Ever have a revolver jam or lock up on you?

For one, its the proper way to reload a swing open revolver. It allows the empties to drop free and the revolver to be quickly reloaded.

The reason here is, any unburnt powder or debris left in the cases will usually drop out with the case. If you unload muzzle down, the debris tends to drop onto the cylinder under the star, causing problems. You'd be amazed at how little crap it takes to tie up a gun.
 
mine wasn't on the range but as I went to put the gun in my pocket, I noticed it. The cylinder release had come loose (almost falling off) on a S&W model 60. I removed the screw, applied locktite and then screwed it in tight.

After reading some of the comments, I'm worried about the ejector rod coming loose. What's the best way to unloosen it, apply locktite and tighten it back up?
 
This past Friday, took my Taurus 650 CIA .357 to the range. I must admitt, I had not lubed it a lot. Locked up on me after shooting about 10 .357 rounds. Shot .38 specials ok with no problems.

Just got off the phone with a Taurus gunsmith. He said I should put a little oil on the yoke, the pin on the rear frame by the hand. He also suggested a small amount of graphite paste in front of and behind the trigger nexto the opening in the frame, and work it a bit. He said if I do that I should be ok. What do all y'all out there think? I would love your opinion. Thanks.:confused:
 
Revolvers

Had a K38 go out of time after a few thousand rounds of wadcutters, but S&W fixed it free. The rental Taurus revolvers at the range loosen ejector rods all the time. The S&W airweight .22 we had for rent went so badly out of time there were firing pin marks between the chambers. Twice back to S&W and not fixed and now they want $150 to fix it again. I have a 940 that jammed up when firing 90 (or maybe 95?) grain Cor Bons, but that was a hot ammo issue. I've also had a case go under the extractor star with a .22 and a snub .38 if I flubbed the reload, operator error.
 
Unload muzzle up always.
Extractor star can have a round slip underneath it and those are time consuming to dig out when you are in a hurry.
 
I had a S&W 66 that I carried as a duty revolver lock up a few times back in the late 70's or early 80's-so did some other agents-it was a production problem and S&W replaced mine-the problematic revolver was a snubbie-they sent me a 4" which was a-ok.
I ahd a Vaquero 44 Magnum lock up and go out of time due to a squib round.Needed a gunsmith.No more reloads in it and no more problems.
 
Colt Python-ammo related. Case head separation of factory ammo, the front of the case got lodged in between the barrel and the cylinder.

Colt Lawman, ammo related reloads of heavy .357 Magnum. Bullets walked out and blocked the cylinder rotation.

Primer blow outs, high primers in a S&W 625. A not properly tightened ejector rod walking out on a Ruger 6 series after I reblued it. About one failure every 10,000 rounds.

I have seen a friend propelling his cylinder on a S&W 586 out during a relaod in a match:).
 
both my Taurus Raging Hornet, & my Dan Wesson 357 Maximum have "tight" barrel cylinder gaps & can get tought to fire after a few 100 rounds, without scrubbing up the cylinder face...

... the only one to actually lock up on me was my new Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casull... but that was due to "stiff arming" & bullet creep... locked it up tight... but I was able to free it up with a wood dowl... I was able to push the loose bullet back down, & finish firing the cylinder full of ammo ( the last round )... in hind sight, I shouldn't have fired that cartridge, just in case I pushed the bullet down too far, making a compressed load, & changing the cartridge pressure when fired ???

that was when the gun was new, & I was letting the rounds reputation worry me about smacking myself in the head... I never had problems with the gun again, after I quit "stiff arming" the gun, & let it recoil normally...
 
S&W Model 19 would regularly blow the back of a .357 primer into the fp hole and lock up. Didn't really matter what brand of ammunition, either.

I traded it for a Smith Model 66 which I kept for a lot of years.

Will
 
I've had brass split and be also jammed against the recoil shield, that jams the wheel from turning and the wheel from opening to extract the faulty case.
 
Yes, on a S&W 547. The spring on the case pin broke failing to retract the pin so it remained in the forward position preventing the cylinder from rotating. It also prevented the cylinder from being opened. Had to reach in with a feeler gauge to push it back.
 
Yes. I was shooting .357 aluminum case ammo. The heat of the round expanded the case and it prevented the cylinder from turning. after 30 seconds or so, it would cool off enough that the cylinder would turn.
 
Here's a neat little demo for those who believe revolvers can't jam:

1. Unload your revolver with the muzzle pointing down.

2. As you do, give it a jiggle so one case tips outward and falls back into the chamber, under the ejector star.

3. Imagine someone is standing six feet away and shooting at you as you try to clear your revolver.
 
I have an M27 Smith I literally tried to wear out. Rapid reload drills, hot handloads-the whole nine yards. I beat this gun and had no issues whatsoever. My half dozen or so Smiths have all been 100%, but some years of Smith are plagued with shoddy workmanship. I check guns before I buy them and never have problems. My Colts are not fired as much and I am sure they would not fare as well as the Smiths.


I have seen 4 Ruger Single actions lock up. Would never own another Ruger for this and several other reasons.
 
I had the ejector rod back out and make it impossible to open the action. This was on a pre-27 .357 Magnum, so it had right handed threads. It was a simple fix, but hardly something you want to have happen in the heat of the moment. Locktite is your friend.
 
When I was shooting some heavy loads in the same cylinder as some cowboy loads. The lead bullets pulled out a little and jamed the cylinder.
 
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