S&W snubbie....cylinder arm comes off

G

GM1967

New member
I went to look at my S&W model 37 snub today, and after opening the action, could not close it. Mystified, I fiddled with it for a few seconds, and found the cylinder arm was able to slide forward on its axis right off the frame. I cleaned it a bit while it was out, then put it back in, and I was able to close the cylinder. However, every time I open it now, I have to close it very carefully or it does the same thing.

So....how are you supposed to remove the cylinder from the frame? What holds it in? I'm guessing something is broken or came loose inside.

The revolver is a S&W Model 37 made in about 1959-1960. Is this something I can fix myself, or will it need to go to a gunsmith?
 
G

GM1967

New member
Thanks, that screw was indeed slightly loose....wasn't noticeable until I took a screwdriver to it. Tightened it up and it seems to have fixed the problem.
 
R

RKG

New member
I'd take a look at that screw. From the factory, it has a section at the nose on which the threads have been milled off. This section fits into a groove on the yoke barrel -- without bottoming in that groove.

A proper screw will still retain the yoke barrel, even when loose. If a small amount of tightening results in a change from unrestrained to restrained, I suspect someone has replaced the screw with an improper one.
 
J

James K

Member In Memoriam
Yet another change to the new S&W's is the use of a screw that does not require any filing or special orientation to properly retain the yoke.

Jim
 
O

Old Stony

New member
Not unusual to find the screws have been put into the wrong places when someone disassembles the revolver. Just make sure the proper screw with no threads on the end is in that position.
 
J

James K

Member In Memoriam
At different times, S&W used different screw setups. In the four screw sideplate, the top one was unique, with a large head. The bottom one had an unthreated tip. The front one was the same, but with one side of the tip filed flat to fit into the yoke spindle and retain the yoke. The rear one in the older guns was the same as the bottom screw, and the "Magna" stock was drilled out for the rounded head; later the screw was shortened and the head flattened to fit under the stock without drilling the stock.

In the current setup, the front screw uses a conical insert and a small spring. with the yoke spindle a triangular groove. That idea (shamelessly borrowed from Colt, maybe with permission) obviates the need for special fitting of the front screw and eliminates wear on the spindle.

Jim
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top