686-1 Spent Case Extraction

[Kinker1]

A bit of a strange one I believe. With a clean cylinder, I can load factory ammo rather easily (normal), but after firing 6 rounds, 3 of the cases (always the same 3 positions) are tight and difficult to remove. The ejection "star" SEEMS to be in the correct position and the ejector rod works freely with unfired or no cartridges in the cylinder. This does not occur when shooting 38's - only the longer 357 magnums. As I stated, the cylinder is clean to start. (ultrasonic,chore boy, shooter's choice, and M-Pro all have been used back to back and white patches come out like new after cleaning) Any thoughts?

 

[sbcman]

Possible cylinder out of spec??

 

[tomcatt51]

The symptoms sound like you have carbon build-up in the chambers from shooting .38s. It can be extremely hard and it's easy to be literally just polishing the surface of the carbon rather than getting it out. I've been there. A .40 cal bore brush (for 38/357) in a short piece of cleaning rod chucked in a (variable speed) drill motor and some Hoppes, or your favorite powder solvent, will take crud (and carbon build-up) out of chambers you'd swear were clean. It's where you start.

 

[Drail]

It does sound like carbon rings. That stuff takes some work to get out and tomcatt51's method works. Solvent and patches will do nothing. Another trick I've seen used is to take a .357 case and flare the mouth and use it as a scraper. If you don't reload someone who does can fix you up.