LightningLink
Member
I have an older pre-number suffix 686 4-ish" revolver that I bought used about a year or so ago. It does not have the M stamp indicating it's been back to S&W for the binding problem fix. It does, however, have a light SA trigger and I suspect either S&W or a gunsmith has worked on it at some time. Most range time by me is with .38 spl, but I usually but six or twelve .357 mag rounds through it when it's out.
Anyway, the problem. A couple weekends ago I had it out to the range and it suddenly developed a problem opening the cylinder. Now, I don't know my revolver parts by name, so bear with me. The problem was that when I pushed the thumbpiece completely forward, the cylinder didn't want to rotate out easily. If I applied pressure, it would pop out (literally hear a little snap as it popped out). After a couple more sets of 38 spl, I found it got harder and harder to open and I stopped shooting it.
At first, I thought it was the thumbpiece not pushing the pin in the extractor far enough to unlock from the rear. However, I tinkered with it and found that there is another pin mounted in the underlug that locks the ejector rod in place at the front. While pushing the thumbpiece forward and applying light pressure to the cylinder, I stuck a shim in between the front pin and the ejector rod and it slid right open.
So, it would seem that the front locking pin is somehow part of the problem by not pushing forward far enough to let go of the ejector rod. Is this pin part of the problem? Could it have become misshapen over the years and is not rounded enough anymore? Or is the problem with the actual long pin that goes through the ejector rod not pushing the underlug pin far enough?
If it's a simple problem, is it something I might be able to fix myself? I've built an AR and FAL myself (except barrel mounting) so I do have some rudementary skills. I don't know what S&W's warranty policy is on an older pistol like this and I'm leery of sending it off to them after reading some horror stories. I don't know any gunsmiths in my area that could work on it, though I'm sure I could find one if that's the best course of action.
Thanks in advance for any advice,
LL
Anyway, the problem. A couple weekends ago I had it out to the range and it suddenly developed a problem opening the cylinder. Now, I don't know my revolver parts by name, so bear with me. The problem was that when I pushed the thumbpiece completely forward, the cylinder didn't want to rotate out easily. If I applied pressure, it would pop out (literally hear a little snap as it popped out). After a couple more sets of 38 spl, I found it got harder and harder to open and I stopped shooting it.
At first, I thought it was the thumbpiece not pushing the pin in the extractor far enough to unlock from the rear. However, I tinkered with it and found that there is another pin mounted in the underlug that locks the ejector rod in place at the front. While pushing the thumbpiece forward and applying light pressure to the cylinder, I stuck a shim in between the front pin and the ejector rod and it slid right open.
So, it would seem that the front locking pin is somehow part of the problem by not pushing forward far enough to let go of the ejector rod. Is this pin part of the problem? Could it have become misshapen over the years and is not rounded enough anymore? Or is the problem with the actual long pin that goes through the ejector rod not pushing the underlug pin far enough?
If it's a simple problem, is it something I might be able to fix myself? I've built an AR and FAL myself (except barrel mounting) so I do have some rudementary skills. I don't know what S&W's warranty policy is on an older pistol like this and I'm leery of sending it off to them after reading some horror stories. I don't know any gunsmiths in my area that could work on it, though I'm sure I could find one if that's the best course of action.
Thanks in advance for any advice,
LL