686 With Flame Cutting

[bendoin03]

I have a pretty nice 686-1 that has some flame cutting on the underside of the top strap. Can anything be done to say "fill in" the cutting? It's not real deep but visible. It's a pistol I bought over the internet. I would not have bought this pistol had I seen it first, but that's the chance you take sometimes. Anybody ever dealt with this problem and how did you get it fixed?

Regards,
Terry

 

[bendoin03]

I have a pretty nice 686-1 that has some flame cutting on the underside of the top strap. Can anything be done to say "fill in" the cutting? It's not real deep but visible. It's a pistol I bought over the internet. I would not have bought this pistol had I seen it first, but that's the chance you take sometimes. Anybody ever dealt with this problem and how did you get it fixed?

Regards,
Terry

 

[Bruce51]

Terry it is not unusual to have some flame cutting under the top strap. The most likely cause is shooting lots of 125gr .357 loads. There is no repair but the flamecut is self limiting. Just shoot the gun and don't worry about it. It is not a problem. Bruce

 

[Wayne M]

Completely normal, Terry. Shoot away and enjoy, the cutting gets to a certain point and pretty much stops. Your -1 has more rounds left in it than you can probably shoot.

 

[bendoin03]

Thanks for the input. I feel a lot better now.

Bruce, I felt the gun had been shot a lot although other than the flame cutting, the pistol is in excellent condition.

Wayne, based on how many times I get to the range anymore, you are probably right.

Regards,
Terry

 

[pownal55]

certain powders like h110 and 296 will accelerate the flame cutting issue regardless of bullet weight. don't assume that gun has been over used since this problem can show itself relatively fast depending the loads used.

 

[bountyhunter]

Originally posted by bendoin03:
I have a pretty nice 686-1 that has some flame cutting on the underside of the top strap. Can anything be done to say "fill in" the cutting? It's not real deep but visible.

Normal. I have it on every revo that I own. Ignore it as long as it's not deep.

 

[BruceM]

Many moons ago I had a M57 with gas cutting. Smith & Wesson heliarc'd steel into the damaged area & refinished the gun. That was around 1979 and I doubt that they would do that now.

Gas/flame cutting is a fact of life in magnum revolvers using magnum ammunition. The only way to avoid it is using "special" velocity level ammunition in the magnum.

B.

Bruce

 

[bountyhunter]

Originally posted by BruceM:

Gas/flame cutting is a fact of life in magnum revolvers using magnum ammunition.

It's also a fact of life for magnum revolvers shooting .38 ammo. I have about eight magnum revos that have fired nothing but 130 gr or 158 gr .38SP ammo and every one of them show strap cutting from flame.

 

[tomcatt51]

Originally posted by BruceM:
Gas/flame cutting is a fact of life in magnum revolvers using magnum ammunition. The only way to avoid it is using "special" velocity level ammunition in the magnum. Bruce

I used to run alot of "midrange", 240 gr lswc loaded just sub sonic, 44 mag loads thru a couple 629s. I'd go shooting with 2 guys from work almost every weds morning after work. We put a lot of rounds, 12,000+/yr each, thru the guns. I loaded with AA #9, the other 2 loaded AA#5. All just subsonic, 1050-1100 fps. The AA#5 loads developed top strap cutting sooner/faster than the AA#9 (slower powder) loads. All cut the topstraps, all stopped at pretty much the same amount of cutting. The AA#9 load also seemed easier on the forcing cone.

 

[bendoin03]

Thanks so much for all the replies. From all the posts, about the only way to avoid flame cutting is to not do any shooting. I guess most of my other revolvers are safe from this happening to them, since they don't get out much.

Regards,
Terry

 

[bountyhunter]

Originally posted by bendoin03:
Thanks so much for all the replies. From all the posts, about the only way to avoid flame cutting is to not do any shooting. I guess most of my other revolvers are safe from this happening to them, since they don't get out much.

Regards,
Terry

I read somewhere that somebody is offering some kind of thin steel plate that can be glued on the frame in the flame zone. I haven't seen it, but it makes sense. That would be a disposable piece that would take the burn and spare the frame. Maybe somebody knows if they are currently available.

 

[tomcatt51]

Originally posted by bountyhunter:

Originally posted by bendoin03:
Thanks so much for all the replies. From all the posts, about the only way to avoid flame cutting is to not do any shooting. I guess most of my other revolvers are safe from this happening to them, since they don't get out much.
Regards,
Terry

I read somewhere that somebody is offering some kind of thin steel plate that can be glued on the frame in the flame zone. I haven't seen it, but it makes sense. That would be a disposable piece that would take the burn and spare the frame. Maybe somebody knows if they are currently available.

At least some of the scandium frame revolvers come from the factory with them.

 

[Twist]

Get some Action Magic from Brownells... thoroughly clean the flame cut area and treat with Action Magic. Reapply every 500 rounds of Magnum ammo. IHMSA shooters have found that this stuff will work wonders.

For some reason the flame cutting is reduced to almost nothing when the Action Magic is used. It won't fix what has been done... but is will slow any more damage quite considerably