Hey guys, I am new to revolvers. I bought a new S&W 629-6 stainless about a month or so ago. I shot 20 factory 180's through it, gave it a light cleaning with 2 patches of Hoppes #9 and 5-10 passes w/ a new bronze brush, then 2 more patches (#9), and one dry patch. I also cleaned inside each hole w/ a patch or two of 9 and then a dry patch. I shot 20 rounds of hornaday factory 240's, and 6 rounds of 240 XTP's over 23 gn of H110(weighed each one) last Friday and the gun operated flawlessly. Later that day, I took the gun camping for the weekend (no rain/no shooting). It was hard to open today but now after another light cleaning as above, it is stuck closed. These are the only rounds though this gun. Any Ideas?

Pull/push (whichever!) the cylinder release latch and whack the cylinder with a rubber mallet. That should open it. Then check all the usual places! Can you see light between cylinder and barrel? First make sure that the cylinder rod is in all the way and has not worked out.
Peter.

The cylinder pin might have unscrewed a little. It has a left hand thread.
The only other thing to bind up the gun is the small pin in the center of the cylinder that unlocks the front latch. It can get peened at the front from recoil. You need to rap the cylinder lock to open the gun, remove the front plate screw, remove the crane and cylinder and take the cylinder apart. Remember, left hand thread. Then file the peened part off the end of the center pin. It might be hard to get out first. Some guys harden the end.
That pin is just too soft.
A drill chuck on the cylinder pin is the best thing to use, don't use pliers.

Jam the extractor rod with a screwdriver so it won't move and cock the gun a couple of times. This will screw the rod in so you will be able to open the cylinder !

Hip

I wouldn't wack the cly until all else had fail that would be a good way to bend or break something. Try screwing in the extractor rod first.t

Thank you all for responding. It was indeed the extractor rod. I used the technique mentioned of holding the rod and cocking the gun a few times and the cylinder opened with ease. Left hand thread was also a very useful tip. All is good. Thanks again for the fast and informed responses.

i had that same problem with my old model 13..... when i first saw this post i knew what your problem was..... the guys right about whackin the cylider and damaging your s&w those cranes the cylinder is on is more delicate than you might think.........


LIFE IS SHORT.....

It is two different problems and you should never whack the cylinder itself. The solution for an unscrewed pin is good but if the inner pin gets peened the only way is to tap the cylinder latch.
I use a piece of dowel and just tap lightly to move the inner pin forward to unlock the front latch.
The crane is pretty soft and I have straightened them by hand after some yo yo's kept closing their guns by flipping the cylinder closed.
You will know if it is a peened pin because you can't push the thumb piece at all. This normally happens when shooting heavy boolits of 300 gr and up. The gun just can't take the recoil. That little pin is slammed forward and the end gets flat so it no longer slides in the hole.
Anyway, I am glad your suggestions were spot on and helped.
Been a long time since I seen a cylinder pin unscrew, they are usually very tight. I have had to chuck them in the lathe chuck to break them loose.

Another source of jambing is to get just one grain of powder under the extractor star. This is quite possible when using powder such as 2400 as it's impossible to burn it all.

quote:

Originally posted by mete:
Another source of jambing is to get just one grain of powder under the extractor star. This is quite possible when using powder such as 2400 as it's impossible to burn it all.

i've had that problem too when i used 2400.... bullseye burns better........


LIFE IS SHORT.....