627 extractor replaced

[Sc0]

I picked up a used but worked over 627 recently and noticed two of the extractor "stars" ears looked to be chipped off. (It dropped the hammer before the cylinder was able to LOCK in position.) I FINALLY received the proper replacement from S&W and now the hammer stops short of the full cock position but the cylinder is locked and this happens for every chamber. When compared to the old extractor star it looks like the outer angles are changed which might be the cause of the problem. Any idea's? Possibly the old extractor star and the hand were fitted and angles adjusted, so the newer replacement does not work?

I am newish to revolver workings but have: 340PD, 617 4" 10rd, 625PC, and this 627.

Edited July 21, 2011 by Sc0

[Carmoney]

Extractors are definitely not drop-in parts.

You're exactly right--the old extractor was specifically fitted to your gun. The new one will need to be fitted also.

Edited July 21, 2011 by Carmoney

[Patrick1981]

It's possibible on a S&W revolver, after about 25'000-30'000 rounds, the extractor star need to be replaced for

worn tooth ?

(and a lot of air gunning at home)

[Toolguy]

Most likely the hand needs to be fitted to the new extractor.

[Matt Griffin]

Most likely the hand needs to be fitted to the new extractor.

This, the hand is too long, and is pushing the cylinder locked before the hammer can drop. You'll have a much better time grinding on a hand instead of the star as well. Buy another hand and fit to the star would be my advice; I'd hate to start on this particular project without a spare. I've heard that the proper timing is to put some pressure on the cylinder (let a finger gently drag on it so it doesn't advance from momentum) while taking the hammer to single-action cock. The cylinder stop should engage ever so slightly before the single-action sear clicks, or maybe at the same time. My main gun runs way behind in truth, but since I don't do any slow shooting with it my cylinder always locks from momentum anyway.

[Toolguy]

In this case, the hand is too wide and needs to be thinned a thou at a time on the side towards the center pin. The length is correct. Only the tip or nose of the hand needs to be thinned, not the whole part. A small flat diamond file will do the job in a few minutes.

[Patrick1981]

Here a pic of the extractor star ratchets..

(worn ratchets)

[PatJones]

I just dealt with this for a customer.

Extractors have always been a factory fit part, only recently have they started to sell them individually.

In a S&W revolver it is the width of the hand that carries the cylinder up to the next chamber. A new extractor has teeth that are too wide to fit a hand to. This wide tooth prevents your hand from slipping by and ties up your revolver.

There is a tool called a "cutting hand" that is a hardened hand used to make the final cut to each tooth of the extractor. The parts are installed in your revolver, the cutting hand replacing your normal hand, and the extractor is cut to fit _your_ gun. You could probably fit a new extractor by careful filing of each tooth with a barret file, but it would be easy to take too much off one of the teeth.

The factory told me it would cost $45 to fit a new extractor, but they did not charge me for the work. We did have to ship the firearm back to the factory.

--

Patrick Jones

Longmont Colorado

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

I picked up a used but worked over 627 recently and noticed two of the extractor "stars" ears looked to be chipped off. (It dropped the hammer before the cylinder was able to LOCK in position.) I FINALLY received the proper replacement from S&W and now the hammer stops short of the full cock position but the cylinder is locked and this happens for every chamber. When compared to the old extractor star it looks like the outer angles are changed which might be the cause of the problem. Any idea's? Possibly the old extractor star and the hand were fitted and angles adjusted, so the newer replacement does not work?

I am newish to revolver workings but have: 340PD, 617 4" 10rd, 625PC, and this 627.

Go back to the original extractor and try replacing the hand with a thicker one and see what happens. Ron Power makes one for about $20.

When I attended the Armorer school a very long time ago, we cut the ratchets with a file NOT the hands. The first thing we did was search hand by hand for a different thickness, We used a micrometer and when the hand fit close on most cylinders, we cut the ratchets to get the fit needed. It took a while and this was the procedure used by line fitters when they had them except they had hands sorted by thickness in front of them. For armorer students it was an exercise.

