S & W Snub Nose .38 - cylinder won't release

[susysguns]

We're novice gunsmiths - and the first gun for fixin' [of course] wasn't covered in the classes.
It's a snub nose .38 S & W revolver - would fire, cylinder spins free, no indication of binding, but won't release - and we can't get it to release - suggestions are welcome!
Thanks

 

[entropy]

The ejector rod has 'run out'. Assuming it's empty, tie the trigger back (zip tie) , push the stop down, (duct tape might hold it, or slide a flat blade like a scraper over it) then hold the ejector rod still with a needle nose (padded) and turn the cylinder. One way will make it tighter, the other looser, Good luck!

 

[susysguns]

The ejector rod has 'run out'. Assuming it's empty, tie the trigger back (zip tie) , push the stop down, (duct tape might hold it, or slide a flat blade like a scraper over it) then hold the ejector rod still with a needle nose (padded) and turn the cylinder. One way will make it tighter, the other looser, Good luck!

Thanks Entropy! I will have Andy [my husband - he's the one working on this piece] try this fix tomorrow & then report back. I appreciate you getting back to me so quickly!
Susy

 

[Riomouse911]

That happens more than you'd think, and it really does tie up a S&W revolver.

Every time I shoot one of my Smiths I check the tightness of the ejector rod before and after I shoot.

 

[340PD]

Is the gun clean? Brass brush to the face of the cylinder, back to the barrel, any crud under the ejector star, loose ejector rod, (more than likely a left hand thread) BEFORE YOU TRY TO TIGHTEN THE ROD MAKE SURE YOU HAVE EMPTY CASINGS IN THE CHAMBERS TO PROTECT THE STAR FROM BEiING DAMAGED.

 

[entropy]

Is the gun clean? Brass brush to the face of the cylinder, back to the barrel, any crud under the ejector star, loose ejector rod, (more than likely a left hand thread) BEFORE YOU TRY TO TIGHTEN THE ROD MAKE SURE YOU HAVE EMPTY CASINGS IN THE CHAMBERS TO PROTECT THE STAR FROM BENDING.

Whoops. Don't zip tie the trigger back, you could definitely damage the star. It needed to be free, and the hand would stop it.

 

[4v50 Gary]

NO pliers! You can bugger up the ejector rod. There is an easier way.



Instead, get wood jaws for your vise and clamp the ejector rod in the now padded vised jaws. Obviously the firearm will be at an angle to do this (preferably muzzle down, grip up). Rotate the clyinder to tighten it down just enough to open the action. Since the ejector rod is in the vise, the frame will be the part moving.

Now, with the action open, remove the cylinder (forward screw on the right side of the frme). Put three spent shells (or 5/6 if you have them into the cylinders). Put the ejector rod back into the padded vise and rotate the cylinder to tighten the ejector rod.

 

[BBBBill]

I highly recommend Kuhnhausen's S&W revolver manual. I consider it mandatory if you are going to do any repairs on your own revolver.
http://www.gunbooks.com/sw.html
The companion video is useful, too, especially if you are the visual type.
http://www.gunbooks.com/video.html

 

[boom boom]

What 4v50 Gary says is good advice. If you use pliers, you will regret it everytime you see your ejector rod--been there done that. BBBBill also has an excellent suggestion as Kuhnhausen's manuals are well illustrated and pretty easy to follow. Even if you don't work on it yourself, reading Kuhnhausen will allow you to have an informed conversation with your gunsmith about the problem.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Another endorsement for the Kuhnhausen series of books.

 

[entropy]

NO pliers! You can bugger up the ejector rod. There is an easier way.



Instead, get wood jaws for your vise and clamp the ejector rod in the now padded vised jaws. Obviously the firearm will be at an angle to do this (preferably muzzle down, grip up). Rotate the clyinder to tighten it down just enough to open the action. Since the ejector rod is in the vise, the frame will be the part moving.

Now, with the action open, remove the cylinder (forward screw on the right side of the frme). Put three spent shells (or 5/6 if you have them into the cylinders). Put the ejector rod back into the padded vise and rotate the cylinder to tighten the ejector rod.

It's stuck shut. The rod has loosened to the point the action can no longer be opened. Read the OP. And I did say pad the jaws of the needlenose. If you know a better way without removing the sideplate, I'd like to know it.

What if it's a shrouded ejector rod?

