Smith Wesson 908 problems

Status
Not open for further replies.

N3rday

Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2003
Messages
778
Okay, so I own a Smith & Wesson 908. I went to clean it this morning, and somehow when I was putting the slide back on, I managed to mess it up such that the guide rod was sticking out too far from the end, but I couldn't get the slide back off to fix it (it was hung up on something).

So (after attending an all-day CHL class, for which I used a loaner gun) I got back home and fiddled with it, and managed to get the slide off and reassemble it and all that good stuff. However, being relatively new to handguns and not mechanically inclined, I want to make sure everything's all right.

When the slide is locked back, I can kind of wiggle the barrel around a little bit (back and forth, side to side). Also, when I retract the slide, the barrel doesn't seem to tilt up, although I don't remember to what degree it tilted up before I managed to mess it up.

Anyone know what's going on here?! I have a tendency for being mechanically disinclined =(.
 
I'll tell you that barrel wiggle with the slide locked back is normal. Most 3rd generation S&W are very loose when the slide is out of battery like this. As to your scond question about barrel tilt, I don't remember how much my pre-rail 3913TSW tilts, but some designs tilt more than others.

If it were me, I'd take a good look at the inside of the pistol, then reassemble it and shoot a box or so through it. Pay particular attention to how the gun acts. If it feels different or does something weird, then have a S&W armorer look at it. If all is well then you're probaby OK. These pistols (or very close models) were widely issued to LEOs and you wouldn't believe the sort of stuff that happens to these guns in the academy. Most of the time, pistol designs are forgiving of this sort of disassembly error, assuming of course you didn't pull out a hammer and screwdriver to correct the error. I once put a Glock slide back on a frame engaging the slide rails on only one side. Took a bit of wiggling, cursing, and worrying, but got it off and reassembled properly.
 
I just happen to have a 3913 lying around. ;)

When the slide is locked back, I can kind of wiggle the barrel around a little bit (back and forth, side to side).
This is normal. The barrel is not locked up at this point. Only when the slide is fully forward (in battery) is anything locked up.

Also, when I retract the slide, the barrel doesn't seem to tilt up, although I don't remember to what degree it tilted up before I managed to mess it up.
It doesn't tilt up. Watch it some more. Starting out with the slide in battery, slowly ease the slide to the rear while watching the barrel hood/chamber through the ejection port. The barrel and slide will move in unison for about a quarter inch, then as you move the slide some more, the rear of the barrel will drop down and will stay down as the slide completes its travel. Return the slide to battery and the barrel will tilt back up. This camming action is afforded by ramped cutouts in the sides of the barrel below the chamber, which ride on corresponding "rails" in the frame.

About the only thing that can go wrong when reassembling these guns is failure to put the flanged end of the recoil spring guide rod perfectly in the half-moon-shaped cutout on the barrel. The little pin on the end has to fit into a corresponding hole in the frame. But this will not permit you to put the gun back together at all. If you were able to reassemble the gun, in all likelihood there is nothing wrong with it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top