[JPuckett1989]

Recently acquired a 617T, and finally got to shoot it last week (believe or not, finding places to shoot in south GA is hard, no public ranges). I put roughly 100 rnds through the gun, 50 PMC 132gr .38s and 44 110gr Winchester .357 magnum jhp (given to me from a guy at work).

Had no problems that I can recall with the .38s, however on a few occasions after shooting the .357s I had to work with the cylinder to release it. It rotated fine but as far as swinging it out, it seemed like it was locked up. Any ideas what it could be, and a solution?

 

[20361]

Georgia Shooting Ranges

WMA Firearm Ranges | Georgia DNR - Wildlife Resources Division

I guess it will cost something to use them, whatever a GORP is.
Anything to make a buck, I guess.

The ranges in the National Forests here in SC are free.

 

[JPuckett1989]

Appreciate that link man. A few in the "area" still about an hours drive in either direction.

 

[LonestarJake]

The problem with your cylinder not wanting to release: Most likely your ejection rod is becoming unscrewed from the ejection star. Hold the cylinder when you get it open and see if the ejection rod is loose. You might want to unscrew it all the way and put a little blue lock-tite on the threads before screwing it back in, very little lock-tite.

 

[elPescador]

No woods out in the country area you are at to shoot ?

 

[stu.45]

First thing's first, did you clean it thoroughly prior to operating it? The other thing that pops to mind is, it is possible the ammunition that you are using could cause th issue. Some casings have a thicker rim than others and can make opening the cylinder a little tough. I would clean it and try a different ammo manufacturer.

 

[siltundra]

Good info on this thread, happened once to me.

 

[JPuckett1989]

The problem with your cylinder not wanting to release: Most likely your ejection rod is becoming unscrewed from the ejection star. Hold the cylinder when you get it open and see if the ejection rod is loose. You might want to unscrew it all the way and put a little blue lock-tite on the threads before screwing it back in, very little lock-tite.

My brother suggested this problem as well, though the ejection rod is tight, nothing loose.

No woods out in the country area you are at to shoot ?

All privately owned farm land down here brother. Have to know somebody who knows somebody to find enough land where you can shoot on.

First thing's first, did you clean it thoroughly prior to operating it? The other thing that pops to mind is, it is possible the ammunition that you are using could cause th issue. Some casings have a thicker rim than others and can make opening the cylinder a little tough. I would clean it and try a different ammo manufacturer.

I did clean it very thoroughly when I first got it, as it had some carbon build up around the front sight and ports, and a bit of leading in the barrel. Clean as a whistle before I went and shot it. Interesting idea about the ammo though, as the other day I was thinking about that problem and put some of the shot brass of those rounds (father owns a re-loader so I keep brass) into the cylinder and wasn't that easy to get in there, one again, compared to the 38s. Don't know if it's because of the extra pressure of 357 that would cause the rounds to expand more or what.

 

[Rogerzz]

Check for any unburned powder under the star. Just one unburned flake pushed the star out far enough to cause the cylinder to stick.

 

[badge851]

Were those 357 Magnum loads factory or handloads?

 

[elPescador]

Yes, clean under the ejector star very well.....
and use a toothpick or similar for the edging.

 

[JPuckett1989]

Were those 357 Magnum loads factory or handloads?

Handloads. The underside of the star is clean enough to eat off of right now, not sure if something under it was there before.

 

[JPuckett1989]

Another thing I would like to bring up is the gap between the cylinder and forcing cone. It seems non existent. I know the less gap the better but i feel sometimes there is almost no gap at all.

I tested the lock up on the gun and there is slight movement back and forth, not major, but noticeable. I'm wondering with the very, almost no gap between the forcing cone, and the play as causing the cylinder to expand from the higher heat of the .357 rounds and causing it to seize up.

Honestly I would really like to take some detailed photos of this gun, inside the cylinder,barrel, all the important areas and have yall take a look at them and see if you see anything of importance. I don't have a gun smith around here to take it to and have look at.

 

[JPuckett1989]

Took some pictures for you guys. I'm a newbie when it comes to revolvers, much less looking one over for problems. I would definitely appreciate if any of yall would just glance at the pictures and tell me if you see anything problematic.

Postimage.org / gallery - star, understar, understar2, cylinderend, barrel, forcingcone

 

[FZ1]

I had a problem like that with one of my 85s. The cylinder spun great empty but when I filled it up it wouldn't turn. I took the ejection rod out and very lightly sanded the end that the ejection star screws into. Went slow and put the gun back together a few times before I got it free. If you try this route remember if you take it of you can't put it back.

That was about 150 +p rounds ago and it still spinning good.

 

[JPuckett1989]

Well it actually cycles just fine, it's just when I pulled back on the cylinder release it didn't want to swing out.

 

[VILLAGE]

Howdy
in regards to the 'forcing cone ' space?..if memory serves[and i wouldnt give much to that] i think you
want at least 2-3 thousands of an inch to 5-7 or so max. I just sent one back and they fixed it proper. Mine was
around 13 thousands........way to wide a gap. I would be thinking of the reloads also. That sounds like a possible problem.
Good luck.

 

[JPuckett1989]

Just an idea to everybody out there, since I can't really take a photo of it. I can't even slip a piece of paper between the cone and the cylinder.

 

[jtg452]

Village has the gap tolerances right. Check it with a feeler gauge (sp? The thing you use to set the gap on a spark plug and set points- auto parts stores should have them- I just don't know if they make one as fine as you will need). .005" is about where you want it.

 

[stu.45]

It sure is a good looking gun. I still say ammo, I had the same issue with my 627. When I got it the guy I bought it from gave me 100 of his .357 reloads and it would cycle fine but the cylinder was a bitch to swing out. I drove myself nuts cleaning it and trying to check for mechanical issues. I took it to the range and put a box of wwb (.357)through it and no issuesm then I fired the last 14 reload rouds and the issue presented itself again. So I took all of my brass to my shop the next day, took my digital micrometer to the casings at every angle I could think of and sure enough the rim of the reloaded brass was .001 thicker than the wwb.

...village does have the gap specs right, and a decent feeler gauge set can be bought from napa for about 12 dollars.

...or you can just give up on it and sell it to me jk