686 cylinder sticks when swinging out

Willie Lowman said:
When I push the cylinder thumbpiece forward a plunger inside the ejector rod pushes this catch forward to unlock it. But it is not pushing it forward far enough.
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Jim Watson said:
Is the end of the bolt flush with the frame?
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Jim might've been on the right track with the first reply. Check to be sure the bolt face is flush with the frame when the latch is pushed fully forward. If the bolt face isn't flush when the latched is pushed fully forward, check that the nose of the thumb latch isn't hitting the frame and being prevented from going fully forward. If it's an aftermarket latch, it might be a tad too long, in which case a little filing of the nose ought to help. Correctly fitted, the latch ought to be mere microns from the frame, and the bolt flush with the frame when the latch is forward.

Another thing to look at is at the end of the ejector where it locks up with the locking bolt: Open the cylinder, and with your thumb (or something moderately stiff), push the inner rod flush with the ejector star on the back of the cylinder. While doing this, look at the other end - the inner rod should be flush with (or even a smidge proud of) the outer rod. If the outer rod is too long, it'll hang up on the locking bolt as you described. If it's a smidge too long, it can be shortened with careful use of a stone.
 
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So the bolt may not be all the way forward. It seems to be in by just a few thousandths. Just enough to feel with the tip of a small screwdriver. But that would be enough to cause the ejector rod plunger to not disengage the locking bolt, I guess.



I pushed the plunger in with a pen cap and it came flush with the end of the ejector rod.

So it seems my problem is the bolt not coming all the way forward.
 
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Glad you got it fixed. The burr on the bolt was a symptom and a clue (but not the cause), and likely formed when the outer rod rolled the tip of the bolt over when the cylinder was pushed open.
 
Although not a Smith, my new Colt King Cobra Target exhibited the same problem straight out of the box. It took a good bit more force than my other new Colts or Vintage Smiths. I thought at first the ratchet was hanging on the frame and did some checking and determined that was not the case. I also though about the ejector rod which I’ve had happen on a couple of Smiths. I also considered the bolt but that wasn’t the problem either.

I finally started looking at the indexing pin for the cylinder. It’s that little D shaped piece that pops up to lock the cylinder just before the fun fires. What appears to be happening is there’s either a rough edge or the pin is too wide or the index notches on the cylinder are just a little snug. Through a good bit of observation I’ve pretty much determined there’s a little excess metal on the index pin or it’s a touch large for the notches. I say the pin because every notch / cylinder position seems to exhibit the same degree of difficulty.

I figured I’d use it for a while and see if it improves and now after about a thousand rounds and opening and closing the cylinder about the same number of times plus dry firing a bunch it’s feeling much better. Given time I think it’ll free up just fine.
 
Should not have to fire a thousand rounds or more to break in a revolver. I would have contacted Colt. I like the new Colts and have purchased a three inch barreled King Cobra and a four inch barreled Python
 
put three dummies or spent cases into the cylinder first.
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I've tightened my share of S&W ejector rods in my day, never used spent cases, and never had any problems. But that doesn't mean it's not a good idea. Kinda makes sense to me too.
 
4V50 Gary said:
If you have to tighten the ejector rod, put three dummies or spent cases into the cylinder first.
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Sgt127 said:
So as to not, possibly, tweak the ejector star
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Inserting cases into the chambers when tightening is never a bad idea, but AFAIK, it was more important for older S&Ws, in which the ejector star was star-shaped, and laterally held by 2 pins that could bend or shear if the ejector rod is tightened without cases in the chamber. More modern S&Ws use a square-shaped star (and no pins), which, by nature of it's square shape, offered lateral stability on it's own.
 
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