Model 52 problem

[brdrgrd]

I have a S&W Model 52 I purchased new in the late 80's and has no modifications to it and only has about 1000 rounds through it.

The gun started performing a double feed situation. I first thought the round was getting hung up in the barrel so it thoroughly cleaned it and a round freely moves in and out by just tilting the barrel. This did not solve the problem.

I thought the extractor may have broken or badly worn, but on close examination it looked fine to me.

After making some dummy rounds I tried to cycle them through the gun. What I noticed is the round in the chamber would start to be extracted when it comes in contact with something. If this happens fast enough the extractor comes off the round being extracted and the slide will pick up a new round out of the magazine and a double feed incurs.

My theory is that the round being extracted is hitting the front of the round in the magazine. Because when I hand cycle the slide I feel it come in contact with something, when I release the magazine the slide is able to come fully to the rear. If the last round is in the chamber the round will extract and the slide will lock back as it should.

This situation occurred with both magazines.

I am in search for an experienced Model 52 gunsmith repair my gun.

Thank you

 

[Sevens]

It sounds to me as if either the extractor is worn and not getting a solid purchase on the case or that the extractor spring is tired and it isn't keeping the extractor in line to do it's job. I can make multiple suggestions:

1) Smith & Wesson service is a bad idea. I don't expect everyone to agree. If you call them anyway, I'd love to hear the results and I expect to be vindicated. If I were in your position, I'd do a dozen things before calling them, I wouldn't trust the folks currently there to have much clue about what a 52 even is. Not kidding in the slightest.

2) Extractor spring is the easiest thing to try. Can likely be found from Wolff, Numrich, Brownell's, it's simply a coil spring under the extractor. Changing it is not too difficult. Find a proper punch (an old drill bit smaller than the hole works well) and after field stripping the pistol, tap tap tap DOWN from the top of the slide to drift the extractor pin down and out of the slide, and the extractor will pop free. Remove extractor and spring and clean every possible nook and crannie, and replace the extractor spring and re-assemble in reverse order.

Be sure to re-insert the extractor pin from the underside of the slide and be sure to tap tap tap it all the way up so that it does not protrude and drag on the pistol's frame when assembled.

3) if the above doesn't work then Numrich typically has two options... new extractor specific to the 52-2 or used extractor pulled from an old 52-2. If it was me, buy one of each. If you buy a new extractor, it takes a whole helluva lot of carving and shaping to make the extractor function properly. Simply inserting a new one will make the pistol extract beautifully --BUT-- it will not feed under any circumstances.

The used extractor tends to work pretty well assuming the pistol it was pulled from had no extraction issues.

4) if option #3 seems too daunting, contact forum member BMCM via PM and he will almost surely take the work, and he's fantastic.