Had my first revolver jam.

Whirlwind06 · March 27, 2011, 12:51 PM

Last weekend I was shooting my S&W 64 in a IPDA style shoot. First stage was double taps into 8 paper plates. After my 2nd reload started to pull the trigger and it felt like it was binding. It would pull but there was something wrong. Thought maybe it was a high primer (I reload) So I opened the cylinder and put 6 new rounds in, same thing happened. At this point I stopped and stepped off the firing line. No point in messing my gun up.

I am thinking I bent the ejector rod during the first reload. One of the range officers helped me check it out I think he was interested to see what had happened too. So we go over it ejector rod is fine. All of the primers are seated. He noticed what looked like some lead build up on the crane in the small space where the front of the cylinder would be under the forcing cone.

When I got it home, removed the cylinder and sure enough there was lead and I'm guessing lube packed into that ridge that cylinder rests on.

I shoot hardcast reloads and the day before the match I was at the range and put close to 150 rounds of my reloads though this gun. Did not clean it afterwards. (ran out of time) I'm pretty through when I clean my firearms, and almost always do it after every range trip. But I missed the build up. I guess when the gun was cold it fired fine for the fist 12 rounds but then the heat and more lube and lead was enough to gum it up. I don't think it is shaving lead but I will get it out to the range next week and see. I did the revolver check out when I bought it. And again after cleaning it it seemed fine.

Webleymkv · March 27, 2011, 03:26 PM

If the revolver is in time (passing the revolver checkout means that it is) then it is extremely doubtful that it's shaving lead. Did you happen to check under the extractor to see if there was any gunk there? A fairly common cause for binding of a S&W action (probably second only to the ejector rod backing out) is a bit of gunk under the extractor which keeps it from seating fully into its recess. Since you M64 does not have recessed chambers, you likely wouldn't notice it when the gun is unloaded but when loaded it would push the case heads against the recoil shield and cause the action to bind. The best way to avoid this is to point the barrel straight up in the air when ejecting spent cases.

Another thing to look for is excessive lead or carbon fouling on the front of the cylinder and/or forcing cone. This could cause the front of the cylinder to drag against the forcing cone and bind the action.

Eagle0711 · March 27, 2011, 06:55 PM

I had a similiar experience with a model 64 during a competition. I finnished with a 642. After checking all of the obvious causes, I took it to a gunsmith that is familiar with S&W.

The problem was where the DA fly and trigger transfer. It seemed to have worn out of speck and the gun would not fire, it would bind up. The gunsmith stoned a little off of one of the surfaces and worked fine afterward.

Failures that I've had with a revolver:
High primers tying up the cylinder.
Debris under ejector jamming the lockwork and cly. would not open.
Bullets jump forward under recoil tying up the cylinder.
Ejector rod turning out tying up the gun.
Firing pin on old style breaking off and falling into lockwork jamming the gun.
Trigger not returning forward after firing because of dirt and no lube.
The same as above with a weaker trigger spring in the rebound slide.

I still use revolvers, but am aware of taking good care of them.

geetarman · March 27, 2011, 07:20 PM

Had the same thing happen to a model 29-3 last week. What happened was fouling building up under the extracter star. Cleaned that out and had no more problems. I know what to look for now.

Geetarman

youngunz4life · March 27, 2011, 07:33 PM

try a different ammo too

ltc444 · March 27, 2011, 07:51 PM

All of the comments are great. they are things I haven't thought about and I am sure others haven't either.

I have had one jam with a revolver. It was my Dan Wesson. During a departmental qualification the cylinder locked up and would not rotate.

The problem was hard to diagnosis but simple to fix. The grip screw had gone to far in to the weapon and contacted the internal mechanism. What happened was I lost the washer which prevents the screw from compressing the soft wood of the combat grips.

It is something I check each time I change the grips.

Thanks for the info.

TenRing · March 27, 2011, 11:13 PM

Good thread and good feedback. I have also had a failure on a Model 66 when the ejector rod shot loose and locked up my gun during a range session.

The gun was bound up so tight that I couldn't open the cylinder. I took it to a gunsmith who opened it up and set it straight with a bit of blue Loctite. I am meticulous about maintaining my guns but I didn't catch the ejector rod before it worked loose. It just goes to show that there is always a failure mode waiting to rear its ugly head, regardless of how hard we try to prevent it. Nobody's perfect.

This happened years ago but it made such an impression on me that I check my ejector rod just about every time I reload.

This is also one of the reasons that I have been planning to buy an unshrouded model such as the M13/M65. If my ejector rod locks up unexpectedly, I want to be able to get my fingers on it to screw it back in so I can operate the gun. Once bitten, twice shy.

aryfrosty · March 27, 2011, 11:20 PM

In my experience with revolvers crud under the star has been the most common cause. I have noticed it a few times and when it has happened it has always been a K frame S&W. Not saying it can't be from something else. I had a brand new 625 lock up once but that was due to my having a squib load in some range ammo.
I once had a Taurus .38spl that shaved lead pretty badly but it never locked up.

