I have a S&W Model 17 that's only been shot with long rifle ammo, no shorts or longs. It's been getting more difficult to eject the fired cases so I recently cleaned the cylinder with a 22 cal bore brush and solvent thinking that was the solution.

Well it wasn't the solution. I was shooting the S&W yesterday and it's as difficult to eject now as before the cleaning.

Does anyone have an idea what to do?

Thanks and Regards, Keith

I'd try to make sure the ejectors edges where it fits into the cylinder were clean and use a bit of grease on the edges where the ejectors and cylinder rod. Might try some carbon cleaner on those as well.

Stop using the dirty nasty Remington ammo !

Remove the cylinder and crane as a unit. (loosen 1 screw) Prop the extractor open with a small piece of wood. Drop it in an ultrasonic cleaner and let it cook a day or so. Remove, hit it with brake cleaning spray followed by a real dousing with a non-acid spray penetrating oil. Put it in a zip lock bag for a couple of days. Remove and wipe off all the oil you can with cotton patches ,swaps and a new soft toothbrush.
Should be as slick as greased kitty litter.

NOTE!!!!! DO NOT use any brake cleaner or "gun blaster" an any Scandium (sp?) guns like a 329.
It will lock them up tighter than a first time hooker. You can guess how I know (about the former).

I've had the same trouble with my m17. After going through a bunch of cleaning routines and having a lack of results, just like you, I started researching it on the web. You'll see that lots of people complain about this in the m17. Some seem to solve it by honing the cylinders, but others will warn not to. Apparently the terrific accuracy that these guns typically produce comes at a price of tight chambers and therefore a finicky gun.

In my case, I've found that mine is very ammo specific. Essentially any ammo I've tried manufactured by CCI, gave trouble ejecting, while most other brands seem to eject fine. Mine will be tough to eject with just one or two rounds of CCI, whereas a cylinder full of Winchester or Federal will come right out with no issues - and the cleanliness doesn't seem to change these results much.

Next time you go to the range take several different types of ammo and give it a try. See if you can find something it favors.

On the other side of this equation: I have a newer 10-shot m617 that will easily eject anything, but its not even in the same league as the accuracy of the m17. Personally I'd rather have the finicky ejection and just choose my ammo carefully.

Hope that helps.

BTW: +1 on that nasty Remington ammo. I don't recall whether it ejected or not, but it's dirty and inconsistent. I won't try it again.

Kyler,
Our experiences seem the same. I have 2000 rounds of Mini Mags and I have to punch them out one at a time. I have an old box of Winchesters. I give that a try tomorrow if it's not to windy. Thanks!

Regards, Keith

I have never had trouble with extraction but have had trouble chambering some brands of ammo in my old K-22. Also have the same problem with an old kit gun. Guess S&W just uses tight chambers on their .22's.
C.G.B.

the older k22's have a rather tight chambers, and the new ones ae a bit on the rough side in comparison. take a bore mop and dip it into some jb bore polish, then put it in a short piece of cleaning rod, chuck it into a drill and polish the chambers

Hi from Britain. I have'nt used a Model 17 for years. When I did they had recessed cylinders. Like they used to on the 357 Magnum.

Can also remember having to really push the rod hard against the bench edge to eject six fired rounds.

Seemed either worse or better when wax lubricated bullet ammunition was used. Can't remember which way!

But, and, this is twenty five years ago, I think CCI Green Tag solved the problem.

I'd suggest non-waxy lubricated rounds of standard velocity.

quote:

Originally posted by Keith1:
I have a S&W Model 17 that's only been shot with long rifle ammo, no shorts or longs. It's been getting more difficult to eject the fired cases so I recently cleaned the cylinder with a 22 cal bore brush and solvent thinking that was the solution.

Well it wasn't the solution. I was shooting the S&W yesterday and it's as difficult to eject now as before the cleaning.

Does anyone have an idea what to do?

Thanks and Regards, Keith

Same thing happened to me. I very gently cleaned the cylinder with a few strokes with a stainless steel brush. Fixed it.

I was shooting the mentioned Model 17 today using some Winchester Wildcat and Winchester Super X. The Super X ejected fine but the Wildcat were as difficult to eject as Mini Mags. Had to punch them out one at a time.

Regards, Keith

Random thoughts.

First clean the cylinder and under the extractor star with BreakFree.

Make sure that you do not have any residue in the cylinder at the front end of the chamber/throat area.

As you shoot your chosen ammo, look at how much "stuff" remains in the barrel and chambers of the cylinder, and gets under the extractor star...

Some 22 LR ammo is just more "dirty" than others...

Also look at the inside of the chambers in the cylinder with a magnifying glass.
If they look rough, then get a 22 LR brush, wrap it with a cleaning patch and put some J&B bore cleaner on it and give the cylinders a good "buffing"...

I haven't seen anyone mention it so I will. Be sure there aren't any burrs on the edge of the chamber caused by the firing pin strike. The recessed chamber seems to be prone to this. If so, you can use a small punch & carefully move the metal back.

The key work here is "carefully". It you don't feel up to it, take it to someone that is.

Good advice from everyone. I have one too, but have not noticed any issues as of yet. Will keep all of this in mind.