# My s&w 357 revolver jammed!



## Evons hubby

The other evening I had coyotes getting too close to the house so I grabbed up my pistol and went out and fired a couple rounds to scare them away. First shot seemed normal but second round just made a little pop and no real recoil, and now it's jammed. The cylinder won't turn, hammer will only move about an eighth of an inch when I try to cock it.... Prolly a good thing because there seems to be slug lodged about half way down the barrel! Any ideas on getting this thing operational again short of taking it to a gunsmith?


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

brass rod and beat the lodged bullet back into the cylinder , or take it to a gun smith 

you had a Squib

was it a reload ?

the bright side is that , if it had made it all the way out of the cylinder and into the barrel and you didn't stop your next round would have been a kaboom and your gun would have been in pieces. were you wearing safety glasses ?


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## Evons hubby

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> brass rod and beat the lodged bullet back into the cylinder , or take it to a gun smith
> 
> you had a Squib
> 
> was it a reload ?
> 
> the bright side is that , if it had made it all the way out of the cylinder and into the barrel and you didn't stop your next round would have been a kaboom and your gun would have been in pieces. were you wearing safety glasses ?


Yes it was a reload. What do you think is obstructing the barrel? There is something in there about midway between cylinder and muzzle. It's too far forward to be a slug caught between cylinder and barrel.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

Yvonne's hubby said:


> Yes it was a reload. What do you think is obstructing the barrel? There is something in there about midway between cylinder and muzzle.



when you ask that question I am changing my answer to, seek a gun smith to fix and verify it is safe to shoot again.

maybe the round before , just as a guess but hard to say not being able to see it


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

the next question , if you double charged a case would your powder over flow the case , do you load to >50% case capacity ?

if you don't break out the bullet puller and start pulling it is very likely you have a double in another round 

unless something about your reloading procedure would prohibit the possibility of a double but allow a squib and then it still might be a hole lot safer to destroy or break down that batch


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## Evons hubby

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> when you ask that question I am changing my answer to, seek a gun smith to fix and verify it is safe to shoot again.
> 
> maybe the round before , just as a guess but hard to say not being able to see it


I know a couple gunsmiths here locally, I will take your advise and let one of them deal with it. I have gotten used to having all my fingers.


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## Evons hubby

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> the next question , if you double charged a case would your powder over flow the case , do you load to >50% case capacity ?
> 
> if you don't break out the bullet puller and start pulling it is very likely you have a double in another round
> 
> unless something about your reloading procedure would prohibit the possibility of a double but allow a squib and then it still might be a hole lot safer to destroy or break down that batch


These rounds were some I got from my son. I have no idea how he does them. Pretty sure I won't be using any more of them.


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## Marshloft

Yvonne's hubby said:


> The other evening I had coyotes getting too close to the house so I grabbed up my pistol and went out and fired a couple rounds to scare them away. First shot seemed normal but *second round just made a little pop and no real recoil, and now it's jammed.* The cylinder won't turn, hammer will only move about an eighth of an inch when I try to cock it.... Prolly a good thing because there seems to be* slug lodged about half way down the barrel!* Any ideas on getting this thing operational again short of taking it to a gunsmith?


 Is it possible you had no charge at all in your casing? Might have to pull your other bullits. But in reloads, it could just be one with-out powder.
I'm learning to never trust anyone else's reloads. Even my son's.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

it takes a surprisingly tiny amount of powder to get a bullet out the end of a barrel , I have played the how low can you go game making gallery loads.

if it is stuck in the forcing cone it is almost most certainly a primer only squib or contaminated powder 

the confusing part is what is he seeing stuck further up the barrel

where they cast or jacketed bullets ?


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## tamarackreg

Sometimes a primer only load can force the primer rearward from the brass and back against the recoil shield, jamming the cylinder and making cocking difficult or impossible.

I this is the case you will be able to see the primer protruding from the brass and resting against the recoil shield (Unless your S&W has recessed chambers. If so stop, and take it to the most reputable, expensive gunsmith you can find). You may also be able to open the cylinder with some force. Then you can drive the bullet from the barrel with a brass or wooden dowel and continue shooting your own handloads or factory ammo.


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## Evons hubby

Ok the first shot I fired sounded normal and had the normal expected recoil, I pulled the hammer back, the cylinder rotated normally, pulled the trigger and no recoil to speak of and just a pop sound. About as loud as a kids cap gun. I tried to pull the hammer back and it wasn't having any. The cylinder won't rotate or release to reload. A pencil goes into the muzzle about two inches and hits something solid, my guess is a slug. It's going to the gunsmith tomorrow.


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## Nimrod

It does sound like you had a reload with just the primer and no powder. That would get the bullet partway down the barrel but doesn't explain the jammed cylinder and why it won't rotate.

What model do you have? S&W have a problem with the firing pin and the hole in the bushing being too big. With really hot loads the dent the firing pin makes in the primer can become an outie instead of an innie and jam the cylinder but the bullet fires like normal. They issued a recall years ago that has ended but they modified my 586 a few years ago for free. If the modification has been done they stamp an M near the serial number. They are visible it the cylinder is open. More info here

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/149821-recall-s-w-581-586-686-others.html

I second the take it to a gunsmith idea. Make sure it's safe.

I don't trust anyone elses reloads. Give them back or take them apart. Gunpowder is good fertilizer for the garden.


