Taurus M44

[280Ackley]

I don't know much about wheelguns, or any other handguns for that matter. I bought this gun 7-8 years ago to carry during late season deer hunts. I have shot it on several occasions with no problems, but not put a lot of rounds throught it. This weekend I had 50 rounds loaded 19 grns of 2400 and a 230 PB boolit. It was so much fun to shoot I just kept shooting. After about 40 rounds the cylinder locked up. I looked like there was insufficient clearance between the cylinder and the frame. After the gun cooled down the problem appears to have gone away, but I haven't shot it today. Defective gun, load or some other nubee screw up?

[Dale53]

280Ackley;
It would be helpful if you told us what case you are using...

Dale53

[theperfessor]

Is your gun stainless steel? Any gun with minimal clearance between the cylinder face and end of barrel can lock up if it gets hot. The expansion of the cylinder and barrel causes this. I recall reading years ago that this was an issue w/some S&W M 65/66s after heating up from long firing strings. Stainless steel expands at a greater rate than most alloy steels. Check your gun when it's clean with a feeler gauge and see how much gap there is. If it's just a few thousandths that may be your problem.

[280Ackley]

Dale53, the cases are WW Super this was new brass. ThePerfessor, the gun is blue and the point where it was binding is behind the cylinder on the rims.

[dubber123]

Check for junk under the ejector star. 2400 is great at depositing half burned kernels of powder there. It holds the ejector hard against the frame, causing the binding.

[frankenfab]

Make sure the ejector rod is screwed all the way in. It is left hand threads. My Model 44 shot as well as any of the Anaconda's I had. It was blued and I put wood Houge's on it. I always regarded it as the provebial "silk purse". According to the majority of people who saw it, it was "Cool".:bigsmyl2:

You can also loosen the crane and reseat it. There's one screw on the side that sticks into a groove on the end of the crane pivot shaft, not sure that's the correct name for the part.

[Dale53]

280Ackley;
I meant what caliber were the cases (as in .44 Special or .44 Magnum)? Very early in my shooting career I learned that I MUST hold the revolver vertical (barrel up) when I ejected the cases to keep unburned powder debris from getting under the extractor star and causing the very problem you are experiencing. Frankenfab also mentioned making sure the ejector rod was screwed all the way in - that can also cause the problem.

Dale53

[thenaaks]

i've got a m44. i've shot 100rd sessions and never had any issues with lockup on the back side of the cylinder. it has gotten a bit tight on the bbl side (powder residue/lead), but a quick swipe with some hoppes takes care of that. i would remove the cylinder and clean up all the parts and make sure it is seated all the way forward.

[HeavyMetal]

The 2400 is your most likely suspect!

I stopped using it years ago because I could always shake 10 grains of 2400 out of the gun after I fired 6 rounds!

For this reason I try to avoid flake powders in my wheel guns.

What I will suggest is a complete cleaning and then add a soft nylon bristle brush, one small enough to fit under the rachet when you have it in full eject position, and a can of "air" that is sold to clean computer keyboards to your range bag.

With this set up you can swab and blow out the area under the extractor star every couple of strings.

That should stop the problem!

[waksupi]

I will go back to an earlier statement I had made, that Taurus' come pre-broke from the factory.

[cajun shooter]

Do not tighten the extractor without having spent cases in every other cylinder.

[MtGun44]

+1 on cajun shooter.

Probably loose or crud under the extractor, may also be some lead+crud buildup on the front of hte
cylinder