I have heard about a cutting hand but having worked with S&W revolvers since 1981, I have still not seen one. It may be a factory only or a production line only part from days gone by. Next time I visit a friend from S&W I will need to ask about it.

Edited October 12, 2012 by Round_Gun_Shooter

[toothguy]

I picked up a used but worked over 627 recently and noticed two of the extractor "stars" ears looked to be chipped off. (It dropped the hammer before the cylinder was able to LOCK in position.) I FINALLY received the proper replacement from S&W and now the hammer stops short of the full cock position but the cylinder is locked and this happens for every chamber. When compared to the old extractor star it looks like the outer angles are changed which might be the cause of the problem. Any idea's? Possibly the old extractor star and the hand were fitted and angles adjusted, so the newer replacement does not work?

I am newish to revolver workings but have: 340PD, 617 4" 10rd, 625PC, and this 627.

Listen to Carmoney and Toolguy. Don't touch the ratchets (the gears on the star) they should be machined correctly if not send back to Smith and Wesson for replacement. The hand is hard steel but the ratchets are not. The hard steel hand will wear in the soft steel ratchet over time so a new hand will need to be fitted to the existing ratchets. Hands are cheap ratchets are not.

Edited October 12, 2012 by toothguy

[Patrick1981]

At the end I understand is one of the most complicated parts to be treated ..

[toothguy]

I picked up a used but worked over 627 recently and noticed two of the extractor "stars" ears looked to be chipped off. (It dropped the hammer before the cylinder was able to LOCK in position.) I FINALLY received the proper replacement from S&W and now the hammer stops short of the full cock position but the cylinder is locked and this happens for every chamber. When compared to the old extractor star it looks like the outer angles are changed which might be the cause of the problem. Any idea's? Possibly the old extractor star and the hand were fitted and angles adjusted, so the newer replacement does not work?

I am newish to revolver workings but have: 340PD, 617 4" 10rd, 625PC, and this 627.

Go back to the original extractor and try replacing the hand with a thicker one and see what happens. Ron Power makes one for about $20.

When I attended the Armorer school a very long time ago, we cut the ratchets with a file NOT the hands. The first thing we did was search hand by hand for a different thickness, We used a micrometer and when the hand fit close on most cylinders, we cut the ratchets to get the fit needed. It took a while and this was the procedure used by line fitters when they had them except they had hands sorted by thickness in front of them. For armorer students it was an exercise.

I have heard about a cutting hand but having worked with S&W revolvers since 1981, I have still not seen one. It may be a factory only or a production line only part from days gone by. Next time I visit a friend from S&W I will need to ask about it.

Love the Welsh Corgis. I have one also, nice dogs very smart.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

I picked up a used but worked over 627 recently and noticed two of the extractor "stars" ears looked to be chipped off. (It dropped the hammer before the cylinder was able to LOCK in position.) I FINALLY received the proper replacement from S&W and now the hammer stops short of the full cock position but the cylinder is locked and this happens for every chamber. When compared to the old extractor star it looks like the outer angles are changed which might be the cause of the problem. Any idea's? Possibly the old extractor star and the hand were fitted and angles adjusted, so the newer replacement does not work?

I am newish to revolver workings but have: 340PD, 617 4" 10rd, 625PC, and this 627.

Go back to the original extractor and try replacing the hand with a thicker one and see what happens. Ron Power makes one for about $20.

When I attended the Armorer school a very long time ago, we cut the ratchets with a file NOT the hands. The first thing we did was search hand by hand for a different thickness, We used a micrometer and when the hand fit close on most cylinders, we cut the ratchets to get the fit needed. It took a while and this was the procedure used by line fitters when they had them except they had hands sorted by thickness in front of them. For armorer students it was an exercise.

I have heard about a cutting hand but having worked with S&W revolvers since 1981, I have still not seen one. It may be a factory only or a production line only part from days gone by. Next time I visit a friend from S&W I will need to ask about it.

Love the Welsh Corgis. I have one also, nice dogs very smart.

Smarter than we are