March 27, 2011, 12:51 PM	#1
Whirlwind06 Senior Member Join Date: March 3, 2006 Location: NE Ohio Posts: 998	Had my first revolver jam. Last weekend I was shooting my S&W 64 in a IPDA style shoot. First stage was double taps into 8 paper plates. After my 2nd reload started to pull the trigger and it felt like it was binding. It would pull but there was something wrong. Thought maybe it was a high primer (I reload) So I opened the cylinder and put 6 new rounds in, same thing happened. At this point I stopped and stepped off the firing line. No point in messing my gun up. I am thinking I bent the ejector rod during the first reload. One of the range officers helped me check it out I think he was interested to see what had happened too. So we go over it ejector rod is fine. All of the primers are seated. He noticed what looked like some lead build up on the crane in the small space where the front of the cylinder would be under the forcing cone. When I got it home, removed the cylinder and sure enough there was lead and I'm guessing lube packed into that ridge that cylinder rests on. I shoot hardcast reloads and the day before the match I was at the range and put close to 150 rounds of my reloads though this gun. Did not clean it afterwards. (ran out of time) I'm pretty through when I clean my firearms, and almost always do it after every range trip. But I missed the build up. I guess when the gun was cold it fired fine for the fist 12 rounds but then the heat and more lube and lead was enough to gum it up. I don't think it is shaving lead but I will get it out to the range next week and see. I did the revolver check out when I bought it. And again after cleaning it it seemed fine. Last edited by Whirlwind06; March 27, 2011 at 12:57 PM.

March 27, 2011, 11:20 PM	#8
aryfrosty Senior Member Join Date: September 14, 2010 Location: Concord, NH Posts: 209	Wheelgun stoppages In my experience with revolvers crud under the star has been the most common cause. I have noticed it a few times and when it has happened it has always been a K frame S&W. Not saying it can't be from something else. I had a brand new 625 lock up once but that was due to my having a squib load in some range ammo. I once had a Taurus .38spl that shaved lead pretty badly but it never locked up.

March 27, 2011, 03:26 PM	#2
Webleymkv Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 10,610	If the revolver is in time (passing the revolver checkout means that it is) then it is extremely doubtful that it's shaving lead. Did you happen to check under the extractor to see if there was any gunk there? A fairly common cause for binding of a S&W action (probably second only to the ejector rod backing out) is a bit of gunk under the extractor which keeps it from seating fully into its recess. Since you M64 does not have recessed chambers, you likely wouldn't notice it when the gun is unloaded but when loaded it would push the case heads against the recoil shield and cause the action to bind. The best way to avoid this is to point the barrel straight up in the air when ejecting spent cases. Another thing to look for is excessive lead or carbon fouling on the front of the cylinder and/or forcing cone. This could cause the front of the cylinder to drag against the forcing cone and bind the action.

March 27, 2011, 06:55 PM	#3
Eagle0711 Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2010 Posts: 782	I had a similiar experience with a model 64 during a competition. I finnished with a 642. After checking all of the obvious causes, I took it to a gunsmith that is familiar with S&W. The problem was where the DA fly and trigger transfer. It seemed to have worn out of speck and the gun would not fire, it would bind up. The gunsmith stoned a little off of one of the surfaces and worked fine afterward. Failures that I've had with a revolver: High primers tying up the cylinder. Debris under ejector jamming the lockwork and cly. would not open. Bullets jump forward under recoil tying up the cylinder. Ejector rod turning out tying up the gun. Firing pin on old style breaking off and falling into lockwork jamming the gun. Trigger not returning forward after firing because of dirt and no lube. The same as above with a weaker trigger spring in the rebound slide. I still use revolvers, but am aware of taking good care of them.

March 27, 2011, 07:20 PM	#4
geetarman Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2009 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,157	Had the same thing happen to a model 29-3 last week. What happened was fouling building up under the extracter star. Cleaned that out and had no more problems. I know what to look for now. Geetarman

March 27, 2011, 07:33 PM	#5
youngunz4life Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2010 Location: United States of America Posts: 1,877	try a different ammo too

March 27, 2011, 07:51 PM	#6
ltc444 Senior Member Join Date: March 3, 2011 Location: Vernon AZ Posts: 1,195	All of the comments are great. they are things I haven't thought about and I am sure others haven't either. I have had one jam with a revolver. It was my Dan Wesson. During a departmental qualification the cylinder locked up and would not rotate. The problem was hard to diagnosis but simple to fix. The grip screw had gone to far in to the weapon and contacted the internal mechanism. What happened was I lost the washer which prevents the screw from compressing the soft wood of the combat grips. It is something I check each time I change the grips. Thanks for the info.

March 27, 2011, 11:13 PM	#7
TenRing Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2009 Posts: 427	Good thread and good feedback. I have also had a failure on a Model 66 when the ejector rod shot loose and locked up my gun during a range session. The gun was bound up so tight that I couldn't open the cylinder. I took it to a gunsmith who opened it up and set it straight with a bit of blue Loctite. I am meticulous about maintaining my guns but I didn't catch the ejector rod before it worked loose. It just goes to show that there is always a failure mode waiting to rear its ugly head, regardless of how hard we try to prevent it. Nobody's perfect. This happened years ago but it made such an impression on me that I check my ejector rod just about every time I reload. This is also one of the reasons that I have been planning to buy an unshrouded model such as the M13/M65. If my ejector rod locks up unexpectedly, I want to be able to get my fingers on it to screw it back in so I can operate the gun. Once bitten, twice shy.