Revolver Magic

Louisiana Gunny · 01-09-2015, 06:22 PM

So today I picked up a box of S&W pistols from one of the gun shops I do work for. I first worked on a US Property marked 38, dated to 1933. The hammer wouldn't move, neither would the cylinder. The other pistol I grabbed from the box was having the same issues. It is a Model 66. On both pistols, I pulled the side plate and removed the cylinder and crane. After working the trigger and hammer, but without cleaning or doing anything else, the triggers and hammers started working. I reassembled and did a function check, with no issues on either one. I'm just curious if any of you have had this happen. I plan on pulling them back apart tomorrow and cleaning and lubricating them.

dfariswheel · 01-10-2015, 06:06 PM

It's often an ejector rod unscrewing.
Usually, the problems appears as an inability to open the cylinder, but it can cause the cylinder to bind, which prevents the action from working.

Another cause is grit, burned powder, or other debris caught under the ejector.
This prevents the ejector from fully seating into the recess of the cylinder which has the effect of making the cylinder and ejector assembly too long in the frame.
This causes binding and the resulting action problems.
Often the debris is so small as to be almost impossible to see and may require scrubbing with a brass toothbrush.

In both cases, the action problems disappear once the cylinder is open.

Also, with used guns, God knows what someone may have done to them.

old cop · 01-10-2015, 09:19 PM

I have also seen old revolvers locked up due to old oil that has dried up and become solid. Usually that presents as a thick brown/black semi-solid. You'll see it as soon as the side plate is removed.

Hemiram · 12-03-2017, 03:27 AM

A friend of mine bought a slightly rusty S&W 19 that was locked up. Inside was some sort of old white lube that had hardened into what seemed almost like plaster. We chiseled it out and then put all the parts into my ultrasonic cleaner for about an hour and it came out shooting fine. He sent the gun off to be refinished in electroless nickel and it's really nice now. The only stuff I've ever seen that looked like that was the lube that Dan Wesson used to put in the barrel assemblies that also turned into a plasterlike substance with age. One of my barrels was like that, and a previous owner had also loctited the barrel nut too. It was a real hassle to get that nut off. It took heating the barrel and a lot of muscle to break that nut loose. Why they do that, I don't understand. Twenty model 15-2's and I've never had a barrel nut loosen up.

01-09-2015, 06:22 PM	#1
Louisiana Gunny Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Louisiana Posts: 36	Revolver Magic So today I picked up a box of S&W pistols from one of the gun shops I do work for. I first worked on a US Property marked 38, dated to 1933. The hammer wouldn't move, neither would the cylinder. The other pistol I grabbed from the box was having the same issues. It is a Model 66. On both pistols, I pulled the side plate and removed the cylinder and crane. After working the trigger and hammer, but without cleaning or doing anything else, the triggers and hammers started working. I reassembled and did a function check, with no issues on either one. I'm just curious if any of you have had this happen. I plan on pulling them back apart tomorrow and cleaning and lubricating them.

01-10-2015, 06:06 PM	#2
dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 1,800	It's often an ejector rod unscrewing. Usually, the problems appears as an inability to open the cylinder, but it can cause the cylinder to bind, which prevents the action from working. Another cause is grit, burned powder, or other debris caught under the ejector. This prevents the ejector from fully seating into the recess of the cylinder which has the effect of making the cylinder and ejector assembly too long in the frame. This causes binding and the resulting action problems. Often the debris is so small as to be almost impossible to see and may require scrubbing with a brass toothbrush. In both cases, the action problems disappear once the cylinder is open. Also, with used guns, God knows what someone may have done to them. Louisiana Gunny likes this.

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01-10-2015, 09:19 PM	#3
old cop Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: NC Posts: 10	I have also seen old revolvers locked up due to old oil that has dried up and become solid. Usually that presents as a thick brown/black semi-solid. You'll see it as soon as the side plate is removed.

12-03-2017, 03:27 AM	#4
Hemiram Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: NW Ohio. Posts: 5	A friend of mine bought a slightly rusty S&W 19 that was locked up. Inside was some sort of old white lube that had hardened into what seemed almost like plaster. We chiseled it out and then put all the parts into my ultrasonic cleaner for about an hour and it came out shooting fine. He sent the gun off to be refinished in electroless nickel and it's really nice now. The only stuff I've ever seen that looked like that was the lube that Dan Wesson used to put in the barrel assemblies that also turned into a plasterlike substance with age. One of my barrels was like that, and a previous owner had also loctited the barrel nut too. It was a real hassle to get that nut off. It took heating the barrel and a lot of muscle to break that nut loose. Why they do that, I don't understand. Twenty model 15-2's and I've never had a barrel nut loosen up.