I was Firing my 686-6 today and found a Chipped Firing Pin Bushing while cleaning it. I don't recall seeing this condition on the Gun before today. Load was 14.5 of 2400 under a Sierra 158 JSP.
The fired Brass looks Normal. Has anyone else seen this before. Is this condition repairable.................Lew

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686 Bushing.jpg (56.9 KB, 179 views)

Yes it is repairable. I just recently sent back to S&W my 4" 686-6 for a small pit in the firing pin bushing and since it's there I told them to go ahead to do the revolver action package.

Lew,
No big deal, they just press in a new bushing after knocking out the bad one.

That is why it is a replaceable bushing instead of the frame that the firing pin goes through

Just call Smith and Wesson

Those look like staking marks on a bushing that's been changed outside the factory.

That gun has had a lot of shooting. Notice the ctr pin has worn the recoil shield hole egg shaped where the rear cyl lock bolt extends thru.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

It never ceases to amaze me that people can pay so much attention to the condition of a cartridge case, but never seem to consider the primer! That is not "chipping", "spalling" or anything else related to the material of the firearm, it is erosion or gas cutting from failed primers.


Since you handload the only way to avoid this is to change primer brand! While any primer an fail my experience is this is most frequently seen when using Remington # 1 1/2 Small Pistol primers. I used to use them exclusively years ago and had many primer failures. Since changing to Winchester and Federal exclusively many years go I cannot recall having any primer failures or damage as you show to any of my handguns of any caliber!

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Gunsmithing since 1961

Lew,

What kind of primers are you using?

I've never seen erosion in only the same eight distinct locations like yours.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

THAT IS A SIMPLE REPAIR THAT REQUIRES A NEW BUSHING. I WOULD CALL S&W FOR A SHIPPING LABEL, AND SEND IT IN.....

IMHO---THAT DAMAGE WAS NOT CAUSED BY FIRING ONE PARTICULAR ROUND. IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS INCURRED OVERTIME. I WOULD QUESTION THE INTEGRITY OF THE PRIMERS THAT YOU ARE USING---OR PERHAPS THE SEATING OF THEM BY YOUR PRESS.....

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

Thanks for all of the Responses. I bought this 686 used and Did not notice the Condition of the Bushing until I Rang Fired it yesterday. Probably the Seller cleaned up the Carbon Fouling from the Bushing making it Less Visible. The gun shot fine and I will probably have S&W refit a Bushing. Thanks Again..............Lew

Agreed.
In my experience, Remington small pistol primers have also been the most likely to go "click" instead of "BANG" when you pull the trigger.
I had a Taurus 85 that I thought needed a new mainspring after firing my handloads and getting 2 to 3 misfires for each cylinder.

I put it down and started shooting my Smiths with the same ammo. They all experienced about the same rate of misfires.
Yep. Rem small pistol primers (first Obama panic. All I could find at the time).

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

You hit the Nail Right on the Head. Like the old saying goes
"Penny Wise Pound Foolish". I wanted to load up some 357s to try out my new used 686-6. I had some old 357 Brass kicking around the Shop, but I did not have any Magnum SP Primers.
I did have some Russian Tula Primers and used them with a High Pressure Load. Apparantly the R-P Cases and Tula Primers did not provide the necessary Primer seal and Cut up the FP Bushing. I got a Label from S&W and Dropped off the 686 with Fedex. Hope this error won't be too costly. Photos shows that the Damage was definately my error

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BlownPrimer.jpg (71.6 KB, 35 views)