S&W 340PD .357 Mag With Stuck Cylinder: Gunsmith's Bench

Final diagnosis is that someone replaced the center pin spring with the spring from a ballpoint pen. The coils were a bit too large in diameter and the spring was slightly too long, causing the spring to bind the center pin inside the ejector rod. Also the 340PD and 360PD use a stiffer center pin spring than other J-frames due to the recoil impulse with the scandium frame.
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[@billagnew1251]

That’s a really valuable video: watching a master diagnose a problem. Not knowing what is wrong, but knowing what should be happening, and coming up with a hypothesis to describe the incongruity. Thanks for posting!

[@gizmocarr3093]

Light frames and heavy loads equals short life.😖

[@oldcop18]

I’ve had the no lock 340PD over 10 yrs & never a problem of any kind. That said it has not been shot much and mostly w/standard pressure thirty-eight. Magnum loads produce too much recoil for quick & accurate follow up shots.

[@tedcollins4684]

Mine broke after 26 shots. Hammer, trigger and cylinder locked up. They replaced everything but frame, cylinder and grips. Yes even the barrel was replaced leaving a large splinter at the forcing cone. I will never trust s&w again.