My S and W 649 is jamming???

[MSFALEnthusiast]

I had a model 25, 45 Colt that was doing the same thing. I found that the barrel cylinder gap was so tight that after a minimal number of rounds the fouling on the face of the cylinder was causing it to bind and lock up.

Thanks. The cylinder itself doesn’t seem to be binding because when the trigger binds the cylinder turns freely.

 

[MSFALEnthusiast]

I do not think we are going to be able to diagnose it here with what we have. It needs to land in front of a gunsmith versed in things S&W. There is little that cannot be rectified with a J Frame. I would also deliver it along with about 15rds of the ammunition you are using. If the cylinder is free spinning there is an issue with the stop and/or the hand. Unless you have experience a hand is not a home fix.

Thanks. I think that is what I’m going to have to do. I shot it again this weekend after not having cleaned it and it did the same thing after about 10 rounds this time

 

[W.E.G.]

Before you do anything else, please shoot some FACTORY ammo.

If it doesn't "do it" with factory ammo, but it does do it with your handloads, you have discovered your problem.

Also, I'm not convinced that you have clean cylinders. If the cylinders are badly fouled, the fouling may be causing the ass-end of the rounds to protrude and drag against the recoil shield.

Get a Lewis Lead Remover kit and go to town on those dirty cylinders.
I have one, and it works great.
Elbow grease not included.

Best part of the Lewis Lead Remover is that ceasing shooting handloaded plain-lead bullets, and instead shooting only jacketed bullets, completely eliminated the need for me to use the Lewis Lead Remover to fight the problems caused by shooting plain-lead bullets.

Click the "Missouri Bullet Company" link

Missouri Bullet Company

Missouri Bullet Company offers premium lead bullets at affordable prices. We make hardness optimized bullets for the velocity of the loads you shoot.

missouribullet.com

 

[SWOHFAL]

Power Custom has forged oversized parts your gunsmith can use that are better than any S&W new parts made in the past 25 years. Kuhnhausen's S&W revolver book is probably worth buying as well for its insights.

 

[hkshooter]

Years ago saw a Taurus revolver do this. Would run fine for a few loads but then bind up. After a minute of putzing around with it would try again and would work fine for a cylinder or two them bind up again. The air gap was so small when the cylinder heated up the face would bind against the forcing cone. You could move the cylinder by hand if you wiggled it a little but by the trigger it would bind. Sent it back to Taurus. This was one of their air weight Ti and aluminum models.

 

[yovinny]

Years ago saw a Taurus revolver do this. Would run fine for a few loads but then bind up. After a minute of putzing around with it would try again and would work fine for a cylinder or two them bind up again. The air gap was so small when the cylinder heated up the face would bind against the forcing cone. You could move the cylinder by hand if you wiggled it a little but by the trigger it would bind. Sent it back to Taurus. This was one of their air weight Ti and aluminum models.

Come to think of it,, I had an original super blackhawk with the same issue. Would shoot a cylinder full just fine and then start to jamb up. You could still turn the cylinder manually,,but by thumb, it just didnt have the leverage to overcome the initial drag... Barrel gap was.only like .0015 iirc.

 

[MSFALEnthusiast]

Before you do anything else, please shoot some FACTORY ammo.

If it doesn't "do it" with factory ammo, but it does do it with your handloads, you have discovered your problem.

Also, I'm not convinced that you have clean cylinders. If the cylinders are badly fouled, the fouling may be causing the ass-end of the rounds to protrude and drag against the recoil shield.

Get a Lewis Lead Remover kit and go to town on those dirty cylinders.
I have one, and it works great.
Elbow grease not included.

Best part of the Lewis Lead Remover is that ceasing shooting handloaded plain-lead bullets, and instead shooting only jacketed bullets, completely eliminated the need for me to use the Lewis Lead Remover to fight the problems caused by shooting plain-lead bullets.

Click the "Missouri Bullet Company" link

Missouri Bullet Company

Missouri Bullet Company offers premium lead bullets at affordable prices. We make hardness optimized bullets for the velocity of the loads you shoot.

missouribullet.com

View attachment 228761 View attachment 228762

Store bought bullets! That’s the one thing I haven’t tried short of a gunsmith…Let me see if I can find some and I’ll get back. Thanks!

 

[MSFALEnthusiast]

Power Custom has forged oversized parts your gunsmith can use that are better than any S&W new parts made in the past 25 years. Kuhnhausen's S&W revolver book is probably worth buying as well for its insights.

Thanks!

 

[MSFALEnthusiast]

Years ago saw a Taurus revolver do this. Would run fine for a few loads but then bind up. After a minute of putzing around with it would try again and would work fine for a cylinder or two them bind up again. The air gap was so small when the cylinder heated up the face would bind against the forcing cone. You could move the cylinder by hand if you wiggled it a little but by the trigger it would bind. Sent it back to Taurus. This was one of their air weight Ti and aluminum models.

I think sending it somewhere is my last resort after I try some factory ammo. Thanks

 

[W.E.G.]

Clean the choke points in the cylinders real good.

And shoot JACKETED bullets if possible.

 

[walrus]

Plus one on trying it with Factory ammo. Usually when I have problems with a firearm it's because of my ammo not the firearm

 

[SWOHFAL]

DO NOT send it to S&W. They will junk any classic gun that they do not have parts for to render safe or otherwise has an issue that can be worked around by an owner aware of possible safety issues (like the 624s that could chamber .44 mags).

 

[MSFALEnthusiast]

You ought to go here:

Smith & Wesson Forum

This is the Smith and Wesson Collectors discussion forum.

smith-wessonforum.com

Thanks and I think I am close to resolution. I tried the jacketed factory ammunition a couple of weeks ago. It was doing the same thing. I have kind of gotten used to it but as I was shooting, the cylinder quit indexing, period. Now I have something to show S and W and will be sending it back to the factory. It seems to be something with the hand/ejector star interaction. I’m betting one of them has broken.
I’ll let you know as soon as I get them to look at.

 

[SWOHFAL]

Thanks and I think I am close to resolution. I tried the jacketed factory ammunition a couple of weeks ago. It was doing the same thing. I have kind of gotten used to it but as I was shooting, the cylinder quit indexing, period. Now I have something to show S and W and will be sending it back to the factory. It seems to be something with the hand/ejector star interaction. I’m betting one of them has broken.
I’ll let you know as soon as I get them to look at.

As I noted above, make sure they can service the gun first, or you will never get it back - just the option to get another product that approximates it.