I'm not a metal worker either, Badger.
"Since he said he wanted to go to a smith in the first place and that he wanted to know if he needed a 'name brand' smith, I'd suggest he doesn't feel that he has the skills to do the job in the first place."
I disagree. I'd suggest that he simply didn't know how simple a process straightening the rod can be, how few tools it takes, and how little specialized experience or knowledge it requires other than the ability to work slowly and methodically.
"But if he tries and gets it "Close" then he's likely to still have a revolver out of time."
Timing has nothing to do with this issue, really, unless the rod is so badly bent that it won't allow the cylinder to index at all. Then the gun's not going to fire in the first place, Badger.
And even if it's "close," it's still closer than before, which means that the situation is measurably better than it was before.
"Mike, how many Smith & Wesson's have you seen with damaged ejector rods?"
I've already answered that question. I've personally worked on 5 if I'm counting correctly.
The worst one I worked on had a deflection of nearly 5/16" (IIRC) that resulted when the owner dropped it on a concrete floor. It was badly damaged enough that the cylinder wouldn't index.
From start to finish it took me less than an hour to get the rod perfectly straight again, as evidenced by rolling it across a true flat surface.
The only thing that one has to watch for in doing this is that you don't strike the rod hard enough to lengthen it, which would require recutting the length to adjust the headspace.
"As much as I love guns, I can't bear to see any more butchered revolvers."
That's why you do it in the manner that I've described above, the manner that is described in the Kuhnhausen book, and the manner that Gary was taught in his gunsmithing school.
That manner is the CORRECT way to straighten an ejector rod.
Go back and read my original message.
Please note exactly what I said in it.
Did I recommend whacking away with a ball pein hammer? No.
Did I recommend squishing the rod in a large bench vise? No.
Did I recommend grapping it as hard as possble with the unpadded laws of an 8" vise grip? No.
I have to question, though, why you're advocating the purchase of new parts but NOT a trip to a gunsmith when to replace the old parts Peter will have to unscrew the old rod and screw in the new rod, which to achieve proper tension will require the use of pliers?
Does that thought not send tremors down your spine?
I recommend squishing the end of the rod in the largest bench that can be found, and turning the cylinder with an 18" pipe wrench to which you've added another 24" of iron pipe cheater...
You can't get that too tight!
Oh yeah, whack it a few times with a ball pein hammer for good luck.
