Help Troubleshooting Bolt/Cylinder Release

[RangerMcFadden]

I’m going bananas trying to figure out what’s wrong with my bolt/cylinder release. My google-fu is failing as:

1.) Apparently there’s a “bolt action revolver” in a popular video game and that’s mucking up results and

2.) All of the relevant results point to the extractor rod as the cause. This is the case for me.

 

I have a 66-8 which has a yoke mounted lock up and no extractor rod to unscrew it self. 

 

Here’s the problem and my work so far:

-The cylinder release is very difficult to press but do-able. Once depressed the cylinder is easily released from the frame. However, the cylinder release has to be pulled back to get it to return to its “home”.

 

-Deep cleaned and relubed. No noticeable change.

 

-I exchanged my bolt, bolt plunger, and plunger spring from my 66-2 and put it in the 66-8. Worked well (open and closed 100 times with no hang ups) but after firing 6 rounds it started (again) sticking both directions.

 

-Opened up the side plate and noticed the spring from the internal lock had “bowed out” hitting the bolt as it moved. Removed lock and it became much more tolerable but still sticky.

 

-Did another deep clean and light polish on the channel bolt sits in and the 66-8 bolt. Cleaned after polishing. Put 66-8 bolt back in (keeping 66-2 plunger and spring).

 

-Cylinder release near seized hard to press and requires a pull to return to home position.

 

Other info:

-Gun has 8,000-10,000 rounds through it.

-Apex hammer installed

-Bolt/cylinder release seems easier to move before sideplate is reinstalled.

-Was acting perfectly fine and started all of a sudden. 

 

Any expertise or suggestions are welcome. Thanks!

[eggman]

Is the extractor rod returning when you eject spent cases ? I'm thinking it is the centerpin spring bound up. When I first tried to disassemble my 66-8 extractor spring/rod assembly I was stumped until I realized The 66-8 extractor rod is different than the 66-2 etc. extractor rods in that you have to unscrew the knurled cap off and it has reverse threads also the centerpin is very short and easy to loose if you drop it (yep I dropped mine). I'd be interested what others say about this problem. 

[Toolguy]

It sounds like either the center pin is getting bound up somehow or the crane has got bent out of alignment with the hole in the frame.

[RangerMcFadden]

I think the center pin is fine as a broken centerpin can’t explain why the cylinder release refuses to move when the cylinder is out of the frame. 

 

So:

-Press down hard to release cylinder, take cylinder out of frame.

-Cylinder release should be able to move back and forth if you moved it. But it’s not; it requires force to return move rearward toward the shooter.

-After that forceful push to the rear the cylinder release rests forward toward the muzzle as expected but now can be moved back and forth easily until the cylinder is reinserted and the process begins again.

 

Brass is easily ejected.

 

 

[MikeBurgess]

Is it possible the cylinder release is binding somehow? like something strange like maybe its cracked?  

[pskys2]

Make sure there are no side plate shims and check the all of the studs for looseness, none of them should move.

Loose/broken hammer studs can do wierd things.

 

 Take out everything but the bolt, even leave off the thumb piece. 

Put parts back on piece by piece starting with thumb piece, FP, hammer, trigger, rebound block and last the mainspring.  At some point it will start sticking again and it might give you a clue.

 

Really sounds like something is cracked though.

 

Edited July 18, 2019 by pskys2

[BallisticianX]

Check the thumb piece, if the screw is not staying tight enough or the portion that sits in the frames recess is worn it could be rotating inducing drag and binding causing your problem. Take the thumb piece off and see if it moves more freely.  Take special care when installing the thumb piece to make sure you center it to the frame recess.