Our 17-2, which has become something of a problem child revolver, appears to have chambers that are not finished reamed/polished. With clean chambers, 40gr CCI's have to be given a light touch to drop in the last 1/16". After a modest amount of shooting, extreme pressure must be put on the rear of the cases to make them chamber. With the chambers clean, dry and under appropriate lighting, the rear 1/3 of the chambers are perfectly smooth. In the front 2/3's you can clearly see circular machining marks in all six chambers. These machining marks can also be felt with a dental pic or similar tool. Is there any home remedy to fix this? We use this revolver for 22 steel plate matches so doing a reload without having to muscle the shells in is important. This was a 99% gun that showed little evidence of being fired much if at all. But given all the problems we have had with it I suspect it was produced right before or after a major three day holiday.
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Unfinished chambers in 17-2 cylinder.
- Thread starter dpsix
- Start date
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john traveler
Member
With the tooling marks that you described, any "home remedy" is more likely to cause additional problems than fix existing ones.
You need access to a chambering reamer and someone that knows how to use it properly.
I'd suggest seeing a qualified gunsmith, or contact S&W.
You need access to a chambering reamer and someone that knows how to use it properly.
I'd suggest seeing a qualified gunsmith, or contact S&W.
tomcatt51
Member
Sounds like you need a finishing chamber reamer, or better yet if you're shooting steel, have S&W fit a 10 shot cylinder. They're only available in SS but the polished SS looks good in the blue guns.
Hammerless-12
Member
Send it back to S&W. They have taken very good care of me and my revolvers. I have read some negative things about Smith on this forum, but I have yet to heave any issues with thier willingness to fix my gun and fix it in a timely mannor. They also have NEVER charged me a dime, except postage. I did have a model 29 Classic that started out as a "problem child" but after 3 trips back to the fatory, its right now. The bottom line is your model 17-2 should have never left the factory that way. Send it back until its right.
PhilOhio
Member
This apparently happens at the S&W factory now and then, when quality control inspectors miss it. At a recent OGCA show, I purchased from an original owner (or so he said) a 617-1 with chambers into which no locally available brand of standard .22 LR rounds would easily go without some pushing. And the required pushing varied by chamber, no matter how spotlessly brushed and cleaned they were. After some years, the seller apparently decided to unload it at a gun show, rather than send it back to S&W under warranty. I finish reamed the chambers, and now it is perfect, as it should have been when shipped. Wonderful gun...now.