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## alleyyooper

That is why when the powder goes in the case the bullet goes in next when I reload. No charging a whole block then stitching the bullets in.


 Al


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## Cornhusker

Is the bullet stuck halfway out of the cylinder?


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## Dutch 106

Hi Guys, 
When I was first reloading 45 or so years ago and was a new cop trying to come up with practice loads to keep myself shooting straight I had the problem, with occasionally short charging 357 rounds. I learned to charge 50 cases then look at the tray of charged rounds and made sure that they all look like the charge is the same in all cases. If I'm doing any round not in one of the Dillon's, I still do ,this with either pistol or rifle rounds. I would not carry anything but factory on duty but when I 
could practice with 3 cent a round 357 mag with hard cast 158 gr Keith style bullets._ I just rolled 1500 45 acp rounds with 200 gr SWC about half powder coated the other half just Alox lubbed. I need to get the Dillon square deal set up. Every single round I did the charge 50 cases get a flashlight and peer at each charge level in each case! I've learned to keep a firm hand on the case holder when I'm putting bullets on top of the case, in preparation, before seating the bullet, each of these also had a slight taper crimp Added in a separate die! _
_ I normally use WW231 at 5.6 gr to make major for IPSC for years but haven't seen any 231 in years, I used a couple of pounds of HS-6 for this last batch_
_ Anyone seen any 231 lately?_
_Here I'm starting to see a trickle of both pistol and rifle powders and primers, both very expensive, but they can be had. _
_Dutch_


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## Dunkel68

Dutch, HP-38 is the same powder just relabeled for hodgdon, if that helps any.


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## Shrek

While some claim squib discharges are more common with reloads than first run manufactured ammunition, the one time I had one lodge a slug in my revolver , the smith who removed it said shorted powder happens in both home reloading and first run manufacturing on occasion.

When I experienced mine I was lucky that I was trained to shoot steady paced and sensed the primer pop as the primer had enough power to lodge the round in the barrel.

As I watched the gunsmith use a rod and small butane torch to clear the barrel, he said if I had been popping rounds as fast as I could, the weapon would have exploded like a hand grenade only destroying my shooting hand and part of my face if I was lucky.

All these years later regardless the weapon I am firing I remember the night of that misfire in the back of my head as I pace my firing to feel the mechanics of the weapon firing as I was taught.

When some of the guys kid me of "shooting slow as Doc Holliday", I tell them I hit where I am shooting and I still have both of my hands.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE

it can definitely happen in factory or reloaded ammo but I think with QA at most major manufacturers it is not as often 

that is where with autos , a squib doesn't cycle the action , so just don't be in any hurry to tap rack when one happens in practice , run the tap rack but then clear and verify the barrel is clear

semi barrels are also easier to clear a bullet from as you can get to both sides so you can push it through easier 

they all have their advantages and disadvantages


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## Bearfootfarm

> As I watched the gunsmith use a rod and small butane torch to clear the barrel, he said if I had been popping rounds as fast as I could, the weapon *would* have exploded like a hand grenade only destroying my shooting hand and part of my face if I was lucky.


He should have said "could"

I've seen guns with bullets stacked in the barrel with no real damage other than a slightly bulged barrel

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q...ultiple+bullets+stuck+barrel&sc=0-0&sp=-1&sk=


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## tamarackreg

Nimrod said:


> It does sound like you had a reload with just the primer and no powder. That would get the bullet partway down the barrel but doesn't explain the jammed cylinder and why it won't rotate.


The pressure in the primer pocket as a result primer detonation, unable to escape thru the flash hole fast enough, forces the brass forward in the cylinder and the primer from the brass rearward to the recoil shield, Unable to reenter the brass, the primer remains lodged against the recoil shield preventing cylinder rotation.

Meanwhile, enough pressure has escaped from the primer pocket to push the bullet into the barrel.

For "primer only" (noise) loads, you usually need to drill the flash hole to relieve this pressure and prevent lock-up. Brass shoved forward into cylinder - primer shoved rearward into the recoil shield. That ole equal and opposite thing, not countered by the explosion of powder to shove the brass rearward reinstalling the primer and allowing cylinder rotation.


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## Bearfootfarm

So did you get it figured out?


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## Cornhusker

Bearfootfarm said:


> So did you get it figured out?


I was wondering about that too


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## Fishindude

Was around a scary deal like that one time.
Same gun a S&W .357 shooting some hand loads. Guy shot one, sounded strange, then shot another sounded stranger. Told him not to shoot anymore.

Examined the gun, there were two bullets stacked in the barrel, had to drill out the centers then drive them out.

Scared me badly, but also impressed me on how well built S&W revolvers are. Another brand may have had a catastrophic failure. Also convinced me not to shoot anyone's hand loads but my own.


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## Bearfootfarm

It's hard to blow up a revolver with an under powered load because the cylinder gap bleeds off the pressure.

I've seen guns with bullets stacked in the barrel that weren't damaged


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## Malamute

I think the stories of exploding guns and taking ones hands with it are a bit overdone. Revolvers tend to blow the frame top strap and top 3 chambers of the cylinder apart, mostly going upwards and out, not blowing up your hands. If anyone has citation of that happening I'm interested to see it. Autos do came apart in your hands at times, the force tends to go back and down into the magazine well and out the grips. Path of least resistance and all that.

Glad everyone is OK with the stuck bullet and all.


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