GunTalk-Online.com

Problem with extraction from one chamber of the cylinder on my S&W Model 36. Purchased new in 1983. Rarely used...really "pristine". Spent case will not eject from one chamber. Used three different manufacturers' ammo (new)...158 gr. semiwadcutters. Case will eject part way and then no farther. Needed to remove spent case with a dowel and hammer. Unfired ammo slips in and out with no problem at all. Cleaned all chambers. Hit the "bad" chamber with a .45 wire brush several times. Don't really want to get into any serious "gunsmithing". Oh, the gun hasn't had more than a 100 rounds through it... mostly wadcutters. And that was a long time ago…20 years or so

I got the gun out today planning to use it as a "back up" for a CCW class that I am taking this weekend. Wanted to make sure it was OK.

My first five shots were reloads....158 grain semiwadcutters to factory ammo specs. Nothing hot. The cylinder bound on the third shot. I managed to open the cylinder without too much effort. When I tried to extract the cartridges, I noted that one would not budge....at all. I was sort of looking for a split case. When I finally got this spent cartridge out I noted that the case was not split but instead it was noticeably scratched on one side. I brushed out the chambers and switched to new factory ammo. I still had the extraction problem but no scratches that I could find. With the new factory ammo the spent case in this chamber will still not extract. The spent cartridge will come about 1/4 -1/2 inch out of the chamber before it gets "stuck".

Would a stainless brush be better than a brass one?

Right now I'm soaking the offending cylinder chamber with #9.

Need to add. Spent cartridge extraction was OK when last fired…20 years ago. The gun has never had any "hot" loads through it.

Sure would appreciate some suggestions.

Guess I'll see what tomorrow brings. We have no pistolsmiths in my area so it will be a trip to S&W for repairs if needed.

Tom

give it a good scrubbing with a .38 size bore brush (not a steel one!!) then scrub it some more....

A trip back home to Smith might be your best bet.

Couldn't find a chamber brush locally. Bought a 10mm bronze brush and scrubbed the heck out of all of the chambers. That "got-r-done".

Tom

tguil wrote:Couldn't find a chamber brush locally. Bought a 10mm bronze brush and scrubbed the heck out of all of the chambers. That "got-r-done".

Tom

Glad to hear it, must have been just enough roughness from something to make the empty case stick. I do the same for my revolver chambers, just buy a next size or so bore brush, just easier to find.

I'm guessing if you looked down the bore prior to the scrubbing you would have seen a ring of carbon/ lead build up that was causing your problem.... I usually get that when I put in a 357 mad after shooting a lot of 38spl...

good to hear you worked it out

My revolver cylinders get a bit sticky after firing a number of rounds, even the .22's. I just have to pay attention to cleaning out the "bathtub" ring.

I have three other centerfire revolvers. All of their cylinders got a good brushing. I think that I had better shape up when it comes to my cleaning procedures. I always have made sure the bore is super clean, but I think that I was a bit lax on the cylinders. Those darn boresnakes are just too easy.

Tom