625-2 going back to S&W.

J

Jason Demond

New member
My like new 625-2 has developed a binding problem. I am so pissed off right now. The last time I shot it, it didn't have this problem. I cleaned it with a Lewis lead remover, so it isn't carbon build up.

I took it out today and after 24 rounds it started to bind. The binding was so bad, it totaly ruined my day. I did get in a little target practice with my '55 Target though.

To add a huge **** berry to the whole mix, I broke my Lewis lead remover!
:mad:


I can get the replacement parts from Brownell's for just about $6.00, but the shipping costs more than the parts. :eek:
 
M

Majic

New member
Did you clean under the extractor star? Did you make sure the knurled head on the extractor rod isn't unscrewing?
 
D

DPris

Member Emeritus
The Lewis Lead Remover is designed to remove lead buildup inside the forcing cone & bore, really has little to do with anything that would cause your cylinder to drag.
The powder under the star and the ejector rod unscrewing, as mentioned, are two very good possibilities. If you're using a dirty powder, it's possible your cylinder face could have some powder buildup and be rubbing against the rear of the forcing cone.
Another possibility that I've only encountered once is that burned powder residue could have combined with the oil inside the cylinder where it rotates & formed enough hard "gum" to impede rotation.
And, another possibility is that you may have sprung the crane, leaving the cylinder slightly out of alignment & rubbing either on the rear of the barrel or the ratchet teeth on the rear of the cylinder against the breechface.
Is it binding at the front, or at the rear, of the cylinder?
Denis
 
J

JoeHatley

New member
My 625-3 had a similar "problem" when I used cast bullet reloads.

625_3l.jpg


A couple of www.powercustom.com endshake bearings, to open up the B/C gap , fixed it right up.

Good Luck...

Joe
 
J

Jason Demond

New member
Fedex just picked it up.

Majic:
That's the first thing I checked, and it was spotless.

DPris:
This is not my first 625. The first one had to make the trip back because the ejector rod kept unscrewing, so that was the second thing I checked. By my eye the crane was fine, and the lock up was rock solid. It was binding in the rear of the cylinder. The first time I fired it, it worked great. When I was done, I used the Lewis on it. The cylinder walls were sparkly, so it definitely wasn't powder residue, or bullet crud. The powder I was using was bullseye FWIW.

JoeHatley:
All I shot yesterday was speer 200gr SW's. There wasn't any noticeable end-shake, but the B/C gap is very tight. You can hardly see any light through it, but it doesn't appear to be rubbing.

Tamara:
I have only S&W moon clips, but I don't know who really makes them.
 
D

DPris

Member Emeritus
Jason,
Don't know your level of experience & didn't mean to offend.
Did you check the frontward sideplate screw for tightness? If it's loose, it could allow some crane travel.
Do you know how to get the cylinder out & break it down?
If it's binding at the rear, I'd still suspect a powder grain under the star, or something out of spec on the crane and/or the rod.
But, if you can completely break the cylinder down & clean it inside the channel where it rotates around the arbor, and the arbor itself, as well as all other internal surfaces (aside from the chambers), it might make a difference on reassembly.
Again, I'm not sure I understand the use of the Lewis unit in this connection. It's unlikely that a buildup of carbon or bullet material in the chambers or barrel, which is what the LLR addresses, would be the problem. What do you mean by "cylinder walls"?
Have you checked for drag marks on the breechface that could show you high points maybe on the ratchet teeth? Have you checked the teeth themselves to see if they're binding? Absolutely sure there's no residue under that star? Don't mean to harp on it, but that did happen to me many years ago, and it really slowed things down. I had to really look under there to find that one single flattened grain of powder, too.
There's also a possibility that you got a shaved sliver of lead gumming the cylinder up, if you were shooting Speer 200 lead semiwads. That stuff is pretty soft. Again, I'd do a complete cylinder breakdown if it was mine.
Good luck.
Denis
 
J

Jason Demond

New member
I have had lead build up in front of that little step in the chambers, that hindered the rounds from fully seating. That's one of the reasons I used the Lewis. The first time I shot the gun, I shot only lead, and didn't use the Lewis.

See my thinking was that there might still be microscopic traces of lead in the chamber, and that's why it was binding. After using the Lewis, I loaded it with dummy rounds, and it still was binding.

I have had powder under the extractor on another gun, that made it bind. So that's the first thing I checked.
 
D

DPris

Member Emeritus
You might also load six EMPTY brass WITHOUT clips, and see if you're still binding.
If you're not binding when it's unloaded, you might (preferably at the range) load six live rounds, again WITHOUT a clip, and see if you're still binding.
If you're only binding when loaded, and then only when loaded with a clip, I'd go with Tamara & suspect them. They're actually not too hard to bend in getting empties out of the slots, depending on how you do it, and if your clip's bent, there goes your day. Are you using several different clips?
Denis
 
D

DPris

Member Emeritus
Was this last session the first time you used that ammo?
Does it bind now with different ammo brands?
Denis
 
T

Tom B

New member
I had a S&W 586 that had a very small BC gap. After I shot enough rounds to heat the cyl up the gap would close due to heat expansion and binding would occur at that point. Problem was solved by slightly increasing the gap size.
 
J

Jason Demond

New member
I tried several different kinds of ammo after I got home, including the Winchester SXT's that I had in it for home defense. It would bind with everything.

I am not worried, I know S&W will fix it right.
 
D

DPris

Member Emeritus
Rugers have pawls, Colts have hands.
Smiths have hammer noses (older ones, anyway), Colts have firing pins.
I tend to genericize in speaking of a part that performs the same basic function from gun to gun.
I meant check the frontish sideplate screw on the right side of the revolver, if it's backed out it can allow some play in the thingy that lifts the cylinder in & out. ;)
Denis
 
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