Taurus 605 .357 Mag Jam

DizzyMizzy · April 29, 2007, 08:14 PM

I got a used Taurus .357 magnum revolver the other day. It was in excellent shape. Not a single blemish on the gun. It was clean and looked taken care of very well with. It'd be safe to assume that it was rarely used.

I've never had a problem with a revolver before, so I feel silly even mentioning this.

I fired about 50 Winchester .38 specials at the range. Then I switched to 357 Remington. After firing about 10 of those, the cylinder was very TOUGH to open. I thought that maybe it had something to do with the extra soot. So I cleaned it quickly, then fired more .38s before trying the 357 again. After firing the 357 bullets twice, the gun locked up. I tried to open the cylinder, but it was impossible. I still cannot get it to open.

Additional Info:
The hammer doesn't go all the way down when I try to cock it. The cylinder, therefore, will no longer rotate. I cannot pull the trigger all the way down either.
The cylinder release will go all the way forward, but the cylinder wont eject.

Does anyone know what could be wrong? This is really irritating me. I cant mail it to the manufacturer for repair while loaded. Should I take it to a gunsmith? Is this a common revolver problem?

Rimrod · April 29, 2007, 09:54 PM

Dizzy, the first thing you might want to look at is the ejector rod. Check to see if you can turn it in either direction, often these come loose while firing especially if they have been loosened before.

DizzyMizzy · April 30, 2007, 01:04 AM

Rimrod,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I cannot access the ejector rod because it is still in the barrel. Any further advice?

Best,
J

.351winchester · April 30, 2007, 01:34 AM

probably bad advice, but i know i'd be using a rubber mallet to be getting that cylinder out.
the hammer not dropping all the way makes this whole thing sound like like a lockwork issue, but the last thing i am is a gunsmith. in fact just had several 22's of icehouse and just want to post.
are the rims of your empties pressed against the back of the frame?

DizzyMizzy · April 30, 2007, 01:36 AM

Lol. I def dont want to do that, especially considering it has live ammo in it. Thanks!

.351winchester · April 30, 2007, 01:39 AM

is it an ultralite model by any chance?

azredhawk44 · April 30, 2007, 02:55 AM

Quote:

I fired about 50 Winchester .38 specials at the range. Then I switched to 357 Remington. After firing about 10 of those, the cylinder was very TOUGH to open. I thought that maybe it had something to do with the extra soot. So I cleaned it quickly, then fired more .38s before trying the 357 again. After firing the 357 bullets twice, the gun locked up. I tried to open the cylinder, but it was impossible. I still cannot get it to open.

Additional Info:
The hammer doesn't go all the way down when I try to cock it. The cylinder, therefore, will no longer rotate. I cannot pull the trigger all the way down either.
The cylinder release will go all the way forward, but the cylinder wont eject.

If I understand this right...

there is a mix of live rounds and fired casings in the revolver.

It has been shot with .38's, then with longer .357's, allowing for a lead build-up inside the chambers. It is now stuck in such a way that it will not rotate past the top position, where a live round will not "squeeze" fully into the chamber due to lead fouling, but the cylinder cannot be advanced, nor opened?

Have you tried reversing the direction of the cylinder? You (ever so carefully, in a safe place, etc) SLIGHTLY pull the hammer back so that the cylinder lock (bottom of the frame) disengages, and then manually spin the cylinder backwards one index while SLOWLY lowering the hammer. You only need to pull the hammer back about 1/4 inch or so to accomplish this... DON"T cock the gun. Do this repeatedly until a fired case sits directly under the hammer, then try the cylinder release and swing the cylinder out.

What's going on here is that a fired case takes up the "correct" amount of space between the cylinder face and the frame near the firing pin. Since your .38 lead residue is stopping a .357 case from fully seating, that extra length is being put "outside" of the cylinder between the cylinder and the frame. You can't advance past the firing pin pinch point due to the jammed cartridge, so the only way you can go is backwards to a point where the cartridges don't pinch.

