Revolver Reliability

[OlympicFox]

Like most folks, I've accepted the refrain that revolvers are inherently bullet-proof reliable and semi-autos aren't.

Then Mr. Murphy visited my 686 SSR. I guess it would be more accurate if I said Mr. Murphy visited the Smith & Wesson factory while they were building my 686.

Since my revolver skills need work more than my semi-auto skills, I decided to shoot my 686 in the local IDPA matches between now and the next Classifier match in April; 3-4 matches should help me find a decent groove with it.

Everything was going fine on Sunday until I went to reload. The rounds went into the cylinder without hesitation, the speed loader disengaged and dropped out of the way perfectly, but the cylinder wouldn't close. Eventually, the cylinder closed and I resumed shooting the stage. The Safety Officer is also a gunsmith and was more than a little surprised to see me struggle with the recalcitrant cylinder. So, off to the safety table I went to inspect my gun.

Imagine my surprise when I repeated the motions of reloading at the safety table (without life ammo) and the cylinder fell completely out of the gun!

Close examination reveals that the screw pin that secures the shaft of the yoke assembly in the frame did not engage the groove in the shaft very deeply. As a result, when I hit the back of the speed loaded to trip its release, the shaft pulled past the pin slightly & jammed the yoke so the cylinder would not go back into the frame. When I repeated the maneuver at the bench, the shaft pulled completely past the retaining screw pin and fell out of the gun.

SW_686_cylinder_IMG_3631.jpg

SW_686_cylinder_IMG_3634.jpg

SW_686_cylinder_IMG_3640.jpg


As for the service at S&W - obviously the jury is still out on this one, but so far it's a mixed bag. I went to the S&W web site Sunday evening and completed the web form for sending in a gun for repair. That's S&W's preferred way of doing business and they say they'll email a shipping label. Great! That was easy, except the shipping label didn't show up until Wednesday. Now, that's really slow for what should be an automated system. Since I didn't get a response in a reasonable time, I called them on Monday afternoon & they said they'd email a shipping label. That shipping label wasn't much faster, also arriving on Wednesday. The good news is that FedEx came within a couple of hours to pick it up.

[Waidmann]

Since I can't perceive a question or provocation, -I feel your pain-. Please close the thread with a critique of your service experience. There have been several negative L frame experiences lately.

[azmick]

I am sorry to hear and see this. Never would have thought it would/could happen.
I will second the request for a follow up.

[Oldgungeezer]

Dang dang..........sure hate to hear that.

Indeed, the follow-up.

Sorry OlyFox.

Best Regards,

Geezer

[FlaRon]

Sorry to hear about that.

If the screw was tight into the frame then I suppose the screw was not the right one for the 686 and was just to short to engage the groove deep enough to secure the shaft.

I am sure S&W will do the right thing.

Regards,

FlaRon

[OlympicFox]

Yeah, who'd a thunk that the screw would be too short to retain the yoke properly. It was NOT loose - I checked.

I'll be glad to post a follow-up. Since I'm having it sent over to the Performance Center for their Master Action work once the repair is done, I'll offer my thoughts on the trigger work, too. Since they have to call for my CC number when the gun moves from the repair area to the "Charge Area" I'll know how long it took for the repair. It should go quickly because the rep on the phone said they weren't busy right now.

OAN, I thought it was interesting that they referred to the Performance Center as the "Charge Area", pretty much like calling it the Profit Center part of the shop instead of the Performance Center part of the shop.

I am sorry to hear and see this. Never would have thought it would/could happen.
I will second the request for a follow up.

[georgepittenger]

Like most folks, I've accepted the refrain that revolvers are inherently bullet-proof reliable and semi-autos aren't.

OF ,

I don't have any reliability concerns w my semis .
My bedrm guns are a S&W 1911 .45 and a SA XDsc 9mm .
I pull the trigger and they go bang . Every time . Never an issue w either .
Certainly some semis do have their problems ..............


I'm really sorry to hear of your 686 SSR problem .
Especially since I just bought a 686 ( though not in hand yet ) !
I've heard so many good things about the 586/686 that I decided I needed to get my share of the fun .


Best regards ,
George

[gearchecker]

I feel for you too. My 686 went in on Friday to the center for a 20 year old recall. I had them mail the FedEx label to me.
From Springfield to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho - 3 days in the mail. I shipped it on friday, they signed for it on Monday morning.
I'll chime in when mine gets back too. Let's see how quickly these get done on average.

I wish you an expedient resolve.
Gearchecker

[Waidmann]

We have as I recall had a posting on "that screw" recently. In fact I replaced the one in my 65 within the past year. The newer ones have a larger OD and have a spring mounted pin that comes out of them to ride in the groove. Lose the spring tension and fall out. Okay, but this?

[DocZeus]

Ya know, I've had a few issues with the Yoke Screw over the years myself......

Some of my S&W's have the "spring-detent" screw for the yoke, and others have been just a machined-off end on the screw that rides in the slot in the yoke.

I actually had a Model 64 that had the yoke screw loose, and when I tightened it, the cylinder wouldn't close, it locked up tight! I removed the screw and the yoke/cylinder, and there was a bright spot inside the groove on the yoke that the screw is supposed to ride in. I took a Jeweler's file to the end of the screw, taking care to make sure it was flat and parallel to the yoke slot, and after a few minutes of light filing, the screw would "lock down", and not bind the yoke after re-assembly with some military LSA in the slot of the yoke. I can only assume it came from the factory like that, as that 64 was a pristine example, and hadn't had more than a few cylinders fired through it, then sat in a nightstand for 15 years.

DocZeus
AKA
David