Reaming .22 cylinder

[JN01]

I have a new to me, hardly used S&W Model 18-3. It's a beautiful gun, but the chambers are extremely tight, even when spotlessly clean. I haven't found any ammo that will "drop in". Cheapo bulk ammo will go in with a little push. Some of the better target ammo will only go 2/3 of the way in before requiring a pretty heavy push to get them chambered (though after firing, they easily eject).

I used the search function and discovered that this is not an uncommon problem with S&W .22s.

A couple of the threads suggested purchasing a cylinder reamer to open up the chambers a bit.

My question is if this is a do-it-yourself job. Don't have a drill press, so I'd have to use a tap handle. I have used a coning tool/tap handle to successfully cone the muzzle of a flintlock rifle. Is it difficult to keep aligned in the holes? Any tricks to using a reamer? Any suggestions as to the best brand of reamer?

Seems like it should be fairly easy, but I don't want to make an expensive error either.

 

[4011]

Have you tried cleaning the cyl real good ? I use a bore brush on the battery powered drill. Maybe it has some stuff in it ?? A thought.

 

[john traveler]

I too would concentrate on a through bronze bore brush cleaning before thinking about using a reamer on the chambers.

The reamer work is a one-way trip, and if you get a bad chamber finish, you will have extraction problems.

.22 LR reamers are available in "standard" and "match" varieties. You want the "standard".

The reaming itself is a manual operation, since the chamber reamer is piloted, it will guide and center itself in the chamber throat. Remove cylinder from gun. Dip the reamer in black sulphur pipe thread cutting oil before each reaming operation. Avoid sideways pressure when reaming. Clean chips frequently, and do NOT turn the reamer backwards, as that will ruin the cutting edges. After the reaming, wrap a strip of 600 grit wet-or-dry abrasive or crocus cloth on a slotted mandrel and hand polish the chamber a bit. Solvent clean and oil before installing in the gun.

 

[Alk8944]

"Tight" charge holes are pretty well the norm in all .22 caliber guns, revolvers and rifles. This is just how it is if they are cut to SAAMI specification. If you do buy a chamber reamer don't be surprised if it just drops in and doesn't cut anything! S&W charge holes in .22s are not undersized, believe it or not.

 

[AzShooter]

I had the same problem with my 617. Reamed the cylinders and no more problems with bullets going in or sticking in the cylinder during extraction. It's an easy process, just use lots of oil.

 

[alaskavett]

Advise some serious caution here. Have you done a real cleaning of each of the offending "charge holes'? Brass or stainless brush?, but please do not ream them out!! I have a "Bekeart" that someone ruined one chamber on so be careful what you do. It is difficult if not impossible to fix a screw up... Kyle

 

[Bullseye Smith]

I would send it to the factory to be fix myself.

 

[H Richard]

Polish, but don't ream. The chambers are that size for a reason. It works.
Jan. 2016 more experience changes this above recommendation. The SAAMI standard finishing reamer will solve all the "tight" chamber problems. You can do more harm to your revolver "beating" stuck empties out, than opening the chambers with a quality reamer.

 

[Larry from Bend]

I'd try stuffing cartridges in a few other S&W 22 revolvers before doing any reaming. I don't know why you believe that ammo should "drop in" to a chamber and that if it requires a "push" there is a problem. A "little push" probably means .0002" or less removed to get "drop in" characteristics. In my 17, 18 and 34 I find that 22 ammo case diameter isn't all that precise. Which ammo are you going to ream for?


I'd at least try some JB bore paste first.

 

[chief38]

TIGHT .22 CHAMBERS

From what I have experienced over the last 40 years, S & W .22 chambers always seem to run a bit tight. I notice that certain ammo works better than others. For instance...... Federal .22's are the tightest, Winchester's are not as tight, and Remington's are the least tight of all. I personally do not like the quality of the Remington .22's (a lot of FTF) so I have decided to use Winchester Wildcats for most of my informal plinking. That said, I have had trouble finding them over the past year or so, so I did actually purchase a few bricks of the Federal Champion .22 ammo. Now when I shoot them I have a nylon brush at the ready that I use to swab out the chambers every 50 rounds or so. A little more effort is involved, but not a big deal. On the plus side, I do think that the Federal .22's are the best quality overall and seem very accurate.

