Puzzled? How do they do that @S&W service?

[overthehills]

I recently took in a new Pro 686 for an action job. It had 3 issues that concerned me so before I started on it I sent it in to have those resolved. S&W did a spectacular job & provided me with a format upon which I can really build. The puzzling part, for me, is how did S&W get rid of the burrs on the cylinder notches the original owner put there by "rodding" the trigger? Each cylinder notch had proud metal on the non-lead in edge. I only hoped S&W could cosmetically bring this 2 month old unit back at a minimal charge. Somehow they returned the original cylinder and it looked like new (no drag line...nothing) with sharp clean notch profiles. Amazingly - NO CHARGE! The raised notch edges were definitely operator induced. Smith always impresses me. How did they do it? I've worked many & don't know how they did it. Any one out there know? As Always Safe Shooting - overthehills

 

[hittman77]

New cylinder?

I thought they provided a list of new parts and description of work completed but evidently not.

 

[Ashlander]

What's "rodding" the trigger???

 

[ImDrRich]

S&W service

I agree; they replaced the cylinder with a new one.

 

[Zipdog]

They could have replaced the cylinder but then again maybe not. My local gunsmith can fix one like you describe. He said he was taught how to do it in smith school. I didn't ask how it is done.

 

[H Richard]

"Rodding" the trigger is double action cycling the action as fast as it can be done continually, excessively, and usually in dry firing. It may take several thousand fast hard cycles to raise the burrs the OP mentions. It is very destructive to revolvers to handle them in such a careless way.

 

[Joe4d]

"Rodding" the trigger is double action cycling the action as fast as it can be done continually, excessively, and usually in dry firing. It may take several thousand fast hard cycles to raise the burrs the OP mentions. It is very destructive to revolvers to handle them in such a careless way.

Totally disagree, those burs are from a timing or fitting issue.
So every competition revolver shooter is destroying their revolvers ? Ever been to a steel challenge or USPSA match ?

 

[Bobbysixkiller]

I bet they replaced the cylinder. They don't always include a sheet tell what parts or service they replaced/repaired.

 

[overthehills]

I thank you all for the input. As I still have no idea how S&W did it, I am compelled to clarify a couple of things. S&W did sent a parts & service list with the warranty repair that listed all the new parts (ratchet pad, hand & cylinder bolt stop) as well as the cylinder listed as "refinished". The unit, as new, in my opinion, timed up a little late right out of the box, but it made time. (one of the reasons I sent it in...DCU only gets worse with mileage). Rodding, in my experience, is the way the trigger is drawn through it's stroke. IMHO the slightly slow or late cylinder bolt stop most likely added to this raising of proud metal by not quite fully engaging as the cylinder is rotating at rocket speed with cylinder of lead & brass on board. I concur rapid fire in competition should cause this problem to arise quite often, however, I have found serious revolver shooters know their actions and treat them appropriately, knowing when, through the stroke, the hammer will fall. The cylinder/bolt/timing argument may actually be the issue, I don't know. It does seem that when I see the raised metal, the owners seem to fall into a certain category of end user. I'll leave it at that. Still wish I knew how S&W service did such a nice job...It would be a great skill to add to the "toolbox" - as always - Safe Shooting - overthehills

 

[H Richard]

Yes, I have seen and participated in USPSA matches, and was a USPSA Cert. Range Officer for quite a few years. I'm not talking about aimed fast shooting, I'm talking about indiscriminate as fast as you can pull the trigger. What I have seen is a inexperienced new shooter sitting in front of the TV and cycle the action as fast as humanly possible "to break it in". Do that with a new revolver for 3 or 4 hours and see what starts to show up.

 

[Protocall_Design]

I have fixed this exact thing many times. All you need is a flat ended steel punch and a hammer. The material was peened out of place by repeated blows. You simply move it back to where it started the same way.

Sometimes there are burrs on the ramp side too. This will cause the cylinder stop to bounce when it hits that burr, just at the time it should be dropping into the notch. A hardened 5/16" steel dowel pin laid in the ramp and tapped down a few times will return this material to where it came from. Doing these can go a long way to tighten a loose lockup.

 

[jaymoore]

A small hammer with a well polished face can be quite magical. I have some polished to a mirror finish. It can even smooth blued surfaces with no finish damage. When used properly....

 

[Kernel Crittenden]

... S&W did sent a parts & service list with the warranty repair that listed all the new parts (ratchet pad, hand & cylinder bolt stop) as well as the cylinder listed as "refinished"....

Perhaps this means S&W replaced your original cylinder with a refinished one, fully functional but salvaged from another repair job.

 

[MichiganScott]

Having shot DA revolvers DA for many years, it has been my experience that the burrs the OP mentions always show up to some degree even if the revolver is never cycled empty. Just guessing, but I suspect the momentum of a cylinder full of loaded ammunition cycled as fast as you can is greater than that of the same cylinder cycled empty and will hit the stop with more energy.

 

[Wee Hooker]

All else aside, it's nice to hear positive feedback for the folks at S&W Customer Service for a change. Enjoy your refreshed revolver!

 

[steelslaver]

I have fixed this exact thing many times. All you need is a flat ended steel punch and a hammer. The material was peened out of place by repeated blows. You simply move it back to where it started the same way.

Sometimes there are burrs on the ramp side too. This will cause the cylinder stop to bounce when it hits that burr, just at the time it should be dropping into the notch. A hardened 5/16" steel dowel pin laid in the ramp and tapped down a few times will return this material to where it came from. Doing these can go a long way to tighten a loose lockup.

Like a dent the metal isn't gone as in worn off it is just "misplaced" a skilled metal/gun smith can move it back to where it belongs

 

[Bill Raby]

Its just metal. It is malleable. Even when hardened. Pretty simple stuff.

 

[Protocall_Design]

The barrel, frame and cylinder are not very hard. The metal is moved fairly easily. The hard parts are in the lockworks - hammer, trigger, hand, rebound slide, cylinder stop, etc.

 

[apollo99]

It's kind of like fixing buggered screws with a punch and hammer in a vise, gently put the metal back where it belongs, stainless is pretty simple to put back and refinish, blue steel requires really smooth punch faces. I am really glad the OP is happy with the work from S&W.