Handgun Hunter
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A thread on sticky cases in a S&W .500 prompted this thread on a related subject.
I learned decades ago brass that's been loaded many times, along with a revolver that's been shot tens of thousands of times, will result in brass not falling out on their own after pushing the ejector, even with relatively mild loads. This isn't a problem caused by too much pressure. .44 mag rounds loaded in old brass, scratched up and resized many times, coupled with a revolver that's been shot tens of thousands of times and the chamber walls scratched up to a degree from cleaning with wire brushes over many years and so many cases going in and out of them will give you somewhat sticky cases after firing. Brand new brass will fall out after firing and hitting the ejector, but brass that's been reloaded many times will stick in the chambers a little, enough they will not fall out on their own weight, as new brass does. The same goes for other magnum rounds, like the .357. I often have to pick old .44 mag brass out of the chambers one at a time (the last 10th of an inch) unless I really punch the ejector rod hard to provide enough momentum, otherwise the ends of the spent brass will stay in the chamber. (Yes, I know you have to turn the muzzle up to take advantage of gravity.) Using .44 Special or .38 Special, with their shorter cases, solves that, but I don't like using them for several reasons. All of this is the result of the ejectors not being quite long enough to push the cases out completely and I don't know why S&W makes the ejectors so short. (This is understandable on short barreled revolvers like the M 60 Chief Special. There just isn't enough room for a longer ejector.) The problem on N frame revolvers with 4" and longer barrels is only pronounced with older cases and guns. Punching the ejector rod hard solves the problem, but the end of those rods become sharp with wear and cut into your hand a little. After an hour of shooting, your hand gets raw.
The question is why doesn't S&W make the ejector rods a little longer? A tenth of an inch would do.
I learned decades ago brass that's been loaded many times, along with a revolver that's been shot tens of thousands of times, will result in brass not falling out on their own after pushing the ejector, even with relatively mild loads. This isn't a problem caused by too much pressure. .44 mag rounds loaded in old brass, scratched up and resized many times, coupled with a revolver that's been shot tens of thousands of times and the chamber walls scratched up to a degree from cleaning with wire brushes over many years and so many cases going in and out of them will give you somewhat sticky cases after firing. Brand new brass will fall out after firing and hitting the ejector, but brass that's been reloaded many times will stick in the chambers a little, enough they will not fall out on their own weight, as new brass does. The same goes for other magnum rounds, like the .357. I often have to pick old .44 mag brass out of the chambers one at a time (the last 10th of an inch) unless I really punch the ejector rod hard to provide enough momentum, otherwise the ends of the spent brass will stay in the chamber. (Yes, I know you have to turn the muzzle up to take advantage of gravity.) Using .44 Special or .38 Special, with their shorter cases, solves that, but I don't like using them for several reasons. All of this is the result of the ejectors not being quite long enough to push the cases out completely and I don't know why S&W makes the ejectors so short. (This is understandable on short barreled revolvers like the M 60 Chief Special. There just isn't enough room for a longer ejector.) The problem on N frame revolvers with 4" and longer barrels is only pronounced with older cases and guns. Punching the ejector rod hard solves the problem, but the end of those rods become sharp with wear and cut into your hand a little. After an hour of shooting, your hand gets raw.
The question is why doesn't S&W make the ejector rods a little longer? A tenth of an inch would do.