J-Frame 638 Airweight Cylinder Stuck

[Jlr2267]

I have a j-frame that's very lightly used (maybe 200 rounds total) and the cylinder will not open freely...it's locked up tight into the frame. The gun is not loaded and the last time I picked it up a few days ago, I opened the cylinder w/out any problems and loaded and carried it.

I can force it out of the frame with a significant amount of pressure, but something is hanging up...I think the rod that pushes the cylinder plunger is not extending far enough, so the plunger remains slightly extended into the hole.

Is this a known problem on j-frames? I can't imagine that part would wear this quickly..??

Any and all suggestions and advice are appreciated.

 

[Monac]

I have a .22 J-frame Airweight, and it has a problem with the cylinder axis rod unscrewing. That is the rod the cylinder rotates on, and it results in the cylinder lock-up you describe. See if you can tighten it. On S&W's, I believe that rod is "reverse threaded"; i.e., right loosens and left tightens.

 

[Jlr2267]

Monac you nailed it. It was the cylinder rod coming loose. maybe a touch of thread lock will take care of that.

Thanks for the assist...this forum comes through once again...

 

[stu1ritter]

You do not want to use thread locker on those very fine threads on the ejector rod. Just tighten it. An excellent tool, if you have one, is the chuck of a drill press, to grab the rod. If you must use a thread locker, use the purple 222 meant for bolts up to 1/4". You do not want to use blue or any other loctite in that location.
Stu

 

[BSA1]

Since it is a new gun I would remove the grips and liberally blast the inside of the action with Gun Scrubber. Do this outdoors where you don't care where the chemical will drip on. This will blast out any foreign stuff that should not be there such as metal shavings and grit left over from the manufacturing process/

Then re-oil the inside of the action with a good quality gun oil such as Breakfree. It should only take three or four drops of oil.

I have a Taurus revolver that locked up on me on the first or second cylinder full of ammunition when the gun was brand new. Three drops of Breakfree into the action freed everything up and it has worked fine every since.

 

[Monac]

I haven't done anything to solve this problem with my Airweight Kit Gun. It was pretty well used when I got, so I figured it was just wear. (Also, I figured I would screw up and get Loctite into places it shouldn't go.) Does anyone think alloy-framed S&W's have special problem in this regard?

 

[MartinS]

I don't think so. Brownells sells a tool to hold the ejector tube without crushing it while you turn the cylinder to tighten. I have used a wooden clothes pin to do the same thing on and old N frame Smith & Wesson. Don't over tighten is what you hear so just go easy and hope for the best.

 

[rcmodel]

De-grease the threads then use one tiny drop of Blue Lock-Tight on a toothpick to apply it to the threads, and tighten it.

Do the same to the thumb piece cap screw, or you will sooner or later have that fall off too!!!

For the Nay-Sayers?

Been doing it to every S&W that comes across my bench for 50 years, without a problem, ever!

rc

 

[Hondo 60]

Does anyone think alloy-framed S&W's have special problem in this regard?

No, just a bit of maintenance every now & then.

 

[Jim K]

For a long time, I used loctite on those threads. Then I found I often had to unscrew the rod, and the thread locker didn't help.

So what I do is to clamp the rod in a vise with soft copper jaws and crank the cylinder tight by hand, using a couple of fired cases to keep the ejector star from being damaged. AFAIK, none ever came loose.

Jim

 

[MICHAEL T]

Not possible ,we all know. No revolver jams up only those semi auto guns

 

[gamestalker]

Try holding the rod in place just a little biit. You don't want to risk bending it, so use an eraser or something that can be wedged in between the frame and the rod, then rotate the cylinder counter clock wise as viewed from the back of the revolver. Just do that enough to be able to get the cylinder to open.

Once you have it open, put some fired brass in the cylinders, then remove the rod, which is left had threaded, clean the threads with some alcohol or other substance that will remove any residual oil or solvent, I use acetone. Then apply a dab of nail polish to the threads, reinstall the rod and tighten it down with a small piece of leather wrapped around the rod, grab hold of the leather with a decent pair of pliers, don't use vise grips. Make sure to always put some fired brass in the cylinder when tightening or loosening the rod, other wise, you risk damaging the star.

Or you can apply some super glue to your fingers, then grab hold of the rod, helps to give you a better grip, ha, ha.

I've used this method for decades, and none of mine have ever come loose again.

GS

 

[moxie]

This problem is not unique to J-frames, but to all Smiths.

I know because the very first S&W Combat Masterpiece I ever fired locked up after the first shot due to this very problem. The instructor at the Lackland AFB range explained the problem to me and showed me how to fix it, described well above. Despite the hangup I shot "Expert." Yippee! Never a repeat. The problem, that is.

 

[PJSprog]

This is a nice tie-in with the "how-often-do-you-clean-your-guns" thread. I clean mine pretty much every time I shoot them. Not only does it keep them immaculately clean, but it also gives me the opportunity to check things over. The ejector rod is the first thing I always check. I've never had a problem with a loose one, but I know a few people who have. As Hondo noted, a little regular maintenance goes a long way.

 

[moxie]

Very good observation. Thanks.