Sympathy for my father (and his gun)

C

clintpup

New member
Hello all. I just got home from a range trip with my pops (Bobdog.) I brought my Beretta 92, he brought his S+W stainless model 66 (2.5 inch .357.) Things were going great until he couldn't get the cylinder out of the gun after a few dozen rounds. He was pretty disappointed, it's his favorite gun and he has never had a problem with it until today (he has had it since the early nineties.) We left it with the range guy, who is supposed to fix it for us. He said it must have took a big hit, i.e. been dropped or something, but I assure you, there was no "big hit." Has anyone had a similar problem?
P.S. Please be sympathetic, a man is without his favorite gun! Thanks
 
Extractor rod probably shook loose and backed out enough to lock the cylinder in place.
Click to expand...

seen it happen....

Also have seen the entire cylinder come out of a S&W on the range during a reload...jes tightened the extractor rod back up and she was ready again....
 
+1 on the probability of extractor rod backing out and binding. The fix "may" be as simple as tightening the extractor rod by hand and checking it periodically to keep it hand tight. DON'T overtighten with pliers!!

Good shooting and be safe.
LB
 
Toothbrush under the extractor from time to time especially with dirty ammo.
Enough residue under the extractor will cause cylinder to bind.

Hoping it is something as simple as this or loose extractor rod.
 
Gets my vote, those extractor rods are loose on about three of my guns. I forget about it till I start shooting one of them,have fixed two so far :)
 
Another vote for the extractor rod, I've had it happen habitually on two revolvers.

Get your gun back from the range guy.
That should have been the first thing an experienced mechanic would have looked at
 
one more vote for ejector rod.

Although I have seen at least two revolvers that locked up because a squib load had been fired, leaving the bullet half way in the forcing cone and half in the cylinder.

Rodger
 
I had a loose extractor rod on one of my revolvers. It was an easy fix, just had to remember to periodically tighten it so it wouln't cause any problems. So, another vote that this is a very likely cause of your father's gun's problems.
 
First check has to be extractor rod. I had the exact same issue on my S&W Model 17 2 weeks ago. A 2 minute fix and we were back in business. Good Luck! ;)
 
Also look for build up around the forcing cone (barrel rear) and front of the cylinder. Some revolvers are out of time enough that the bullet shavings will build up and lock up the cylinder.

Sometimes a factory round will have little or no powder (squib). The primer will launch the bullet just far enough to lock the cylinder in place. One will not see daylight at the barrel/cylinder gap. One will usually notice a squib load when shooting unless there's a lot of other shooters on the line.

I've seen some S&W K-frame forcing cones crack after a good diet of magnum loads. They just don' take the pounding the N- and L-frame revolvers do. Some crack badly enough to lock up the cylinder.
 
K frame jam

Most likely the extractor/ejector rod backing out. I agree with other NOT to use too much force in screwing it in. Suggest Blue Locktite (not red) after gun is VERY clean.

I have never had a K Frame jam; M19, M66, M65 even after thousands of rounds of .38 and .357 with factory and handloads.

NRA Life, Gunsmith, engineer
 
+1 on the extractor rod being the culprit.

Note: On most S&W's after about 1962 the cylinder rods are left-hand threads!
Tighten the rod by hand enough to get the cylinder to open (this may require the use of needle nose pliers with shrink-tubing over the jaw tips). Once you get the gun open, unload it and disassemble the extractor rod from the cylinder. Degrease the threads and the cylinder. Paint the threads lightly with some fingernail polish (color doesn't matter :D) and reassemble. Let dry for 1 hour. Lubricate and reassemble. Periodically check the rod to ensure it's tight.
 
Fathers gun

I had the same thing happen to S & W copy (Spanish) Threads came loose from extractor rod , tighten up (did not put lock tight on) but you might want to put a drop of non- perment lock-tight on it.
 
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