Depending on the time of manufacture, many of the later S&Ws...from the mid 1970's until the mid-late 80's...may have problems with crud blowing back into the cylinder/crane area. Combine this with a little oil and you get a paste-like gunk that will build up and even harden with time. Revolvers, while extremely reliable, are built to very fine tolerances, and it may not take much buildup to cause a problem. There were a few runs of M65 3in. guns that did not have enough tolerance in the relief cut for the extractor star, and these would lock up quickly if only a few flakes of unburned powder got under the star. S&W remachined those that were sent back and they ran fine.
If the crane/cylinder is clean and lightly lubricated and this is still happening, I would suspect the extractor rod or center pin. The rod can be straightened, but it should be by someone who knows what to do. The center pin is a different problem and, if faulty, should be replaced. Most probably though it just needs a thorough cleaning.