Revolver Malfunction

[Dogged]

I experienced a problem at a local USPSA match Sunday that I hope someone can help me with. My revolver is a S&W 625-8 purchased new and only about a year old. When doing a reload during an early stage, I held the revolver in my left hand and depressed the ejector rod and found the moonclip and empty cases stuck, I pressed a little harder with my thumb and still nothing happened. When I pressed really hard with my left thumb, the cylinder climbed over the frame lug until the ejector was flush with the front of the yoke. I turned to the R.O. with what I am sure was a very confused look and expected him to tell me to stop. Instead he told me to push it back in. Well much to my surprise, it snapped back into place when I pushed it forward, the shells and moonclip ejected on the next attempt and the revolver functioned just fine (well better than me) for the rest of the match. I tried after the match to pull the cylinder over the lug with moderate pressure and was fortunately unsuccessful. My concern is what the H#%% happened and what should I do about it? Attached is a close-up photo of the lug with a burnish mark from the cylinder climbing over it.

[Round_Gun_Shooter]

I am not an expert on this, but it sure looks to me like the cylinder was not open all the way so the brass you were trying to eject were hitting the frame. Yoke can flex or even bend and over ride the frame lug

I would wager that the moon clip is bent now.

With the cylinder all the way open, does the frame lug keep it from falling off the yoke? If not, you need to get the yoke checked and the lug checked. If it stops, you may have gotten lucky.

[Carmoney]

You must have a strong thumb. Usually this happens when the shooter beats the ejector rod against a fixed object to knock out the sticky cases (that's the "Thunderzap Reload," for those who remember the Subway event at Second Chance).

If it's just "burnished" and the problem doesn't repeat itself, you might be OK. If there's an actual chunk out of it, you'll have to get the lug re-welded or replaced.

That's a good RO, by the way, he kept you in the game!