The cylinder is not at the same distance from the frame on all 5 chamber positions... it is tightest at the firing position, and loosest towards the bottom. If you can get 1 round in 1 position to fit easily at the firing position, you should be able to swing the cylinder open.

How did I learn this? Not with specials versus magnums... I accidentally seated some primers too high in reloads and ran into a similar situation where I had to run the cylinder backwards to empty the gun.

Apple a Day · April 30, 2007, 05:16 AM

I'm sure you've already done this but:
Check to make sure the bullets aren't protruding from the front of the cylinders. I had some ammo - some heavy .38SPL. - in a small frame revolver shift forwards from the recoil and get wedged against the barrel when the cylinder tried to rotate.
I had to back the cylinder a bit before I could open it up and dump the ammo.
I hope you can get it straightened out.

tuckerdog1 · April 30, 2007, 08:09 AM

This may be totally unrelated to the problem, but reading about this particular model, there is an issue with the firing pin spring. They tend to break. This will cause the firing pin to not retract all the way back into the frame, after firing a round. Found this out with a 605 I recently came into posession of. With the pin protruding, I could not rotate the cylinder. And with a fresh load of rounds, the cylinder would not swing back into the frame. If I just tilted the gun back, the pin would fall back into the frame, and the cylinder would seat into the frame. Called Taurus for replacement parts, figuring it would be easier to fix myself, than shipping to them. They said the parts were cheaper than the postage, so are sending them free.
( I asked for a new firing pin & 2 springs, just in case ).

Tuckerdog1

DizzyMizzy · April 30, 2007, 11:03 AM

Thanks for the advice.

When I hold it to the side, it appears as if the firing pin is resting against the bullet. I wonder if this has something to do with it.

At any rate, I still cannot release the cylinder according to your suggestions. I'm going to take it to a smith to release the cylinder and remove the ammo before shipping it to Taurus for repair.

I appreciate everyone's help.

Moloch · April 30, 2007, 11:30 AM

Had the same Problem with my brand new .500S&W snubbie, first 5 shots and the cylinder was really a pain to open.
Next 3 shots and suddenly I wasnt able to cock the hammer anymore, the cylinder didnt want to go out, and It had live ammo in it.
Brought it to the smith and he said he removed some rough metal that was blocking the cylinder from spinning.

Unfortunately I was in a hurry and had not the time to get a fully explanation of the problem.

DizzyMizzy · April 30, 2007, 01:23 PM

Moloch: Has your problem recurred? Did the smith "fix" the problem completely?

Moloch · April 30, 2007, 02:44 PM

Yup, it works fine now, I can see some brush marks right under the barrel where the cylinder crane gap is.
I guess thats the place where the cylinder was locked up caused of metal flash hitting the cylinder.

(Thats just an example, thats not my gun)

Check out if the cylinder of your revolver touches the the frame.
Yeah I know it sounds odd, but it happened after a few shots, it worked flawlessly before I shot it.

But whatever causes this problem, take your revolver to a gun smith an get it fixed.
It just took one day in my case and it was for free.
Trying to repair a revolver with live ammo in the cylinder can be very dangerous!

DizzyMizzy · April 30, 2007, 06:10 PM

I took it to a smith and he popped the cylinder right out and removed the bullets. He's going to check it overnight to see if he can fix it.

I'll keep you informed.

Moloch · May 1, 2007, 05:48 PM

Any news so far?

arkie2 · May 1, 2007, 07:29 PM

Dizzy

This is pretty elementary so you're probably already aware that 38 spl build up a ring in the chambers that make it difficult to fire .357 behind them. If I read your post correctly you fired 38 spl, then had trouble with the .357. Then you cleaned it but again fired .38 spl before you ran the .357 ammo through it again?

If that's the case your problem may simply be that you need to run a wire brush through the chambers before shooting .357 to clean out that buildup. Were the .357 rounds hard to load or did they drop in easily? I did the same thing with my sp101 (.38 before the .357) and had your identical problem before I started cleaning with a wire brush between .38 and .357.

