As I see it, you have three choices:
1- Call Smith and see if they will fix it (advantage, if they send you a call tag,
it'll only cost you time to find out.
2- Hire a good custom pistolsmith to correct the problem (this should cure
the problem but will be somewhat costly in both money and time).
3 - Send it on down the road and replace it with another revolver without
the problems.
I know I said, THREE, but there is another choice - one that I would make.
If you have a mechanical background, you can slug the cylinder throats, and if they are undersize, you can buy a "made for the job" Manson Reamer kit complete with pilots and carefully ream the cylinders to the proper dimensions (.358" would be my choice).
I have done this to Ruger single action revolvers that exhibited tight throats and the accompanying serious leading. Afterwards, the single actions have exhibited stellar accuracy (well under an inch at 25 yards off a rest). YMMV
One last comment, having undersize cylinder throats on a Smith .357 is not common. I have had and still have a number of Smiths in .38 Special and .357 magnum (my current range favorites are a 6" Model 686 and a 4" Model 520 - blued, with titanium cylinder, and composite barrel and adjustable sights - not the fixed sighted New York LEO revolver of the same model name). I have gone through probably dozens of them and have NEVER seen one with undersize cylinder throats.
Confirm the measurements by slugging the cylinder throats and if undersize, by all means call Smith. Keep in mind that ALL manufacturers have a VERY low opinion of shooting reloads in their revolvers and pistols and you may not find a sympathetic ear.
NOTE:
The above might sound like I am not in favor of shooting reloads. That is NOT AT ALL the case. I cast bullets for many different calibers and have sent over 100,000 of my cast bullets and reloads in just the .45 ACP down the range in past years. I shoot NOTHING but reloads and shoot a lot of them.
FWIW
Dale53
Last edited by Dale53; 01-14-2014 at 01:26 PM.
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