Smith and Ruger barrel issues

[swampratt]

I have hatred for these companies or at least their guns.
I have had 3 Rugers one was a Blackhawk Bisley and the barrel was tight right at the frame
then opened up larger the rest of the length of the barrel.
The Ruger also had revolver cylinders that were .004" different in size between each of them.
Not accurate.

I just slugged my 686+ TALO 7" 7 shot revolver and it too is very tight where the barrel
is attached to the frame then as the bullet leaves that area and heads to the muzzle it gets larger.

WHY do these 2 American gun manufacturers send that crap out.
You spend good money for these guns and try to shoot good groups and keep leading to nil and you can't do it if the bullet is squeezed small before it heads down the majority of the barrel.

I had to hone the Ruger and firelap the barrel and it shot groups 1/2 the size that it was shooting but still not optimum.

I have an older HW357 German made 357 revolver 6" barrel and it has none of these issues.

This may be why many revolver shooters shoot jacketed bullets and can't get the lead to group well.

I am thinking of contacting Ruger and see if they can fix it.
Or see if I just need to fire lap the barrel.

I bought this TALO for the wife and she commented on the poor accuracy compared to the HW357.
I tried many different loads and none of them work so I decided to slug the S&W Talo barrel this morning.

Sad Sad Sad.

I sent the lead slug through the barrel 4 times and is slicks right down the barrel until it reaches the frame and then you must hammer it through.

Here is a picture of the white taped drive rod and how far I can push the bullet through by hand before I must hammer the rod to get the bullet farther.

 

[EKing]

That's the area that collects the most lead and gunk from firing. Is it possible that it just needs to be scraped out? There are products out there designed to remove the lead from this very area, it's like a brass screen. Never used one but it seems like a decent idea.

 

[SPDguns]

"Brass screen" thingy is a Lewis Lead Remover. They work like a charm. The forcing cone can be re-cut but the thing that most concerns me is that the slug slides too easy down the barrel up to the forcing cone area.

 

[swampratt]

Barrel is spotless Zero lead.
Chor boy copper wrapped around a cleaning brush gets the lead out as does Peroxide and vinegar for a few seconds soak for those stubborn barrels.
I am very familiar with nasty barrels.
My German Revolver was full of lead when I got it from my dad.
No rifling to be seen and I would guess barrel diameter on that one in the 350" ID area before I removed all the lead.

 

[swampratt]

slug slides too easy down the barrel up to the forcing cone area.

Slug slides easily only after the initial slugging with that particular lead bullet.
I sent the same bullet down the barrel 5 times the last 4 times it was easy and each time it got to the frame it got tight and I
measured the force just now to push it through a 5th time and less than 3 psi to push it and then at the frame it took 20 PSI to go through the constriction.
I also clocked the bullet so it would line up with the same grooves.

I should have mentioned that part.



I sent an Email to S&W about the issue.
I will post what they say about it.

 

[SPDguns]

If the "initial slugging" is tight then the barrel is good and forcing cone area was compressed (crushed) when they tightened the barrel in the frame. I would send the gun back to S&W and tell them to re-cut the forcing cone...

This is not a "common" problem but it does happen.

 

[Dumpstick]

I have a Ruger SBH 44 Mag that has the same barrel crush at the frame. It shoots fine with the few jacketed rounds I've shot through it, but lead is another matter.

I keep meaning to firelap the thing, but it's stainless steel, which I'm told is more difficult to lap than blued.

Maybe I'll just sell it, I'm not lacking for 44 Mag handguns.