Post by HeadHunter on Mar 10, 2022 13:05:15 GMT
Whilst putting together a test thread on pellets and BBs with my Schofield (linked below), the star ejector stopped returning back into the cylinder face correctly !
co2-handguns.freeforums.net/thread/2238/tin-chronograph-testing
On closer inspection it became apparent that the star had unscrewed itself from the inner ejector rod mechanism, so I removed the cylinder and inspected the threads. All looked good, so I screwed it back in, refitted the cylinder back into the frame and gave it a test, working, working, working, NOT f**king working ! So I stripped it again and had another look at the threads, all look good on the screw rod but impossible to see inside where it connects to the ejector star rod. Screwed it back in nice and tight and 'pop' that's the threads gone ! Now don't get me wrong, I'm well aware of the perils of threads made of diecast metal (as would anyone else who has been into this hobby for any length of time will attest too), I don't over tighten screws, especially steel screws that are going into diecast threaded holes as that's guaranteed to strip them out but a die cast threaded rod into a die cast threaded hole is akin to screwing a cheese screw into cheese !
So I thought long and hard about possible solutions, drilling out the failed threads and tapping a larger thread in it but it way too small to do that, threadlocking it (even though there's no threads) but that would mean leaving it for 24 hours in a vice whilst it sets and there's no guarantee that it'll even work. Ultimately I decided that a 'dab' of superglue/CA glue of the threads might just hold it long enough to complete the tests that I had set out to do, so I went with that !
As you can see from the tests, it functioned as it should right up until I was firing off the remainder of the CO2 gas and then it snapped again ! So today I set about redoing it, spent my last waking moments yesterday thinking about how to accomplish the task (mating both parts together, drilling them and putting a pin through them both, etc.) but ultimately decided on soaking it is CA glue, as the part doesn't need to come apart for maintenance as most of it is still accessible for administering lubrication and cleaning.
So I thought that I would jot it down as a quick thread for anyone that's had/having the same issue.
The problem...
If you tip the gun upside down, the star just falls out under gravity...
So you have to remove the cylinder, which is accomplished by knocking out one drift pin....
This allows you to move the cylinder stop block upwards and extract the cylinder...
next remove the ejector spring and rod....
This is how it's supposed to look, but inside the cylinder......
Clean the threads properly, lashings of super glue and carefully put it back together. Be very careful as the spring will be trying to push both sections apart, so hold it firmly in place for a minute or two....
Pop the cylinder back into the frame and replace the drift pin.....
And Robert's your Mother's brother....
Now I've NEVER stripped my Schofield before, so the failure was not something that I'd ever done to it. It seems to me that the 'snap' as the ejector star drops back into place (when you break the action) might cause undue pressure on the threads which will ultimately lead to failure. So this might be a design fault or I could just be unlucky (which when you consider my 'luck' with the S&W model 29s is probably nearer the truth than I care to think, lol).
I should mention that I did think about using PTFE tape (plumbers tape) on it too but it's so small that I don't think that it'll hold correctly as you try to screw it back together as the threads are about a M2.5, maybe even a M2 in size. Only time will tell if this remedy holds out under further use but that sounds as good an excuse as any to do some shooting with the old girl for a bit, lol
co2-handguns.freeforums.net/thread/2238/tin-chronograph-testing
On closer inspection it became apparent that the star had unscrewed itself from the inner ejector rod mechanism, so I removed the cylinder and inspected the threads. All looked good, so I screwed it back in, refitted the cylinder back into the frame and gave it a test, working, working, working, NOT f**king working ! So I stripped it again and had another look at the threads, all look good on the screw rod but impossible to see inside where it connects to the ejector star rod. Screwed it back in nice and tight and 'pop' that's the threads gone ! Now don't get me wrong, I'm well aware of the perils of threads made of diecast metal (as would anyone else who has been into this hobby for any length of time will attest too), I don't over tighten screws, especially steel screws that are going into diecast threaded holes as that's guaranteed to strip them out but a die cast threaded rod into a die cast threaded hole is akin to screwing a cheese screw into cheese !
So I thought long and hard about possible solutions, drilling out the failed threads and tapping a larger thread in it but it way too small to do that, threadlocking it (even though there's no threads) but that would mean leaving it for 24 hours in a vice whilst it sets and there's no guarantee that it'll even work. Ultimately I decided that a 'dab' of superglue/CA glue of the threads might just hold it long enough to complete the tests that I had set out to do, so I went with that !
As you can see from the tests, it functioned as it should right up until I was firing off the remainder of the CO2 gas and then it snapped again ! So today I set about redoing it, spent my last waking moments yesterday thinking about how to accomplish the task (mating both parts together, drilling them and putting a pin through them both, etc.) but ultimately decided on soaking it is CA glue, as the part doesn't need to come apart for maintenance as most of it is still accessible for administering lubrication and cleaning.
So I thought that I would jot it down as a quick thread for anyone that's had/having the same issue.
The problem...
If you tip the gun upside down, the star just falls out under gravity...
So you have to remove the cylinder, which is accomplished by knocking out one drift pin....
This allows you to move the cylinder stop block upwards and extract the cylinder...
next remove the ejector spring and rod....
This is how it's supposed to look, but inside the cylinder......
Clean the threads properly, lashings of super glue and carefully put it back together. Be very careful as the spring will be trying to push both sections apart, so hold it firmly in place for a minute or two....
Pop the cylinder back into the frame and replace the drift pin.....
And Robert's your Mother's brother....
Now I've NEVER stripped my Schofield before, so the failure was not something that I'd ever done to it. It seems to me that the 'snap' as the ejector star drops back into place (when you break the action) might cause undue pressure on the threads which will ultimately lead to failure. So this might be a design fault or I could just be unlucky (which when you consider my 'luck' with the S&W model 29s is probably nearer the truth than I care to think, lol).
I should mention that I did think about using PTFE tape (plumbers tape) on it too but it's so small that I don't think that it'll hold correctly as you try to screw it back together as the threads are about a M2.5, maybe even a M2 in size. Only time will tell if this remedy holds out under further use but that sounds as good an excuse as any to do some shooting with the old girl for a bit, lol
