S&W Revolver: Locking Bolt/Extractor Rod Problem

[6_gunner]

I dropped my S&W pre-model 10 a while back, and bent the extractor rod. After a little bit of trouble locating the correct replacement part, I installed a new extractor rod.

To my disappointment, I found that the locking bolt doesn't always want to lock into the new extractor rod. If the cylinder is rotated a certain way, the bolt fails to lock; however, if I cock the hammer a couple of times, the bolt falls into place. It seems to do this consistently on the same two chambers.

If I make sure that the bolt locks into the extractor rod, then stays locked. However, I don't want to have to worry about it. I want to be able to shut the cylinder and know that it is locking properly, without having to inspect it.

The trigger pull also seems to be slightly inconsistent. It seems to be a bit heavier on one or two of the chambers than it is on the others.

Could something else be bent? It still acts like the rod is slightly bent, but the new rod seems perfectly straight. The only other thing that I figure I could have bent is the yoke; but since the failure appears to depend on the rotation of the cylinder, it doesn't seem to me like a yoke problem. Could I have bent the extractor itself? I'm at a loss as to what the problem could be.

Any thoughts? Has anybody encountered a similar problem?

 

[earplug]

Sounds like you bent the yoke. This is for a gunsmith who owns the alignment tool and wedge to correct the problem.
Did you drop the M-10 with the cylinder open?

 

[6_gunner]

Yeah, I dropped it at the range while reloading. That was a major "oh crap" moment. :banghead:

Lesson learned, though. I'll be a lot more careful when I handle my revolvers from now on, especially with the cylinder open.

 

[Jim K]

You probably bent the yoke, the barrel and/or the frame. I suggest calling S&W as there are very few gunsmiths who could analyze the problem and have the equipment to correct it.

Jim

 

[6_gunner]

Thanks for the responses.

I don't think I bent the barrel or the frame. The extractor rod took the brunt of the impact. It was dropped on the ground at an outdoor range from about waist height. I would think that it would take more than that to bend the frame or barrel, but I could be mistaken.

This is an old gun: about 1941 vintage. Would S&W still work on an old-timer like that?

 

[machinisttx]

I would agree that not many gunsmiths will have the equipment to check the frame or barrel for straightness, but the yoke is another matter. The tool is $50 and readily available. A nylon wedge is $15 or so IIRC, or one can be made using hardwood(or nylon if you have a block of it).

Checking and/or aligning a yoke isn't a big deal.

 

[machinisttx]

No, S&W won't work on anything older than xxx date. The information is on their website IIRC.

 

[6_gunner]

Thanks for the responses.

I think I'm going to go with the "bent yoke" theory. If that doesn't fix the problem, then I'll go from there.

I'll call the gunsmith tomorrow.

 

[6_gunner]

I dropped the old girl off at the gunsmith. He agreed that the problem appeared to be a bent yoke, and seemed confident that he could fix it.

I'll post again when I get it back and let you know how it went.

 

[6_gunner]

Well, the gunsmith was unable to fix the bent yoke, he discovered that it is also beginning to develop a timing problem, and he broke the hammer nose while dry firing it. :banghead:

Oh well, what happens happens. At least he's not charging me anything.

I think I'll contact S&W about the possibility of having them work on it.



Maybe a stupid question, but Smith won't install one of their stupid locks on my gun if I send it to them for repair, will they? I would be all manner of irritated if they returned my treasured vintage revolver with one of those ridiculous locks.

 

[hexidismal]

You have got to be kidding. What the hell kind of gunsmith is he ?

he discovered that it is also beginning to develop a timing problem

well.. yeah, a bent yoke would BE the cause a timing problem all right. Add to that, a gunsmith should know not to be dry firing a gun with a bent yoke in the first place, as it will no doubt cause stresses on other parts to CREATE a further timing problem. Personally I would insist that this moron deal with the trouble of packing and shipping the gun to S&W with the explanation that HE broke the hammer nose.

 

[krs]

He broke your firing pin and isn't charging for that service?

You can't ask for better'n that.


to the question above - no, S&W will not install an internal lock to a revolver sent for repair..

 

[Oro]

I think I'll contact S&W about the possibility of having them work on it.

I think you may find that S&W may not work on it since it's before 1957. They have a cut-off date last I heard that was around then. You may need to find a competent revolver guy to take care of it. I would be worried that unless the fp rivet was weak already, that breakage may imply a bent frame, not just a cylinder/yoke/ejector problem.

 

[6_gunner]

I was afraid that it might be too old for S&W to work on.

I'm not too upset with the gunsmith. He normally works on rifles. I should have taken it to a gunsmith more familiar with revolvers, instead of just taking it to the first 'smith I could find.

I sure hope that I don't have a bent frame. Bent extractor rod, yoke, and maybe frame...its hard to believe that just dropping it once could cause that much damage!

Add cylinder endshake and a timing problem to that (it showed the early signs of going out of time before I dropped it) and I think the cost of repairs are going to be more than I can afford right now. Heck, I might be better off buying another one and worring about getting this one fixed later.

 

[earplug]

Gunsmithing school project

There might be a gunsmith school that can take your revolver as a student project.
That's how I learned.
I don't know about IN. If you do some research you might find a school that has a qualified faculty.
If you were in the area I'd like to mess with it.

 

[6_gunner]

That's a great idea, but I doubt that there is anything like that in my area. I wish there was. I would love to know more about how to repair my firearms. I'm pretty mechanically inclined, so I know I could do it if I just had proper tools and instruction.

Other than the one I took it to, I don't know of any gunsmiths within an hour and a half drive of me. When I can afford it, I might just ship it to a gunsmith who works on revolvers.

Does anybody have any experience with the guys at oldwestgunsmith.com? I know they work on vintage guns. I might send it to them.

 

[krs]

If I were you I think I'd get with earplug above and see if he can help you.

No matter who you send it to who is an operating gunsmithing business a job like this could quickly incur time billing that would exceed the value of the pistol, or even the value of a new one.

But it sounds like earplug is a guy in training who needs fodder for his interest in gun repair and with the cost of even ratted out old junkers the way it's gotten finding learning 'victims' can be a difficult and expensive proposition unless the person is enrolled in a formal school where such things are provided as part of the tuition and materials cost spread over the student body.