.22 S&W wont cock

M

MrBlotto

Inactive
Hey hey all *waves at monitor*

I've had a 78-79 model 17-4 revolver for a long time. Well I guess about 40 years? Dang, time flies.......

Anywho, the last 2 times I've taken it to the range (the wife wont try anything bigger yet), we've had difficulties.

It seems on about 1/2 the 'cylinders', the pistol will not fully cock. It's like you can pull the hammer back about half way then it gets 'stuck' or something.

You can get it to cock if you kind of 'help' the cylinder turn with your hand. But, naturally, this isn't the safest thing to do while ready to shoot.

I've looked over an old thread here -

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6203708#post6203708

I've gone over the basics:
-cylinder spins straight, no binding

- hand moves up and down correctly, even when pointed up as mentioned in previous post

- the bolt/cylinder stop goes in and out with finger pressure correctly

Another note - the pistol will cycle fine all day long with NO shells in it. I wish I woulda kept some empties from the range to try with those inserted :(

I do notice some.....I dunno........marks/wear on the......gah..what's it called.....the thing you push back to eject the casings

aoxjwaF.jpg



Oh dear lord.......sorry about the huge pic lol.
But, as you can see, there are 'marks' - wear marks? Think that might be causing the problem?

Thanx in advance :)
Blah-Toe
 
check to make sure your ejector rod (the thing you push back to eject the casings) is not coming unscrewed. It could start to cause binding?
 
Looks like there's some sort of obstruction on the chamber near the 8 o'clock position in the picture. Do the rounds sit flush in the cylinder or is one a little proud? Does the ejector rod reset fully?
 
A common cause of sticky cylinders is grit and fouling under the ejector.

If any burned powder or other debris gets trapped under the ejector the ejector can't seat fully into the cylinder and that causes the cylinder to seem to stick.

Try using a stiff M16 toothbrush to liberally scrub the under side of the ejector and it's seat in the rear of the cylinder.

To prevent it from happening, always hold the muzzle upright as you eject emptied so the cases and any fouling will fall free instead of getting trapped.

The lugs on the ejector don't seem to be deformed enough to cause the problem, but check the top of the hand for any burring or deformation of the hand.
 
Looks dirty to me. Here's what I'd do on your situation:

1) Buy new .22-caliber rifle brush. (Or even a 6mm bore brush.)
2) SCRUB the chambers until your arm wants to fall off. If you haven't developed tendonitis by the time you're done, it might not be clean yet.
3) Clean and DRY under the ejector and the cylinder where the ejector sits. Use a good stiff brush to remove debris and then use a rag to make sure it's clean and DRY under there. (Bonus points for having a third hand to do this, makes it easier.)
4) Scrape the carbon fouling out of the recesses on the cylinder and ejector. I use a dental pick, but almost anything you can use to get the gunk out of those corners will work.
5) Add a drop of oil to the bolt stop, on the ratchet, the hand and the cylinder pin. Just a drop!
6) Take it to the range and try live ammo.

What you're describing happens to me on both my '82 vintage Model 18-4 and my '60/61 vintage 4-screw Model 17 if I try to put too many rounds through them between cleanings. A thorough scrubbing has always been enough to put them back into action.

Good luck!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
I suspect that your gun needs a deep cleaning. I had a 15-2 from 1966 that wouldn't stay cocked single action. I tried to clean it out with brake clean, but had no luck until I removed the side plate. What it turned out to be was petrified grease from when it was new and once I got that crusty junk removed, it functioned perfectly.

Map1911 called it, you probably have a build up of crud under the ejector star and when you have cartridges in it, it's holding the star up enough to bind the action.
 
Check to make sure your ejector rod (the thing you push back to eject the casings) is not coming unscrewed
Click to expand...
. Plus one...also check to see that there is no debris under the ejector star...burn powder etc. Rod
 
awesome info guys!
Thank you. I'll grab a toothbrush and clean under the ejector, use a bore brush to run thru the chambers, and check to see if the ejector rod isn't coming unscrewed

Thx again :)
 
Howdy

Model 17s had the thread on the ejector rod changed from a right hand thread to a left hand thread way back in 1959. This was done specifically so the ejector would not back out as the cylinder was turned. So I doubt that is a problem with your Model 17-4. Remember when you inspect the ejector rod to make sure it is tight, it screws in to the left, rather than to the right.
 
Wild guess -- it is a spent brass case. Had it happen in a S& W M46 semi auto. Again, wild guess.

.02. David
 
OK OK.....time for an update lol

I did the cleaning song and dance pretty much along P-990's post, except I havent step 6 yet - taking it to the range

There was a LOT of 'gunk' behind the ejector. I had a dental pick thing and a mini-flathead screw driver. I just kept going around and around till no more was stuck on either. Then I used a few Q-tips/Hoppes solvent and went over them again. Finally did a wee bit of Rem Oil on everything. I may have been a little overzealous on the back face of the cylinder (ok, and ejector), cause I think I rubbed off some of the bluing from the bore brush I ran thru the chambers

Man, still looks way dirty...I guess it's maybe the resolution of the pic picking up every little something

cQtmzERh.jpg
 
That "rub off" might just be some residue from your bore brush. Try the Hoppe's again or some other more aggressive bore solvent on a Q-tip and see if that helps.
 
You might also consider seeing if the shoulders of the charging holes (where the rims will rest) are free from gunk so they aren't making the rounds stand proud. You might want to scrub the front face of the cylinder with a brass brush, on my Smith, if it gets cruddy, the crud on the front face of the cylinder can rub against the forcing cone/barrel. That happens to me if I haven't cleaned and partway through a session the gun / cylinder heats up and expands. I could get that fixed, but I like a tight fitting machine.
 
Be sure also to clean the back side of the ejector star, as well as the cylinder face that it fits into. Hard to see minute powder or brass particles in either location. Rod
 
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