rifling damage on 642 (final update)

les45 · Apr 6, 2013

I finally got around to cleaning up a new to me 642 that I picked up recently. It was pretty dirty. After running my cleaners, brush, and swab through the barrel, I looked through it with a light and there is an odd blemish in one of the grooves for about 1" from the crown. Instead of the usual smooth groove, it looks like the metal has been melted with a rough rippled look. It is not a buildup but more like a heat erosion like a rough weld. The blemished groove extends to the crown and is slightly deeper than the other grooves at the crown. I haven't shot it yet so I don't know if it affects accuracy. The gun is in excellent condition otherwise. Any ideas what might have caused this damage?

sceva · Apr 7, 2013

les45 said:
I finally got around to cleaning up a new to me 642 that I picked up recently. It was pretty dirty. . I haven't shot it yet so I don't know if it affects accuracy. The gun is in excellent condition otherwise. Any ideas what might have caused this damage?

Looks nasty. If you are sure it's not a build-up of lead or copper I would suspect arcing of some kind. Is the rifling on these EDM machined?

Looks like a call or e-mail to S&W is in order. If actually a damaged rifling groove I would not shoot it.

andyo5 · Apr 7, 2013

If you bought it used, it might be a struggle getting S&W to pay for the repairs. Especially if they conclude that it was user-caused damage. Still, the worst you are looking at is paying for a rebarrel job. A small barrel like that is probably not too expensive.
Live and learn. Sometimes folks will sell a gun because they screwed it up and want to start over.
Best to avoid buying a gun that is dirty. It does not say good things about the owner and it prevents you from doing a proper inspection.

tomcatt51 · Apr 7, 2013

sceva said:
Looks like a call or e-mail to S&W is in order.

Yes, an email to S&W is in order. With your picture attached. Sure looks like a defect in the EDM or ECM (or what ever it is now) rifling process.

chief38 · Apr 7, 2013

Before you go any farther just make sure it's just not good old fashion leading. Try a Lewis Lead Remover and see what happens.

les45 · Apr 7, 2013

chief38 said:
Before you go any farther just make sure it's just not good old fashion leading. Try a Lewis Lead Remover and see what happens.

I've looked at it with a light and a magnifying glass. You can see that the level of the damaged area is lower than the bottom of the groove. You can also see in the pic how much deeper the groove is where it is exposed on the crown. I'm guessing the tool that cut the groove messed up somehow in that area or there was a flaw in the metal that made it erode from the heat of shooting although a flaw like that would have extended outside the groove line. This damage is very limited to the edge of the groove on both sides. Definitely not a buildup of anything. I've already filled out the online warranty repair form with S&W. I guess we'll see what they have to say about it. I was just curious if anyone else had seen this type of damage to a bore. Thanks to all who commented.

revolv38 · Apr 7, 2013

I just lost my old computer with the pictures of my 642 rifling problem, wish I could have shown it. I bought it new in 2011. Before I started to clean the gun after only the second time shooting it, there were flakes of stainless steel metal at the crown. I took pictures and sent them in an email to Smith & Wesson explaining my problem and they rebarreled it with no questions about if I was the original owner. They had it back to me in a week and a half. Didn't have to pay shipping either way and FedEx even came to the door to pick it up so I didn't have to go through an FFL.

The original barrel was angled too high so the bullets were being forced too hard into the bottom of the rifling of the barrel and making a skid that eroded the rifling. I only shot a total of about 75 standard pressure rounds. I definitely didn't have the gouging you have so I can't tell you what caused your problem but I just wanted to share my experience so you don't feel like you're just out of luck.

No offense to anyone else but you can tell that this barrel is not just leading of the rifling, you can see the gouge up through the crown.

les45 · Apr 7, 2013

revolv38 said:
I just lost my old computer with the pictures of my 642 rifling problem, wish I could have shown it. I bought it new in 2011. Before I started to clean the gun after only the second time shooting it, there were flakes of stainless steel metal at the crown. I took pictures and sent them in an email to Smith & Wesson explaining my problem and they rebarreled it with no questions about if I was the original owner. They had it back to me in a week and a half. Didn't have to pay shipping either way and FedEx even came to the door to pick it up so I didn't have to go through an FFL.

The original barrel was angled too high so the bullets were being forced too hard into the bottom of the rifling of the barrel and making a skid that eroded the rifling. I only shot a total of about 75 standard pressure rounds. I definitely didn't have the gouging you have so I can't tell you what caused your problem but I just wanted to share my experience so you don't feel like you're just out of luck.

No offense to anyone else but you can tell that this barrel is not just leading of the rifling, you can see the gouge up through the crown.

I've had the same experience as you with two previous guns that I have sent back to S&W for warranty work. Both were used and there were no questions asked. Their service guarantee for any gun they made since 1989 is one of the best in the business. FedEx picked them up at my house and turnaround was about one week on each one. Can't beat that. That's another reason I am a S&W fan.

les45 · Apr 9, 2013

Update - I filled out the S&W warranty form online on Sunday (Apr 7) and I received my shipping label today (Tuesday). Called FedEx at 11:30 am and they picked up my package by 12:50 pm. Can't beat that. In my previous experiences, S&W has turned their warranty work around in about one week. Let's see how long this one takes.

les45 · Apr 19, 2013

Final update - shipped my 642 to S&W last Tuesday, April 9, and received it back today, April 19, all fixed with a new barrel. This is the third gun I have sent to them in as many years under the warranty and all were second hand guns. One old M64 with a bent ejection rod looked like it was probably a police trade-in. No questions asked; fixed and returned all three times. Still can't beat that S&W warranty.

rifling damage on 642 (final update)

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