Taurus 85 small frame .38 special revolver

[doddg]

Months ago I picked up a Taurus J frame in a trade for a Beretta .25 or .32 (with cash coming my way).P
I took it to the range and enjoyed it, and it shot more accurately than my S/W 642.
Since I didn't need two CC .38s, even though I loved having the hammer on the Taurus, for utility I needed to keep my hammerless 642.

I traded it for another gun that I could have some fun with (Walther P22 QD).
The new owner called me saying that it had some cycling issues, and I'd put
I was very surprised b/c I'd experienced nothing and told him not to worry that I'd trade back or if I'd sold it before he was done simply give him the cash. (I won't reveal how much since I love to talk about money and have been criticized, ha!)

I had this happen at home with a big Taurus .22 magnum when I was working with it at home before I sold it and it got "bound up."
It scared me b/c the trigger could not be pulled back or the hammer.
Now I had fired the gun a few boxes of ammo with no issue so I know it was something I had done messing with it, and it went away.
Someone who knows guns would understand exactly what I'd done and why.

If anyone has any input about how to "undo" it when it "freezes up" or what not to do to cause that to happen.

 

[Mgderf]

Can the crane be opened?
Is it currently loaded?

 

[doddg]

Can the crane be opened?
Is it currently loaded?

1. I don't have the gun anymore (unless he returns it), and not loaded (he got it working again).
2. I just texted him some more about it reassuring him that I'll take the gun back if he wanted and he told me it wasn't when he was shooting it that the "locking-up" took place.
3. He, like me was working the trigger, hammer, and cylinder when this happened.
4. On a big Taurus .22 magnum I had pulled the trigger back and was turning the cylinder, and I think I turned the cylinder the opposite way when it got "hung-up." I got it working again and there was never another issue.

 

[WebSnyper]

Did he short stroke the trigger and not fully rotate the cylinder? Been a while since I had a revolver to mess with, but wondering if that is what happened.

Sounds like he may have been dry firing quickly, etc so I'm guessing he just short stroked it.

 

[gregkl]

Did he short stroke the trigger and not fully rotate the cylinder? Been a while since I had a revolver to mess with, but wondering if that is what happened.

Sounds like he may have been dry firing quickly, etc so I'm guessing he just short stroked it.

This would be my guess as well. I had a Taurus 85CH and if I short stroked it, it locked up. But I was able to easily "unlock" it. I was used to semi-autos and was working on not letting the trigger return all the way on them. Then when I picked up the revolver, I short stroked it.

At first I thought something was wrong. But it was me that was wrong.

My brother gets chastised by his son because since he is an avid revolver shooter, when he picks up his pistols, he lets the trigger return fully.

 

[mcapo]

..he told me it wasn't when he was shooting it that the "locking-up" took place....

For whatever reason, I am guessing, he did not fully cycle the trigger. aka short stroke

User error.

 

[doddg]

Thanks, guys!

 

[sliptap]

Another possibility: I had a Taurus 605 which is the .357 version of the same frame. I had an issue where the cylinder wouldn't 100% lock into the frame. After a shot or two, the cylinder would unlock itself, move out of sync with the frame and the trigger/hammer would freeze. The issue was with this "dimple" that locks the cylinder into the frame:



Hope this makes sense, but the ejector rod actually goes through the cylinder and ends with a "dimple" at the end of the cylinder (on the side where you load bullets). That dimple is spring loaded and locks into the frame of the gun next to the firing pin. In my case, the ejector rod had a burr/imperfection. That burr would interfere with the spring for that dimple, causing the dimple to get stuck in the "depressed"/inside state. I could test it with my finger by depressing the dimple and seeing if it gets stuck (it wouldn't pop back out via the spring).

It was an easy fix. I removed the ejector rod from the crane and sanded it using a dremel. That removed the burr and allowed the spring/dimple to move freely. That 100% fixed the issue and no problem after that.

 

[WebSnyper]

Another possibility: I had a Taurus 605 which is the .357 version of the same frame. I had an issue where the cylinder wouldn't 100% lock into the frame. After a shot or two, the cylinder would unlock itself, move out of sync with the frame and the trigger/hammer would freeze. The issue was with this "dimple" that locks the cylinder into the frame:

View attachment 67606

Hope this makes sense, but the ejector rod actually goes through the cylinder and ends with a "dimple" at the end of the cylinder (on the side where you load bullets). That dimple is spring loaded and locks into the frame of the gun next to the firing pin. In my case, the ejector rod had a burr/imperfection. That burr would interfere with the spring for that dimple, causing the dimple to get stuck in the "depressed"/inside state. I could test it with my finger by depressing the dimple and seeing if it gets stuck (it wouldn't pop back out via the spring).

It was an easy fix. I removed the ejector rod from the crane and sanded it using a dremel. That removed the burr and allowed the spring/dimple to move freely. That 100% fixed the issue and no problem after that.

I'm assuming that would actually happen while firing the gun as well though and not just during dry fire ?

 

[sliptap]

I'm assuming that would actually happen while firing the gun as well though and not just during dry fire ?

Correct - my issue only happened while firing the gun. And my apologies, after re-reading the comments I just saw this comment from DDOG:

and he told me it wasn't when he was shooting it that the "locking-up" took place.

I was reading quickly at work, so I misread "wasn't" as "was." I assume either a timing issue or short stroking. On the former, back to Taurus it goes! Best of luck

 

[doddg]

Thanks for the input guys.
He is supposed to go back to range this week and that should end the issue, and I'm sure he'll let me know it was fine.
Or, I'll hear from him again and trade him back and have to deal with it.

 

[gregkl]

Thanks for the input guys.
He is supposed to go back to range this week and that should end the issue, and I'm sure he'll let me know it was fine.
Or, I'll hear from him again and trade him back and have to deal with it.

If you end up taking it back, let me know. I may be interested in buying it from you. Yours has a full hammer with a spur, correct?

 

[doddg]

The new owner just texted me saying he fired it at the range today with no problem.
I told him I'd already put it through its paces at 5 different range visits so I knew it would be fine.