I also have a few Colt .22 revolvers and the chambers on those are quite loose compared to the Smiths. I have never been able to get a straight answer from Smith regarding this matter, so it is what it is.

I would NOT ream out the chambers, just polish them with caution and use a Nylon brush once in a while. Works well for me.

Regards,
chief38

 

[tomcatt51]

MANSON PRECISION : Rimfire Cartridge, .22 Long Rifle Finisher (Cyl) (513-051-220) - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools
Ream the chambers by hand with good cutting oil and a tap handle to turn the reamer. Despite the nay sayers it's a good thing to do on 17/617's. I've done a number of them. No accuracy loss and it's nice to have the rounds eject without wacking the ejector rod.

 

[JN01]

Thanks for the replies thus far.

To clarify a couple points-

Chambers were scrubbed spotless with a bronze brush, so crud deposits were not an issue. Chambers don't seem to be rough and fired cases extract smoothly, but I will probably try polishing them anyway as it can't hurt.

As to how tight they are- Golden Bullets go nearly all the way in, a little push seats them. No biggy. Mini Mags don't go in as far and require a little more pressure. Federal Champions only go about half way in before meeting resistance, and then they are so tight I have trouble even getting them seated enough to close the cylinder.

With all the other .22s I own or have owned (revolvers, autos, rifles) I've found that when you drop a cartridge in the chamber, it either seats all the way or nearly so.

I can see where tighter cylinder charge holes should keep the bullet more stable until it enters the barrel, but there should be a happy medium.

 

[duckloads]

When trying to sort out my new to me M17-3, I spent $65 or so on so called "target" ammo. I was having some success, but the range master approached my and asked if I had used any Federal Value Pack. I thought no value anything is going into this S&W.

He brought me several to try. Holy Cow! My best groups at 25ft went from 1" down to 5/8". To my real big surprise, the cases nearly fell out when I touched the extractor. This was after 150 or so rounds of all other ammo with no cleaning of the chambers. Some of the others cases, I was having to punch out with small screw driver.

I showed him my target, and he laughed. He gave me some more, and I had the same results. They would hit a quater at 25 ft and almost fall out of the cylinder.

I bought some before I left the range at Larry's. they were around $15 per 525. They are 36gr high velocity, copper washed.

Get some.

 

[JN01]

Thanks. I'll try some of those too. The Golden Bullets weren't giving very good results accuracy wise.

 

[tomcatt51]

"Tight" charge holes are pretty well the norm in all .22 caliber guns, revolvers and rifles. This is just how it is if they are cut to SAAMI specification. If you do buy a chamber reamer don't be surprised if it just drops in and doesn't cut anything! S&W charge holes in .22s are not undersized, believe it or not.

I have yet to find a 617 cylinder with chambers a SAAMI spec finishing reamer will "drop in", they have all been undersize. I shot a 22 revolver steel challenge match 4th of July weekend last year with 40 some other shooters with 17's or (mostly) 617's. The ones who hadn't had the chambers reamed were wishing they had. They were they the ones looking for something to hit the ejector rod with.

 

[Alk8944]

I have yet to find a 617 cylinder with chambers a SAAMI spec finishing reamer will "drop in", they have all been undersize. I shot a 22 revolver steel challenge match 4th of July weekend last year with 40 some other shooters with 17's or (mostly) 617's. The ones who hadn't had the chambers reamed were wishing they had. They were they the ones looking for something to hit the ejector rod with.

Tomcatt51,

Interesting, I've only been Gunsmithing for the past 48 years and do have some experience with such things.

A couple of years ago I purchased a new .22 LR finish reamer to adjust the headspace in a Ruger Single-Six which I had squared up the breech face bearing surface and adjusted end-shake resulting in too little headspace. When it fell into the Ruger I got curious and decided to check my other .22s.