DizzyMizzy · May 4, 2007, 09:05 AM

arkie:

Perhaps that's the problem. But now there is much more resistance trying to open and close the cylinder. It was a lot easier and smoother before.

Moloch: I had to leave town, so the gunsmith gave it back before looking at it. He was busy. I'm going to try a gunsmith and try my luck down here.

best,
j

DizzyMizzy · May 6, 2007, 09:26 PM

Update:

I took her out shooting again without getting it fixed by a smith. I'm happy to say that it didnt lock up again. So I'm thinking it just needed to be "broken in." It is still not as smooth to set and release the cylinder, but I'm sure a smith will fix this.

More later.

I appreciate all the advice/input.

April 29, 2007, 08:14 PM	#1
DizzyMizzy Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2007 Posts: 9	Taurus 605 .357 Mag Jam I got a used Taurus .357 magnum revolver the other day. It was in excellent shape. Not a single blemish on the gun. It was clean and looked taken care of very well with. It'd be safe to assume that it was rarely used. I've never had a problem with a revolver before, so I feel silly even mentioning this. I fired about 50 Winchester .38 specials at the range. Then I switched to 357 Remington. After firing about 10 of those, the cylinder was very TOUGH to open. I thought that maybe it had something to do with the extra soot. So I cleaned it quickly, then fired more .38s before trying the 357 again. After firing the 357 bullets twice, the gun locked up. I tried to open the cylinder, but it was impossible. I still cannot get it to open. Additional Info: The hammer doesn't go all the way down when I try to cock it. The cylinder, therefore, will no longer rotate. I cannot pull the trigger all the way down either. The cylinder release will go all the way forward, but the cylinder wont eject. Does anyone know what could be wrong? This is really irritating me. I cant mail it to the manufacturer for repair while loaded. Should I take it to a gunsmith? Is this a common revolver problem?

April 30, 2007, 05:16 AM	#8
Apple a Day Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2000 Location: Poquoson,Virginia Posts: 1,524	I'm sure you've already done this but: Check to make sure the bullets aren't protruding from the front of the cylinders. I had some ammo - some heavy .38SPL. - in a small frame revolver shift forwards from the recoil and get wedged against the barrel when the cylinder tried to rotate. I had to back the cylinder a bit before I could open it up and dump the ammo. I hope you can get it straightened out. __________________ THose who use arms well cultivate the Way and keep the rules. Thus they can govern in such a way as to prevail over the corrupt. - Sun Tzu, The Art of War

April 30, 2007, 08:09 AM	#9
tuckerdog1 Senior Member Join Date: September 20, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 281	This may be totally unrelated to the problem, but reading about this particular model, there is an issue with the firing pin spring. They tend to break. This will cause the firing pin to not retract all the way back into the frame, after firing a round. Found this out with a 605 I recently came into posession of. With the pin protruding, I could not rotate the cylinder. And with a fresh load of rounds, the cylinder would not swing back into the frame. If I just tilted the gun back, the pin would fall back into the frame, and the cylinder would seat into the frame. Called Taurus for replacement parts, figuring it would be easier to fix myself, than shipping to them. They said the parts were cheaper than the postage, so are sending them free. ( I asked for a new firing pin & 2 springs, just in case ). Tuckerdog1 __________________ Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit upon his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. - Henry Louis Mencken

April 29, 2007, 09:54 PM	#2
Rimrod Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Behind enemy lines Posts: 1,309	Dizzy, the first thing you might want to look at is the ejector rod. Check to see if you can turn it in either direction, often these come loose while firing especially if they have been loosened before.

April 30, 2007, 01:04 AM	#3
DizzyMizzy Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2007 Posts: 9	Rimrod, Thanks for the quick reply. I cannot access the ejector rod because it is still in the barrel. Any further advice? Best, J

April 30, 2007, 01:34 AM	#4
.351winchester Junior member Join Date: December 31, 2005 Location: MI Posts: 1,013	probably bad advice, but i know i'd be using a rubber mallet to be getting that cylinder out. the hammer not dropping all the way makes this whole thing sound like like a lockwork issue, but the last thing i am is a gunsmith. in fact just had several 22's of icehouse and just want to post. are the rims of your empties pressed against the back of the frame?

