S&W M43C has sticky extraction

[riverrat38]

I have a M43C 22LR that I bought new last month. It has about 300 rounds through it. Everything looks real nice, and I really enjoy shooting it at the range. Except for one problem. I have trouble ejecting the empty cases. I have been using 40 gr CCI Velocitators. I have to use considerable force on the rod to clear the chambers, and a few times have had to use some light tapping with a mallet. I am wondering if this is usual with Aluminum cylinders? I haven't had this sort of problem with steel cylinders. Would it be a good idea to polish the chambers with metal polish on a patch. I would be doing this by hand, no power tools.

Best,
Rick

 

[alwslate]

I would suggest trying another type of ammo before you do anything
else. Tight chambers are a common problem with S&W revolvers with
steel cyls. I had to ream the chambers of my 18-4. Aluminum, don't
know.

 

[ACORN]

It seems this is a common S&W issue. My 17 and 63s have it too. As long it’s been going on you’d think they’d have addressed it by now. One of these days I’ll ream mine.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Two of the main causes of hard extraction on .22 cal. are undersized chambers, and firing pin dings from dry firing. Check these 2 items first.

For undersized chambers, reaming with a standard finishing reamer is the cure. If the chamber is already the right size, the reamer won't remove any material.

For firing pin dings caused by dry firing, the burrs can be ironed out with a proper mandrel, or just filed off. When the firing pin hits the back of the chamber, there is usually a sharp burr left that protrudes into the chamber. When the cartridges expand from firing, they can get caught on the burr and be hard to extract. This can happen on any rimfire gun, not just revolvers.

 

[357-RevolverGuy]

Are you ejecting with barrel pointed up so that cases fall down? I recently took my dad shooting the other day and even though he's been around guns most of his life he was ejecting brass from my 351 with revolver cradled horizontally in his hand and having the same issues.

 

[riverrat38]

Thanks for all of the helpful responses.
I took the 43C to the range yesterday, and fired several different brands of 22LR ammo, including a box of 22 Shorts. The Shorts didn't stick as bad as the LR's, so I determined that it was the case walls doing the sticking, and not pin dings, or residue under the extractor. I do hold the barrel vertical, thanks to information I have learned on this Forum. The fired case heads have clean pin strikes.
What I eventually did find was that powder residue was sticking to the Aluminum chamber walls much more readily than in my other revolvers, which are Stainless Steel. The residue doesn't seem to stick to the Stainless Steel, but does to the Aluminum walls. After I cleaned the residue from the chambers, no ejection problems. Until I had again fired several cylinders worth. Previously, I had not noticed this change being a function of the round count.
Having a basic cleaning kit in my range bag has proven to be handy on several occasions.

Thanks again,
Rick

 

[bisquitjm69]

43c ejection issues

I am having ejection issues. I have sent the revolver back for repair twice and still having the same problem. I have also tried different ammo to no avail. I use a steel rod to push the empty cartridges out of the barrel. Any one have any thoughts?

 

[alwslate]

I would suggest that you ream the chambers. Solved the problem with my 18-4 for me.

 

[Engineer1911]

Here are the complete directions to do the job correctly:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-sm...-22lr-s-ws.html?highlight=ream+22+lr+cylinder

Brownell's p/n513051220 for $70.

NOTE: I am not a machinist, but have operated machine shop equipment as a part-time job in college decades ago. I bought the reamer, copied the instructions to a Word document, successfully reamed seven S&W 22 LR revolver cylinders. One cylinder was very difficult to ream because all the chambers were too small (rounds 13 to 18 were very difficult to load, 19 to 24 could not be loaded). After reaming, I fired 48 rounds, and every bullet dropped into the chambers.

NEVER turn the reamer backwards, clean cylinder & reamer, don't skimp on cutting oil.