Hello, I am having problems with my 625 (45 ACP) revolver. Whether I use 45 auto rim cartridges or 45 ACP with full or half moon clips, the revolver begins to drag after the first 2-3 shots. It drags to the point where the gun cannot be fired double action and sometimes it cannot be cocked to make it fire single action. I am using full power factory loads. The cylinder will spin( with the hammer slighly back indicating that a high primer is not the problem). The revolver does this no matter how clean it is (even under the star). I say it drages but in actuality, I do not know what is hanging up. There are no rub marks on the face of the cylinder so it may be internal? I shoot Winchester white boxk, 230 grain FMJ ball ammo. Thanks for your imput. P.S I do not feel the drag when the gun is empty and I am dry firing.

Are the bullets pulling out and jambing the front of the cylinder face? If so, you need to go with lighter weight bullets or heavier crimp.

It sounds like the cartridges are rubbing against the recoil portion of the frame? Check to see if there are rub marks there around the firing pin hole, and check your brass to see if they are showing rub marks.

Try this before you shoot the gun. Open the cylinder and while keeping it from moving, see if you can turn the ejector rod by hand. If so, turn it counter clockwise to tighten it. Close and cycle the EMPTY cylinder while watching the ejector rod. It should rotate smoothly with the cylinder and without any up or down motion.

Next, cock the hammer and check to see if there is a visible gap between the front of the cylinder and the barrel. Check for this clearance for each chamber. While looking at the gap at each stop, push the cylinder forward and see if the gap disappears. Next check the endshake. Close the cylinder and see how much lateral movement there is in the cylinder. Then repeat this for each chamber with the hammer in the forward position. Post the results of this preliminary exam.

Had a similar problem problem once years ago with a 657-3. It turned out to be the ejector rod backing out. It's left hand thread on mine, which cost me one "ah shit". Just needed tightening by turning "lefty tighty".
This may or may not help.

Sorry Malm,
I failed to notice you already said "tighten counterclockwise".

Try this before you shoot the gun. Open the cylinder and while keeping it from moving, see if you can turn the ejector rod by hand. If so, turn it counter clockwise to tighten it. Close and cycle the EMPTY cylinder while watching the ejector rod. It should rotate smoothly with the cylinder and without any up or down motion.

Next, cock the hammer and check to see if there is a visible gap between the front of the cylinder and the barrel. Check for this clearance for each chamber. While looking at the gap at each stop, push the cylinder forward and see if the gap disappears. Next check the endshake. Close the cylinder and see how much lateral movement there is in the cylinder. Then repeat this for each chamber with the hammer in the forward position. Post the results of this preliminary exam.


Mr. Malmborg, I conducted the preliminary exam and here are the results
1. The ejector rod was tight and could not turned any farther counter clockwise
2. I closed the cylinder and watched the ejector rod. While cycling the gun there was an ever so slight up and down motion, but I do not know if theat was just the end of the ejector rod not being perfectly centered on the detent it rests against. When I opened the cylinder and spun it, the up and down movement of the ejector rod was definitely there. Again it might be my imagination, but the ejector rod seemed to be slightly bowed in the middle.

3. I cocked the hammer and checked the gap. In four of the cylinders there was a perfect gap that could not be made to disappear by pushing the cylinder forward. Two of the cyliders were much, much tigher with the gap disappearing half way down the forcing cone.

4. When checking for end shake I could not see any movement,but I could hear the cylinder moving back and forth with four of the six cylinders. With the other two there was no sound or movement

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge

A bent ejector rod will cause a drag, but it would have to be a noticable bend to keep the thing from cycling. When you fire the gun the case slams back against the recoil shield and the cylinder is forced forward. Sometimes the cylinder is a bit out of whack and will contact the barrel which interfers with the rotation.

End shake should be uniform. There should be enough play to keep the cylinder from binding. You might remove the forward side plate screw and remove the cylinder. Slide the yoke out of the cylinder and look at the very end of the crane (the part that the cylinder spins on). If there are burrs present, a light stoning to remove the burrs can only help. Don't remove any metal, just any irregularities.

Lube the end of the crane and slip it back in the cylinder and spin the cylinder to make sure it spins smoothly. Reinstall the cylinder, yoke and screw. You might want to apply some type of layout fluid or marker to the front of the cylinder and take it shooting.

When the dragging begins, try to open the cylinder. If it opens, look at the face of the cylinder and see if there are any drag marks present. Look at the face of the recoil shield for drag marks. Look to see if the firing pin bushing is flush with the recoil shield. Take notes and let us know. Good luck!