April 30, 2007, 01:36 AM	#5
DizzyMizzy Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2007 Posts: 9	Lol. I def dont want to do that, especially considering it has live ammo in it. Thanks!

April 30, 2007, 01:39 AM	#6
.351winchester Junior member Join Date: December 31, 2005 Location: MI Posts: 1,013	is it an ultralite model by any chance?

April 30, 2007, 11:03 AM	#10
DizzyMizzy Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2007 Posts: 9	Thanks for the advice. When I hold it to the side, it appears as if the firing pin is resting against the bullet. I wonder if this has something to do with it. At any rate, I still cannot release the cylinder according to your suggestions. I'm going to take it to a smith to release the cylinder and remove the ammo before shipping it to Taurus for repair. I appreciate everyone's help.

April 30, 2007, 11:30 AM	#11
Moloch Senior Member Join Date: November 27, 2005 Posts: 1,419	Had the same Problem with my brand new .500S&W snubbie, first 5 shots and the cylinder was really a pain to open. Next 3 shots and suddenly I wasnt able to cock the hammer anymore, the cylinder didnt want to go out, and It had live ammo in it. Brought it to the smith and he said he removed some rough metal that was blocking the cylinder from spinning. Unfortunately I was in a hurry and had not the time to get a fully explanation of the problem.

April 30, 2007, 01:23 PM	#12
DizzyMizzy Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2007 Posts: 9	Moloch: Has your problem recurred? Did the smith "fix" the problem completely?

April 30, 2007, 02:44 PM	#13
Moloch Senior Member Join Date: November 27, 2005 Posts: 1,419	Yup, it works fine now, I can see some brush marks right under the barrel where the cylinder crane gap is. I guess thats the place where the cylinder was locked up caused of metal flash hitting the cylinder. (Thats just an example, thats not my gun) Check out if the cylinder of your revolver touches the the frame. Yeah I know it sounds odd, but it happened after a few shots, it worked flawlessly before I shot it. But whatever causes this problem, take your revolver to a gun smith an get it fixed. It just took one day in my case and it was for free. Trying to repair a revolver with live ammo in the cylinder can be very dangerous!

April 30, 2007, 06:10 PM	#14
DizzyMizzy Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2007 Posts: 9	I took it to a smith and he popped the cylinder right out and removed the bullets. He's going to check it overnight to see if he can fix it. I'll keep you informed.

May 1, 2007, 05:48 PM	#15
Moloch Senior Member Join Date: November 27, 2005 Posts: 1,419	Any news so far?

May 1, 2007, 07:29 PM	#16
arkie2 Senior Member Join Date: September 3, 2006 Posts: 475	Dizzy This is pretty elementary so you're probably already aware that 38 spl build up a ring in the chambers that make it difficult to fire .357 behind them. If I read your post correctly you fired 38 spl, then had trouble with the .357. Then you cleaned it but again fired .38 spl before you ran the .357 ammo through it again? If that's the case your problem may simply be that you need to run a wire brush through the chambers before shooting .357 to clean out that buildup. Were the .357 rounds hard to load or did they drop in easily? I did the same thing with my sp101 (.38 before the .357) and had your identical problem before I started cleaning with a wire brush between .38 and .357.

May 4, 2007, 09:05 AM	#17
DizzyMizzy Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2007 Posts: 9	arkie: Perhaps that's the problem. But now there is much more resistance trying to open and close the cylinder. It was a lot easier and smoother before. Moloch: I had to leave town, so the gunsmith gave it back before looking at it. He was busy. I'm going to try a gunsmith and try my luck down here. best, j

May 6, 2007, 09:26 PM	#18
DizzyMizzy Junior Member Join Date: April 29, 2007 Posts: 9	Update: I took her out shooting again without getting it fixed by a smith. I'm happy to say that it didnt lock up again. So I'm thinking it just needed to be "broken in." It is still not as smooth to set and release the cylinder, but I'm sure a smith will fix this. More later. I appreciate all the advice/input.