. Using only low velocity HBWC ammo.
12. High primers are definitely not the issue.

I am wondering if it needs to me shimmed behind the side plate. Any help will be highly appreciated. I don't know any pistol smiths in the Portland Oregon area.

 

[bigggbbruce]

10.This happened after gun was worked on.

This may be a clue.

 

[KAC]

Powder flakes under the extractor usually causes this. Make sure you hold the muzzle straight up when ejecting empties.

 

[Inusuit]

What work was done on the revolver and by whom? Might be a clue. Make sure the ejector rod is screwed in tight. Clean under the star as KAC suggests.

At some point, S&W changed the ejector rod from right hand threads to left. I don't know enough about the age of your revolver to say which way tightens the rod.

 

[dannej]

Worked on by 'not a gunsmith'. However he has a good reputation in the PPC community. Ejector rod is tight. Will watch for powder flakes next time I shoot it.

Thank you for the info! Very much appreciated.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Sounds like endshake to me. The hand will push the cylinder forward when turning the cylinder. At rest it may show a gap, but in use the cylinder may be moving front to back. If it can go forward and rub on the barrel it will cause this situation. There are other possibilities, but this is the first thing to check.

 

[Peak53]

I'm no expert, but I am on the Internet The clue in #10 above may be more than a clue. If working on the revolver included any "action work" you may have a damaged trigger to hammer interface. That's the bad news. The good news is that it can be fixed, hopefully by someone else and also that you have a cool revolver.

 

[adrianolsen]

check your strain screw, might have to be readjusted

 

[chief38]

Toolguy beat me to the punch - possibly end-shake. Can usually be corrected with Shims sold by R. Powers or Brownell's. They are sold in 0.002" and 0.004" thicknesses. Usually one, the other or a combination of both will correct end shake.

Before you go through ordering some, do check for debris under the extractor and that it is tight. You can measure end shake and there are many threads and video's if you do a search. Installation is simple (drop-in) after you unscrew the Extractor Rod (left hand thread) - and don't forget the empties in the cylinder when disassembling.

 

[OldChief]

I'd be talking to whoever did work on your revolver if the problems appeared following that work!

 

[dannej]

There is a very minute movement of the cylinder checking end shake. The cylinder/barrel gap is paper thin. I have no feeler gauge that small, but if I close the cylinder on a piece of typing paper, the paper comes out snug with the cylinder pulled to the rear and it drags with the cylinder pushed to the front to the point of almost tearing.

 

[series guy]

If the side plate screws were switched it could explain the change in barrel/cylinder gap. I have found that tight barrel/cylinder gaps don't work well when shooting D/A with lead. Especially if you shoot a lot of rounds.

 

[dannej]

Both side plate screws are the same size, .370 in. long. Should I increase side shake by filing the forcing cone a couple thousandths? This gun shoots nothing but low velocity lead bullets for PPC Distinguished.

 

[jag22]

Don't know if this will help but check it out, it happened to me. When you push out the extractor you will see a couple of small nipples on the underside. There are corresponding small holes in the cylinder, these help keep the extractor in line. What happened to me was a small build up of dirt in the bottom of the holes prevented the extractor from getting flush with the cylinder but you couldn't tell by looking at it. Of course you can't see in the holes. I used a cleaner and some dental picks to clean out the holes. Didn't seem like much of anything came out but it did solve the problem. Worth a try.

 

[bigggbbruce]

Worked on by 'not a gunsmith'. However he has a good reputation in the PPC community. Ejector rod is tight. Will watch for powder flakes next time I shoot it.

Thank you for the info! Very much appreciated.

Doesn't tell us the work preformed.

I recently bought a Mdl 13.. springs had been changed.. gun was butter smooth with a nice light DA..

I took it apart and changed the main spring to increase strike, the action started locking up right away.. put the mainspring it had back in.. Action still locked up...

Changed rebound spring to a new 14lb..

Gun is back up and running fine again...

 

[dannej]

The gun had a trigger job and tune up....So maybe its springs asbigggbbruce mentions. Will give it a try.

Jag22, thanks for the tip, holes are clean.
seriesguy good point about lead bullets with the tight cylinder to barrel space. Will watch for build up more closely.

Still wondering about the end shake being widened.....

I want to thank everybody profusely for the help!

 

[Nightowl]

When this happens, empty gun, and check the front of the cylinder for scratches. Lead bullets will leave some lead on the face of the cylinder, and with your tight B/C gap, just a little bit of lead will bind the gun. Amazingly, it takes very little lead to make it really hard to pull the trigger in double action.
Not difficult to fix with the right tools and knowledge.