I have a Colt 3rd Generation Match Target, and no fewer than 6 S&W revolvers in various models and ranging from 1948 to mid 1980s production. In every one of these guns the reamer, which is right on SAAMI minimum dimensions, will enter every one of these right to the rim cut! Of the revolvers, every one of them requires a slight push to chamber every type ammunition I have ever used, just as everyone seems to complain of. Some of them, when just cleaned, and with some ammunition, will allow cartridges to drop in, but just the first cylinder full. None of them is even at SAAMI minimum dimensions, they are not undersized.

I would like to see all these 617s and the reamer you say cuts their chambers. I would be amazed if they could even be loaded if they are that tight. I have no doubt that special purpose reamers are used to provide a slight enlargement and increased draft to chamber for competition revolvers, are you sure this isn't what was being used?

 

[tomcatt51]

Tomcatt51,
I would like to see all these 617s and the reamer you say cuts their chambers. I would be amazed if they could even be loaded if they are that tight. I have no doubt that special purpose reamers are used to provide a slight enlargement and increased draft to chamber for competition revolvers, are you sure this isn't what was being used?

I use a Manson .22 lr finishing reamer, cylinder. It is a revolver specific chamber reamer. I assume because of the throat diameter pilot. I gave a link for it a couple posts back in this thread. That's the one.

I have not seen any increase in group sizes after reaming the chambers. The throats are not being reamed and seem remarkably consistent based on the pilot fit.

On the 10 shot 617's there seems to be a pretty common complaint with inserting/ejecting rds, particularly ejecting because you're trying to push 10 sticky empties out. Getting rds in becomes an issue when you're trying to do it 10 at a time with speedloaders. Not an issue with freshly cleaned chambers but try it after 400 rds. The 22 revolver steel match (was 9 stages, 225 rds minimum, lots of CCI Mini-Mags being used) I shot was an eye opener. I'd never seen 40+ 10 shot 17/617's in one place before. There were two distinct groups, those who had reamed the chambers and those who were going to.

 

[chief38]

I've got a few M18's, a M17, and a M63. Other than the M63 the Charge holes were so tight that I even had trouble pushing in the bullets after only a few cylinders full. To eject them was painful. My revolvers are always cleaned perfectly and the Charge holes on those Smiths were just so tight it was a real pain in the butt to shoot. After reaming with the Manson Finish Reamer they are remarkably improved. The M63 did not need reaming nor did any of my Colt .22 LR's.

Most fellow shooters at my club who own a M18 or M17 have similar experiences. Colts do not seem to have this problem.

NOTE: I once swore ( see my post above ) I'd never do this, but after much frustration I gave in !

 

[tomcatt51]

This is a pretty tame example of what was said when I first posted about reaming 17/617/18 chambers. This was one of the "nice" threads, it got pretty nasty.

There was no shortage of, "I"ve been doing this for XX number of yrs and know better, they don't need it", "you're going to ruin your gun hogging out the chambers" etc along with many mickey mouse alternative polishing schemes.

Funny how things change.

Reaming the chambers is one of the best thing you can do for your S&W 22 LR revolver.

Thanks to chief38 for resurrecting this thread.

 

[chief38]

I've seen MANY MANY Smith Revolvers with tight chambers (mainly M18's) and in fact years ago (in the late 80's) guys who were in my shooting club back then had sent theirs into the Factory for the same reason. The Factory did exactly what we are doing and sent them back. It is not uncommon to still see guys scrubbing the charge holes with brushes to reload another cylinder full. Like I have stated above, I have never had this problem with any Colts I own and the same ammo is used.

I have experimented with different brands of ammo and Remington seems to be slightly better, but unfortunately the Remington ammo these days is real junk and I much prefer CCI and Federal.

That is why I caved in a while ago and did mine. I have noticed no change in accuracy, but at least I no longer need to struggle ejecting empties after 30 rounds!