Vanity- Please help with gun question- S&W 357 mag

[ladyrustic]

I took my brother and his girlfriend (her first time, and she had a great time, and she's a lib, too) shooting today and as we finished up something weird happened with my S&W model 686 .357 mag pistol which I need advice/info about:

We were shooting it with 38 specials at first, then .357 mag rounds after that. When my son's last turn to shoot came, he went to load it with .357's and the cartridges would not fit all the way into the chamber anymore. They almost fit all the way but not quite-- about an eighth of an inch sticks out.

We wrapped up and came home, and when everyone left I cleaned the gun carefully, and examined it (everything looks fine), and tried again but the cartridges just won't fit (and I tried cartridges from 2 different makers.)! What could possibly have happened? Why can't I fit the 357 rounds all the way into my 357 pistol?

[ladyrustic]

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I hope I didn't somehow ruin my weapon, did I?

[Tarpaulin]

This happened with a Smith & Wesson!?

That's hard to believe.

Advice: Take it to a gun smith or chuck it.

[niteowl77]

You probably still have a slight ring of lead and/or assorted fouling in the chambers that are preventing the .357's from seating. Used to happen to me a lot with certain revolvers and types of ammunition.

[ORECON]

Go to S&W Customer Support and ask them.

http://customersupport.smith-wesson.com

[ghostcat]

you did not ruin your revolver. the most likely explanation is that you have had a significant build up of powder residue in the mouth of the chamber. this is quite common when shooting shorter length cartridges. I would suggest cleaning the chambers with a chamber cleaning brush or using a brass brush sized for the .45 cal be generous with the use of solvent as well. If the 38 spcl rounds that you were shooting were non jacketed it might also have some lead residue as well.

[joedelta]

That's what I was gonna say.

[JRandomFreeper]

Run a bore brush and Hoppes #7(I love that smell) down the cylinders. It may be leaded from shooting the shorter brass .38s.

Or take it to a comptetent smith.

Good on you for taking a lib shooting.

P.S. Buy an(other) autoloader. You have the extra money.... you know you want one.... And buy another wheelgun while you're at it.

/john

[rconawa]

A 357 is a 357 not a 38 special. Yes you can shoot a 38 in a 357, but it is not designed for that and as a result you have lead and/or powder build up at the point the 38 ended. Clean your gun and shoot the right ammunition in the future. By the way what did you girl friend being a liberal have to do with this question?

[nvcdl]

38 Specials are shorter then 357 mags. If you shoot 38s in a 357 it can make it difficult to load with 357 rounds during same shooting session.

A good cleaning of the cylinder with a bronze brush and bore cleaner should make all well.

Next time shoot your 357 ammo first - then shoot 38s.

[patsyde]

Your problem is due to firing 38 specials, which I assume were not jacketed. With the 38 special being shorter then the 357's a lead ring is applied to the mouth of each cylinder. It's enough to keep the 357's from going all the way into the cylinders. A good cleaning with a brass brush will cure the problem.

[Democrap]

Are you sure that you cleaned the cylinders well? I don't own a 686 but I take it is a stainless. Even though it won't rust stainless will get gummed up easy. If you were using 38 wadcutters they can be real dirty. Have you ever used 357's in this gun?

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

What all did you do to clean the cylinder?

Because of the difference in the case lengths, you should shoot the 357s first and then the 38s. The shorter 38s leave a powder/lead ridge that will impede the longer 357 case. Clean the cylinder again, well. Try again. See your gunsmith if they don't drop in easily.

[yarddog]

I was going to comment but it has already been said.

Clean the chambers and it should be ok.

[ladyrustic]

"You probably still have a slight ring of lead and/or assorted fouling in the chambers that are preventing the .357's from seating."

You might be right. When I cleaned it, I only used solvent on patches, no wire brush as I don't have one... I'll have to try it. Thanks.

[ladyrustic]

Yes I have used 357's in the gun before, but never had a problem. And the 38 specials were full metal jacket... but it sounds like the chambers are just fouled and need a wire brush treatment from what everyone is saying. That's a relief...

[DTogo]

he went to load it with .357's and the cartridges would not fit all the way into the chamber anymore. They almost fit all the way but not quite-- about an eighth of an inch sticks out.

This is a question for Bill Clinton. ;)

[yarddog]

There is one more possibility.

It is possible a few grains of unburned powder of sand etc. got caught under the extraction star. Easy to tell. If it is not flush with the rest of the back of the cylinder, that could be it.

[ladyrustic]

"Run a bore brush and Hoppes #7(I love that smell)..."

I love that smell too-- it brings back a flood of nice memories of shooting with my Dad and friends as a teenager.

[camas]

i would guess that that round had toooo much powder or wrong type in it. as said, take you piece to a gun smith

[leadhead]

Yep, just like shooting wad cutters, the dirty buggers.