What 4v50 Gary says is good advice. If you use pliers, you will regret it everytime you see your ejector rod--been there done that. BBBBill also has an excellent suggestion as Kuhnhausen's manuals are well illustrated and pretty easy to follow. Even if you don't work on it yourself, reading Kuhnhausen will allow you to have an informed conversation with your gunsmith about the problem.

They are (budding) gunsmiths.

 

[BBBBill]

If you know a better way without removing the sideplate, I'd like to know it.

What if it's a shrouded ejector rod?

Feed a strip (as wide as will fit between the face of the frame and end of the rod) cut from a business card in through the shroud and around the rod. Pull the hammer back slightly to free the cylinder from the cylinder stop. Slip another card in between the cylinder and the cylinder stop to prevent the cylinder from re-latching. Tape it in place if you need to free up a hand. Squeeze the card around the rod to immobilize it while turning the cylinder counter-clockwise (left hand threads) as viewed from the rear. This should tighten the rod enough to be able to open the cylinder.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Unless it's a 3" S&W, I think almost all S&W snubbies have an exposed ejector rod. That's why I suggested a padded vise. Now, if it was a shrouded ejector rod, how much space is there to get your padded pliers into it to hold it while you rotate the cylinder?

While I won't recommend for range use, in a deadly force situation I taught officers to rap the cylinder against the heel of their shoe or boot to open the action. This can cause problems later, but in a gunfight you need to reload and return fire and worry about the gun later. That's one of those situations where an option would be to resort to the backup gun instead of trying to fix the primary sidearm. Then again, not everyone carried a second gun on them.

 

[entropy]

Unless it's a 3" S&W, I think almost all S&W snubbies have an exposed ejector rod.

The Bodyguard 38 doesn't. Neither do the M&P models. Model 60 2" doesn't. Model 640 either..

 

[Coyote3855]

The Bodyguard 38 doesn't. Neither do the M&P models. Model 60 2" doesn't. Model 640 either..

We may have terminology confusion. Neither my Bodyguard Model 38 nor my 2" Model 60 have shrouded ejector rods. I don't have 2" K frames, but none of my 4" K frames (10,15, 64) have shrouded ejector rods. Picture of the 640 in the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson does not show a shrouded ejector rod.

This diagram calls the shroud the barrel lug.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/500281-nomenclature.html

True that the S&W models you reference have a locking mechanism at the front of the ejector rod, unlike some Colt revolvers which do not.

None of this esoteria helps the OP one whit.

 

[entropy]

OK, barrel lug. The point being it makes it harder to get at the ejector rod to rotate it to open the cylinder. 99.99% of people would say that the ejector rod on a Bodyguard 38 is not exposed.

Here's a pic of mine.....


Does it have to come from Turin, to be a shroud?
I was an Army Armorer and have been told I was a stickler for correct nomenclature.

 

[Coyote3855]

OK, it's not terminology but generations of S&Ws. My Model 38 was shipped 1985 and the ejector rod is not enclosed by the Shroud of Turin or the barrel lug, but is exposed everywhere except the lock at the front. You are absolutely correct, your Model 38 is much newer and obviously has an enclosed and not exposed ejector rod so I'm in agreement with the 99.99 percent. I apologize for the unwarranted stress on shroud in my post. You obviously know whereof you speak.

 

[entropy]

Mine is not a model 38. The correct model name (nomenclature) is BodyGuard 38. The newer versions are called M&P BodyGuard 38. They have a Crimson Trace laser, mine has the Insight. The correct terminology for your revolver is Model 38 Bodyguard.

 

[Coyote3855]

Ah. I was unaware of your revolver. My Model 38 Bodyguard is the newest S&W I own, so I'm not up to speed on the latest versions.

 

[entropy]

Yeah, I've had some older Smiths. Unfortunately, that's the only one I own, currently. I miss the Model 19 snub I had, Mid-70's made. I had a snub Python at the time also, needed $, so the Smith went. The Colt went about 2 years later.

 

[LoneGoose]

I'm curious. What's the status of OP's gun?

 

[4v50 Gary]

Furthermore, what model S&W revolver?

 

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update?

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

I have seen this dozens of times at my lgs & once on my uncle's early model 60. Pull the trigger back enough to free the cylinder, turn cylinder while putting pressure on the ejector rod (I can't remember which way to turn, but you need to tighten it enough to open the cylinder). Once you get the cylinder opened put some fired cases in the cylinder & tighten the ejector rod.