Cylinder Hard to Open on S&W 60

[Welldoya]

I recently acquired a no dash Smith & Wesson Model 60. It’s in great shape but the cylinder is hard to open.
I googled the problem and did some reading and the 2 main culprits are:
Ejector rod is loose - nope, tight as can be
Crud build up behind the star - nope, cleaned it really well.
One guy said he removed the thumb latch and put in a couple of drops of oil and that fixed it.
I’m no gunsmith. What happens when you take the screw out of the thumb latch? Is something going to shift and make it hard to reattach?

 

[JedClpIT]

No sir, it will stay right there.
Check that angled detent in the barrel shroud. it should move in and out freely. It holds the end of the ejector rod when the cylinder is closed.
Maybe it is stuck and not letting go of the ejector rod when you try to open the cylinder .

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Try pressing in on the center pin on the cylinder. Spring loaded. Should be stiff but not hit it with a hammer stiff. Could be bent from someone snapping the cylinder closed.( wrist flick) 1950s version of the press check.

 

[BluesBrother]

I recently acquired a no dash Smith & Wesson Model 60. It’s in great shape but the cylinder is hard to open.
I googled the problem and did some reading and the 2 main culprits are:
Ejector rod is loose - nope, tight as can be
Crud build up behind the star - nope, cleaned it really well.
One guy said he removed the thumb latch and put in a couple of drops of oil and that fixed it.
I’m no gunsmith. What happens when you take the screw out of the thumb latch? Is something going to shift and make it hard to reattach?

Nope nothing will shift or fall out. Check the cylinder gap. It should be .006 + or -. Could be ash or residue build up between the cylinder and the forcing cone. You're aware the ejection rod has reverse threads?

 

[Welldoya]

I appreciate all the suggestions.
Checked the angled detent in the shroud and it moves freely.
The center pin on the cylinder moves fine.
Yes, I read that the ejection rod has left handed threads. It seems tight.
It really feels like it’s something in the thumb latch. It moves kinda rough.
As long as nothing will jump out at me and it will easily go back on, I’m going to try taking the thumb latch off and dropping a couple of drops of oil in there.

 

[BluesBrother]

The latch pushes a bar that travels inside a trough to release the cylinder. I've never run across an occasion where that trough was so in need of oil that it made the cylinder hard to open. However, it's possible I guess. With out taking the side plate off oiling the bar and the trough it rides in would be through the opening the latch is in. So this may work.

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Dirt is action polish....

 

[AK4774]

Is center pin flush with recoil plate when opened up? Can push it in and drip oil down that way and that moves latch backwards w/o having to take anything apart

 

[Welldoya]

Yes, the center pin is flush. I squirted some Breakfree in there then I took the thumb latch off. There was a little gunk under it but not bad. I cleaned it, oiled it and put back on.
Still hard to open.
It feels like it’s hanging up at the center pin.

 

[G-rat]

Yes, the center pin is flush. I squirted some Breakfree in there then I took the thumb latch off. There was a little gunk under it but not bad. I cleaned it, oiled it and put back on.
Still hard to open.
It feels like it’s hanging up at the center pin.

sent pm.

 

[oneshot]

Why don't you take to some one that knows what they are doing . just my 50 cents jj