S&W Model 17 issue

P

Powermwt

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I have a 1958 S&W Model 17 .22 revolver that has the hammer block coming off of its pin That piece has a slot and I cannot see how there is enough room to do this? Is this common?

I have taken the side plate off and put it back in place twice now carefully reinstalling the side plate and it seems to cycle fine then it seems tight and everything locks up.

I have never run into this issue... I was thinking of sending it to S&W instead of a gunsmith... any opinions on doing this?
 
Weird. Are you sure the hammer block is flat, especially where the long skinny part meets the base?

IIRC, the part of the sideplate that meets the block base is recessed. I don't know how much clearance there is between the recess and the rebound slide pin, but if there is clearance, and the block base isn't flat, I could see the hammer block might slip past.
 
The pin that the hammer block sits on is located on the rebound slide. There should be a corresponding slot milled into the sideplate that guides the up/down movement of the hammer block and prevents the hammer block from falling out. Is the sideplate bent?

I'm also wondering if you're not reinstalling it correctly. Hammer block goes onto the rebound slide. Slide the sideplate over the hammer block and make sure the lip milled into the sideplate goes into the cutout of the frame.
 
Well, pulled the side plate off again, for the third time and the hammer block was in the correct place, so I'm assuming that I reinstalled it the first time incorrectly or both times when I pulled the plate off the hammer block lifted off its pin.

So, I took my magnifying glass and went over the revolver from top to bottom... all the internals now seemed in place but the revolver was still locking up after cycling a few times and it was hard to get the cylinder to roll out. After I saw the extractor rod was binding against the locking bolt i discovered the extractor rod was not screwed in all the way into the extractor, causing the cylinder to bind. I threaded it back tight to the extractor and the 17 works fine now.

I will take it out to the range over the weekend and see if extractor rod stays tight.
 
Put two empty cases in the cylinders and then tighten the extractor rod. This will keep you from shearing those two little pins on the cylinder. Put a strap around the rod and use vice grips to tighten it up. You don't want to mar the rod.
 
Why, oh why does S&W not put a dab of blue lock tight on the ejector rods when they are assembled at the factory? I've had them back off and it seems to be a common problem for many others as well. Eliminating this problem would seem to help the reliability issues with their revolvers, although this is the only problem I have experienced in many years of shooting S&W revolvers.
 
Put two empty cases in the cylinders and then tighten the extractor rod. This will keep you from shearing those two little pins on the cylinder. Put a strap around the rod and use vice grips to tighten it up. You don't want to mar the rod.
Click to expand...
In my opinion the butcher kitchen table gun smith way^^^^^^^^
Spend the money for the tool in the link below and do it right. Do you really want to butcher a 1958 S&W model 17. The tool in the link will fit a multitude of revolvers and works as it is designed to do. If your revolver is in good to excellent condition its value is around $900. Do you want to screw it up using a strap and vise grip???????:rolleyes:

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...universal-extractor-rod-wrench-prod26662.aspx
 
Another good tool is an old drill collet. It will be tight and easy to grab onto. But, buying the proper tool is the best plan.
 
That is a very cool tool Don P.

I have several S&W revolvers that tool will fit so I may buy it.

Oh, I have not done anymore than finger tighten the rod to date.
 
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