N Frame Cylinder Problem.

[USSR]

Okay, so I've got a really nice 6 inch 25-5 that has started acting up on me. I load her up, and after a couple of shots, the cylinder starts dragging and rotation is anywhere from difficult to impossible. I unload it and it rotates fine. I stick 6 fired cases back in it and the problem returns. I cleaned the cylinder well, including under the extractor star, but the problem persists. Oh, and the ejector rod is fine. Any ideas?

Don

 

[USSR]

Think I have figured it out. With no cases in the cylinder, I can move the cylinder forward and back. It goes from having a cylinder gap with the barrel when I push it back, to having no cylinder gap when I push it forward. So the case rims are causing the cylinder to move forward, eliminating the cylinder gap. End Shake, Yes? So now the question is: can a local good gunsmith fix this, or is this a job for the Smith and Wesson repair shop? Thanks.

Don

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Brownells and others offer drop in "washers' of different thicknesses to fix the problem...There are ways to stretch the yoke but are more difficult.......

 

[Toolguy]

Actually the yoke stretching is way easier and lasts longer. Done it lots of times on different guns.

 

[gman51]

Does the problem exist with any ammo you insert into the cylinder? I had a bad batch of reloaded 38 spl that the head thickness caused cylinder jamming. The thick head was jamming against the recoil frame plate. Three different guns would have the same problem but some guns were worse than the others. I only had the problem with this ammo which the seller replaced for me.

 

[FifthWheel]

Brownells and others offer drop in "washers' of different thicknesses to fix the problem...There are ways to stretch the yoke but are more difficult.......

There is a Youtube video for this and it's easy to do. Check B/C gap and endshake when you're done. The parts are cheap.

 

[armorer951]

If you decide to by shims, I would consider this company as your source for parts. Very nice people, good customer service, quality parts......and free shipping. (I'm not affiliated, but have used their parts in the past)

Owners: Lance and Tammy Shively.

TriggerShims Brand Shim Kits

 

[USSR]

Does the problem exist with any ammo you insert into the cylinder? I had a bad batch of reloaded 38 spl that the head thickness caused cylinder jamming. The thick head was jamming against the recoil frame plate. Three different guns would have the same problem but some guns were worse than the others. I only had the problem with this ammo which the seller replaced for me.

I don't buy ammo - I reload everything I shoot. Doesn't seem to matter what brass I use, so I don't think it is brass related. It going from having a cylinder gap with the barrel when I push it back, to having no cylinder gap when I push the cylinder forward is definitely the problem. I've got a 4 inch 25-5 that doesn't lose the cylinder gap when I push the cylinder forward.

Don

 

[USSR]

The End Shake shims arrived this week, and so today I took the 25-5 apart and installed. What a time I had removing the ejector rod!!! Anyways, I had .008" of End Shake, so I installed .006" worth of shims. Noticed that the cylinder was a bit tight when closing, but took it outside and shot it. Got the same difficulty with cylinder rotation after I shot as before. So, figuring I had shimmed it to much, I removed one of the .002" shims so that I took up .004" worth of End Shake. The cylinder closed normally, but when I shot it I had the same cylinder rotation problem. So, I looked at the fired brass and the fired primer had some shiny spots around the perimeter of the primers. In checking my revolver I found out what the problem is: the firing pin bushing (for lack of a better word, it's the round piece with the hole that the firing pin protrudes thru) is recessed. This is allowing the fired primers to protrude beyond the recoil plate and causing scraping of the fired primers. Where do I go from here?

Don

 

[Toolguy]

That is one of the few things I will send a gun to the factory for. One of the others is a broken hammer or trigger pivot stud.

 

[armorer951]

The hammer nose bushing will have to be replaced. This repair requires special tools, training, and experience. I would contact S&W Customer Service......1-800-331-0852.

 

[USSR]

Thanks guys.

Don

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I found out what the problem is: the firing pin bushing... is recessed.

Bummer, but thanks for the follow-up info, I was wondering what you'd find. S&W can get it back in shape for you.

.

 

[torizus]

Curious as to what would cause that. I would think a failure going out towards cylinder is possible but a hammer nose recessing in towards hammer sounds unusual, am I wrong on the amount of free play the nose has ?

 

[armorer951]

He's referring to the hammer nose bushing in the breechface.

Directly in front of the hammer nose in the illiustration.

 

[retired2006]

If you decide to by shims, I would consider this company as your source for parts. Very nice people, good customer service, quality parts......and free shipping. (I'm not affiliated, but have used their parts in the past)

Owners: Lance and Tammy Shively.

TriggerShims Brand Shim Kits

I agree, I have used them several times, good products, fast shipment, great prices !