Endshake on a smith model 66? Fix?

[Sirshredalot]

Hey INGO.

I just recently acquired a 1974 vintage model 66 no dash....shes rough and is probably going to go into carry rotation.

My issues are:
-Excessive endshake...the cylinder will darn near touch the forcing cone and the rear of the frame....didnt put a feeler gauge in there...but its a lot.
-Cylinder is sticky to open....ejector rod/star seems tight...?

I dont have much if any endshake on the crane.
Accuracy is so-so....I wasnt shooting at paper but I was shooting at a 6" steel plate with every other shot ringing steel....38's and light magnum reloads, all lead. I didnt shoot it much with it this sloppy.

No leading/shaving in the cone...no visible cracks.

Anyone know a good smith that can true and tighten this old girl up?

Please and thank you
God bless
-Shred

 

[red_zr24x4]

Maybe a little far for you, but there is a guy in Rochester (I believe) at Sand Burr (Again I believe) Who is a S&W smith. Hopefully someone from over that way will see this and chime in.

 

[sbcman]

Endshake is a very easy DYI operation. If you think you might want to give it a try, PM me and I can help out. Also, these are issues than ANY gunsmith worth his salt can correct quickly.

More than likely the endshake is causing the cylinder to hang and not open freely. Other causes are that the stem is a bit short, the latch isn't going forward all the way or the ejector rod hole has egged out. All of these issues are, again, easy fixes except the hole egging out. Takes someone with serious welding skills to fix that issue.

But, if you want to get into an actual revosmith, the best in Indiana is Bosshoss on these forums. He's located in Taswell.

 

[sjstill]

Ray Saltzman in Tipton, 1-765-675-2040. Good man, just don't expect a fast turn time.

 

[Iroquois]

Before you go anywhere, check to see it the extractor rod is screwed all the way on. If it has worked off a little , it will allow the cylinder to slide for and aft , causing all sorts of trouble. Remember this has bastard threads, or you'll break something trying to tighten it. I disassembled mine and put a drop of blue loctite on the threads. Works fine now.

 

[walt o]

I would like to know if your name is BUBBA ? You don't use locktite on that part ..And how would the ejector rod affect end shake when the cylinder is held in front by the Yoke and at the rear by the Frame.?Yes they install shims to correct end shake The threads are left hand .

 

[Sirshredalot]

Well...I ordered a six pack of .002 bearings/bushings....and .004" worth of shims later she is right as rain....No loctite...just some light oil.

Now I wanna see if I can tighten up the rotational play some....hand?

God bless
-Shred

 

[Bosshoss]

Well...I ordered a six pack of .002 bearings/bushings....and .004" worth of shims later she is right as rain....No loctite...just some light oil.

Now I wanna see if I can tighten up the rotational play some....hand?

God bless
-Shred

The cylinder stop and notches in the cylinder control the side to side play. The gun has to have some side to side play just like it has to have some end play. The side to side play should be checked with the trigger held all the way back.The side to side play allows for some misalignment of the barrel and cylinder.
If the gun has been shot a lot DA the cylinder stop can wear down and get sloppy. Usually just a new factory cylinder stop will help. You can purchase oversize ones that you fit to the notches in the cylinder BUT when I do this I use my range rods to fit it as you have to know which side of the oversize stop to work to make it fit and maintain alignment of the cylinder and barrel. The notch in the frame will have to be enlarged also to fit a oversize cylinder stop.
Again unless it is a bullseye gun( and they have some but just not as much) some side to side is needed and will not hurt accuracy. If you fit the cylinder stop to the notches to tight you will get cylinder skipping and it will tie the gun up, not something you want in a carry gun.
The gun needs some endplay also to allow for dirt and heat expansion.
Every gun is different but I have a N frame 625 that I shot in competition and all of its life has been fast DA shooting and dryfire and it is still on the original cylinder stop after way over a million dry fires.

BTW loctite should NEVER be used on a screw(or threads) that is removed for maintenance on firearms. Loctite is fine on scope mounts,Etc.
Small screws it can and will mess up the threads.
Good luck with the revolver.
Shoot it and enjoy it.

 

[indiucky]

The cylinder stop and notches in the cylinder control the side to side play. The gun has to have some side to side play just like it has to have some end play. The side to side play should be checked with the trigger held all the way back.The side to side play allows for some misalignment of the barrel and cylinder.
If the gun has been shot a lot DA the cylinder stop can wear down and get sloppy. Usually just a new factory cylinder stop will help. You can purchase oversize ones that you fit to the notches in the cylinder BUT when I do this I use my range rods to fit it as you have to know which side of the oversize stop to work to make it fit and maintain alignment of the cylinder and barrel. The notch in the frame will have to be enlarged also to fit a oversize cylinder stop.
Again unless it is a bullseye gun( and they have some but just not as much) some side to side is needed and will not hurt accuracy. If you fit the cylinder stop to the notches to tight you will get cylinder skipping and it will tie the gun up, not something you want in a carry gun.
The gun needs some endplay also to allow for dirt and heat expansion.
Every gun is different but I have a N frame 625 that I shot in competition and all of its life has been fast DA shooting and dryfire and it is still on the original cylinder stop after way over a million dry fires.

BTW loctite should NEVER be used on a screw(or threads) that is removed for maintenance on firearms. Loctite is fine on scope mounts,Etc.
Small screws it can and will mess up the threads.
Good luck with the revolver.
Shoot it and enjoy it.

You ought to hear him live.....

Bosshoss and one of my regulars (who was a Smith and Wesson Armorer for Louisville Police back in the 1980's) were talking smithing Smith's one day and it was like listening to Lennon and McCartney talk songwriting....The best trigger I have EVER felt on a Smth was one of Boss's competition guns and every guy in here that tried it were grinning like happy hound dogs after feeling that trigger...INGO is blessed to have these guys share their knowledge.....

IMHO ofcourse....

 

[other dave]

Maybe a little far for you, but there is a guy in Rochester (I believe) at Sand Burr (Again I believe) Who is a S&W smith. Hopefully someone from over that way will see this and chime in.

Sand Burr Gun Ranch