Smith & Wesson Airweight .38 Special

[Randy45]

I took this pistol to the range and it worked beautifully. After getting home I went to clean it and I couldn't get the cylinder to open up so I could unload it, I can't cock the hammer back, seems like it is frozen solid. I am not sure what to do to free it up. Not sure if the safety is messed up and can't see any kind of internal lock mechanism either, at a loss as to what to do? Any suggestions? It is a model 637-1

 

[Acera]

Take it to a Gunsmith is the obvious answer.

However, I might try to disassemble it first and see if I can fix it myself if I were you. After taking the side place off, you might see what is causing it to stick. Probably find a few videos on youtube on how to do it. Worst case is you still go to the smith, just with a bag of parts and a still broken gun

Can you see light between the cylinder and barrel gap?

 

[Hondo]

Dang that does sound like an internal lock engaged....but your right I don't see a keyhole on your revolver

 

[reddog]

Safety? When did S&W DA revolvers start coming with safeties? OK never mind, did a google and found you mean safety lock, anyway... since it doesn't appear yours has one..

Probably have a primer that cratered up and into the firing pin hole jamming the cylinder. With the left hand twist the cylinder in the normal direction of rotation while drawing back on the hammer and shear the primer material off and you should be able to open it up. I had some Hornady critical defense ammo in .357 that would do that, PITA, shot it up and never bought it again.

 

[Tap]

Try screwing the rod that the cylinder rotates on in. It could have just come loose from shooting.

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[London]

If you're ever in SA I can look at it for free. I'm no certified gunsmith but I'm intimately familiar with the SW revolver design. I've worked on about a half dozen of them. No big thang.

I will tell you one thing for certain- that gun is going to HAVE to come apart.

 

[London]

Try screwing the rod that the cylinder rotates on in. It could have just come loose from shooting.

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How's he gonna do that if the cylinder is closed?

 

[Tap]

How's he gonna do that if the cylinder is closed?

The rod sticks out underneath,right?

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[Tap]

Just loaded the pics. Yeah just twist the part under the barrel clockwise. The textured section

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[Tap]

How's he gonna do that if the cylinder is closed?

You are intimately familiar with S&W revolvers?

I will tell you one thing for certain- that gun is going to HAVE to come apart.

Advice worth what it costs.

Bump the cylinder on your leg with the release pressed if you have to. Then tighten it. May actually be counter clockwise but it will be obvious.

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[London]

The rod sticks out underneath,right?

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For some reason I was thinking it was a shrouded ejector despite glancing at the pics. If he can turn that thing then go for it. They can be pretty stiff sometimes even when loose.

 

[London]

Advice worth what it costs.


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The gun is going to have to come apart one way or another, if just to locktite the cylinder back to normal. No, not a full disassembly, but still apart.

 

[Tap]

Not too sure about that. Screw it in and should be fine. Guess you could take it apart if you wanted for the hell of it.

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[London]

Not too sure about that. Screw it in and should be fine. Guess you could take it apart if you wanted for the hell of it.

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If the cylinder is indeed unscrewing itself then screwing it back in without locktite is only going to lead to the problem repeating itself. I've seen this happen twice.

 

[Tap]

OP, you still around?

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[Randy45]

I am thinking that the cylinder relase button is not working properly....

 

[reddog]

I am thinking that the cylinder relase button is not working properly....

Does it move?

 

[Randy45]

Barely

 

[Tap]

You try screwing the rod in like I suggested?

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[bptactical]

You do realize the ejector rod threads are left handed, correct?