Cylinder Binding After Gunsmith Works Trigger

Gary H

New member
A local smith did some trigger work on my wife's SP-101 and S&W Model 66. The Ruger is new and the 66 is an older hammer mounted pin and recessed cylinder job. My wife wanted a light, reliable trigger, so off they went.

Test fired the guns and they seemed fine for about twenty rounds and then both revolvers began to bind. First shot as planned, but somewhere along the line the cylinder would lock-up and the trigger would not move. I should add that the guns dry fire with spent cartridges..no problem. Also, the temperature was pushing 102 in the sun.

If this happened to one gun, I would be disturbed, but both guns are now unreliable.

Any ideas as to what's up?
 
Have left a message. I'm just wondering if the heat might have something to do with the binding. Just doesn't make sense that both guns would have problems.
 
I don't see how trigger work could cause a cylinder to bind (as opposed to locking up). Heat can be a problem, though. If the barrel-cylinder gap is too tight, the cylinder can expand and bind against the barrel in only a few rounds. The ambient temperature can add to the heat and decrease the number of rounds required to bind things up.

Again, if that is the problem, I don't see how trigger work could cause it, but maybe you never fired enough rounds quickly before.

Jim
 
The Ruger has been extensively shot outdoors and indoors. It has been around the longest and seen the most use. The S&W had only been shot a couple of times prior to the work. Waiting on the gunsmith's return call.
 
I don't know about the Ruger, but the S&Ws have been known to have the extractor rod "back" out, causing the cylinder to bind.

Make sure its screwed all the way in. On the S&W, its reverse screwed.

This has caused many shooters great concern -- only to find that the fix is as simple as a quick twist.

Your "problem" may be something as simple as that.
 
Weshoot2:

If you are suggesting a gunsmith, then the call is already in. Should I not find satisfaction, I'll go elsewhere.

May want to shoot again locally at my indoor range.
 
I UNDERSTAND

I either send to a Guild pro, or accept whatever I get and fix myself.

Hmmm, wait a minute. Bob Cogan at AP&W, and Robar.

Hope it goes well.
 
Sounds like your "Gunsmith" was not a "Gunsmith" Rather some putz who really knows how to screw guns up. FYI, I know how to properly repair the guns you own. I am not licensed yet, so that's that. Try a guy like Jim at Alpha Precision or Hamilton Bowen. Sounds like your guy is a gun destroyer? :mad:
 
A while back I was having some problems with my reloads. I was turning out some high primers. I didn't know that this extended into my supply of 38's and I didn't realize that I was shooting reloads that were from that era. My initial shooting involved more recent reloads that were loaded after making adjustments / repairs to my progressive press. I went through the old stuff and found a few high primers. I'm going to shoot the guns tomorrow, but as of now, I'm pretty sure that the high primers were the problem here.
 
I hope that was the problem.

If you been shootin high primers, you been real lucky you haven't had an unpleasant suprise or so.

Keep us posted, please.

Sam
 
With the exception of the primers in question, I always inspect my reloads and haven't shot high primers. I need to be more careful with regards to sorting any defective ammunition and safely discarding it. That was my mistake and the gun may have protected me by jamming. Anyway, I'll find out tomorrow.
 
I don't know the cause of the problem but the situation is familiar. I took a Model 64 to the local gunsmith to correct the timing. He fixed the timing but the gun came back with the cylinder binding. I took it back to him. He more or less fixed the binding but now the gun had a bent extractor rod. I'll never figure out exactly what the guy did to cause this.

Anyway, I ended up shipping the gun to S&W, which I should have done in the first place. S&W smoothed it up fine and mostly straightened the rod, though it still has a slight bend in it. :rolleyes:
 
Shot hundreds of rounds without problem. High primers were the source of this problem. It makes sense, since both guns were fully functional until I managed to shoot the first (newer) batch of ammunition. Anyway, sorry for wasting everyones time. For those new to reloading, watch those primers.

.
 
Back
Top