Problem with my new Schofield - Wells Fargo model

[Roland Reed]

I was reading another thread about a Schofield  that binds up after the shooter puts a dozen or so rounds through it.
I have a similar, yet different problem with my Wells Fargo model (Uberti/Navy Arms).

My cylinder rotates perfectly until it hits a specific chamber. Then it sometimes binds. Sometimes the binding is minor. Then other times it will take two hands to cock the gun. Sometimes it won't cock at all.
I know the powder has nothing to do with this, as I have cleaned the gun and loaded it with snap-caps. Makes no difference, with those caps loaded, the cylinder still has trouble rotating when it gets to that one chamber.

I'm afraid I lack the right terminology here, but the binding occurs as that chamber rotates down into the gun - and away from the hammer.

Any thoughts?

[Irish Dave]

If it's binding that tightly, it must surely be showing some rub marks somewhere. ID'ing where that's occurring should be a help in diagnosing the problem.

I'd also recommend against forcing it to rotate by using both hands to cock the hammer. Chances are, all you'll do is break the hand and/or handspring at some point.

[Roland Reed]

Yeah, I should have been thinking more clearly. Even as I wrote those words, I was thinking it's not the smartest thing to be forcing it to turn.

Update: I've noticed that there is even a bit of stiffness even when there is nothing in any of the chambers. It's just much worse when I have a snap cap or shell loaded in the gun.

[Irish Dave]

Roland:

Still would be helpful to know where it's rubbing, ie: cylinder face, cylinder circumference, cylinder breech, frame, etc.

Can you see any wear spots in the finish anywhere? Cylinder? Frame?  etc.

[Roland Reed]

I agree. But thus far, I do not see anything obvious.
The cylinder has gotten a fair amount of wear pretty quickly, but it seems pretty uniform around the entire cylinder.

[Jake MacReedy]

Roland,

Just a suggestion, as I've had a similar experience before.  It may sound crazy, but remove the cylinder and check to see if the cylinder pin/ejector rod is screwed in all the way.  I had something similar happen to one of my Schofield's once, and this was the culprit.

Ron, aka Jake

[Roland Reed]

I took it apart. Everything was tight, but it was also very heavily coated with oil/lube.
I cleaned it up a bit and re-oiled and it seems to be running a bit more smoothly now.
I'll try to get it back out to the range this weekend to see if it does any better.

[Roland Reed]

Looks like I've figured out what is happening. Apparently the space between the cylinder and frame is tight enough that some shells (because of rim thickness) won't rotate through without being forced.

Happened yesterday with both a Remington and Winchester shell. I guess I can work around it by making sure the cylinder (once loaded) will rotate completely around - before I start shooting the thing.

[Flint]

There was a problem with the Laramie binding with 45 Schofield brass.  Maybe a problem with some Uberti Schofields as well?  Are you using 45 Colt brass?  Try different brands, Win, Rem, Starline, etc.  you may have tight headspace or insufficient endshake to accomodate the rims.

The S&W topbreak has a rather small diameter ratchet diameter and isn't as easy to rotate as the Colt.

[Montana Slim]

Also recommend checking all your rounds for flush or below primers.

Regards,
Slim

[Roland Reed]

I've been keeping an eye on the primer position. No problem there.
As for the cases, there doesn't seem to be a consistent issue. I've got a mix of cases - starline, winchester, remmington, magtech and maybe a couple others.
Seems that most of them do OK. But then I'll have one out of 6 (of the same brand) that doesn't work.

One thing I cannot remember. When loaded, should the cylinder rotate freely? Mine never does - there's always a little bit of resistance from the rims rubbing against the frame. 

[Christopher Carson]

I've been keeping an eye on the primer position. No problem there.
As for the cases, there doesn't seem to be a consistent issue. I've got a mix of cases - starline, winchester, remmington, magtech and maybe a couple others.
Seems that most of them do OK. But then I'll have one out of 6 (of the same brand) that doesn't work.

One thing I cannot remember. When loaded, should the cylinder rotate freely? Mine never does - there's always a little bit of resistance from the rims rubbing against the frame. 

The cylinder on the one I'm experimenting with (although happens to be .44-40) rotates easily when loaded.  I did experience a brief period where the cylinder seemed to bind, whether loaded or not.  A little cleaning sorted that out

-Chris

[Flint]

Check the extractor for burrs and also for fouling or dirt under it.  Ejecting fired cases can drop unburned powder or fouling onto the cylinder face under the extractor and close the headspace up.  Always clean under the extractor when you are cleaning the revolver.  (This is also a concern when cleaning modern S&W and Colt double action revolvers)

Yes, the cylinder should spin free, which brought up my extractor cleaning comment.  Also see that there is a hair of endshake, (up to .002) enough that the cylinder doesn't bind, and  look for burrs or damage to the front edge of the gas ring of the cylinder. Make sure the cylinder is not dragging on the frame or topstrap anywhere, sometimes at the rear edge, depending on the latch position.

An improperly adjusted latch can cause problems.  When reassembling the Barrel Block you swung up to release the cylinder, after removing/cleaning/replacing the cylinder, leave the two Barrel Block (catch) screws on the topstrap a bit loose until you have closed the action, to let the Barrel Block on the topstrap seat itself fully into the dog on the frame mounted Stud Latch (rear sightl/latch), then with the gun snapped closed, tighten the two screws