Did I ruin my Model 41?

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ShrinkMD

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When I was cleaning it the other day I stupidly attached a bore brush to a cleaning rod which wasn't long enough to clear the 7" barrel. I couldn't unscrew it, so I just yanked it out and reversed the brush in the barrel. Bad move.

Now I looked inside and see some small circular scratches about halfway down the barrel. They are perpendicular to the bore axis, looks like some circles in there. Is this likely to ruin accuracy? Any chance sending some rounds down will polish it out? The gun is pretty much brand new, and I feel really bad about it. Nothing that can't be fixed I guess.

Any advice, beyond shooting it to see if the accuracy is degraded? Can I just get another barrel, or does it have to be fitted to a Model 41?

----------------------------
Just took a look on Midway. $237 and out of stock. Boy do I feel dumb!

Maybe it will still shoot ok?
 
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My guess is the marks you see will polish out with a proper cleaning brush (and long enough rod!) and/or a few rounds of ammo without affecting accuracy. The barrel should be a much harder surface than even a stiff bristled brass, bronze, or copper brush. (I'm guessing the brush looked pretty ragged when you yanked it out.) This is just my inclination, I'll be interested to see what other have to say about it.
 
Well, I just ran a new 22 rifle brush through (on a proper 24" Tipton rod) and so far it's still looking nasty in there. I was using a Dewey coated pistol rod which has seen better days, and I had left the brass cone on it which I was using on my revolver bore, so when I realized my stupid mistake the rod was sort of bending and stuck in the bore. I wonder if the marks in the barrel are from the mouth of the coated steel cleaning rod (which isn't 100% coated anymore!) scraping under the pressure of me exerting enough force to yank the brush out.

This is feeling almost as bad as when I shot my chronograph (hey, hasn't everybody?) Although I know the gun will still shoot, there isn't much point in having a Model 41 whose accuracy is compromised, right?

I have some JB bore paste, would there be any hope I could polish the scratch out a bit, or would I just likely be making matters worse. Could S&W help, or am I on my own since this was my fault?

Guess I should get on line at Midway.
 
I don't think you'll hurt anything with J&B Bore Cleaning Compound and I doubt you degraded the accuracy. You might try letting some solvent soak in the barrel overnight.
 
I doubt you did any real harm to it and before I did anything else, bore pastes, or whatever, take it out and shoot it. If it groups as good as before then life is good.
By the time you lap that bore with a few thousand rounds I doubt you'll be able to see anything but smooth metal.
 
Sounds like a plan. I feel so stupid. If I get a new barrel I promise never to clean it!
 
joes4570 said:
I doubt you did any real harm to it and before I did anything else, bore pastes, or whatever, take it out and shoot it. If it groups as good as before then life is good.
By the time you lap that bore with a few thousand rounds I doubt you'll be able to see anything but smooth metal.
Click to expand...


What he said.
f.t.
 
Couldn't have said it any better than this....Go shoot it before you do anything!

Randy

CAJUNLAWYER said:
How can you scratch a steel barrel with a brass brush????? I think you're making much ado about nothing. Those marks, if indeed they are marks were probably there from the get go-the more you look at them and fret over them-the bigger they get.. Me, I'd go shooting.
Click to expand...
 
"How can you scratch a steel barrel with a brass brush?????"

When your stupid scratched up Dewey coated rod jams the brush in, and you're wiggling and grabbing at it to pull them apart. I'm sure that it wasn't perfectly straight when I managed to wrench it free and reverse the brush. I wonder if the tip of the cleaning rod dinged the bore? Just think back to the last time you got something really stuck in a bore and had to pound on it or somehow get it out...

Wish I could take a picture, but I don't have a borescope. Hopefully it will be ok.
 
ShrinkMD said:
"How can you scratch a steel barrel with a brass brush?????"

When your stupid scratched up Dewey coated rod jams the brush in, and you're wiggling and grabbing at it to pull them apart. I'm sure that it wasn't perfectly straight when I managed to wrench it free and reverse the brush. I wonder if the tip of the cleaning rod dinged the bore? Just think back to the last time you got something really stuck in a bore and had to pound on it or somehow get it out...

Wish I could take a picture, but I don't have a borescope. Hopefully it will be ok.
Click to expand...
OK I'll give you that-but I still think you should shoot it first-I'm willing to bet that accuracy will be fine. And don't clean that barrel :D
 
If I were you, I would spend a little time on your couch and talk to myself until I felt better. Then I'd go out and put a few hundred rounds through the gun. That would be two kinds of therapy.
 
I'll shoot from the hip here and say that NOTHING you stick in your barrel should be, or would be, as hard as the barrel. I don't think cleaning rods exist that are harder than a barrel. And there are no brushes that are harder.

So while I understand your concern, I think you are seeing remnants of the rod or something other than barrel damage.

There are bore cleaners than dissolve metals and you could try one of those in your barrel. Bottom line, your barrel is pretty tough and damage from something that is meant to go in there would be extremely rare. ;)
 
Here's hoping you're correct! I will definitely polish it out with a few hundred rounds next range trip. Then I'll clean and see what there is to see. I wish I had Ransom rested it before this mishap.

I guess if and when my skills evolve to it I can always have Clark custom work it over.
 
What about Stainless Steel brushes?

First, let me agree that you did no damage with a bronze brush. Relax.
But can anyone tell me if stainless steel brushes safe to use?
 
I would not suggest using stainless steel brushes. But that being said, it is a brush, that will flex, and probably would not damage your barrel. I use to be a welder and anything of mine that was stainless never touched anything that was not stainless. If you use stainless with carbon steel, the stainless is no longer stainless.
 
My stupid thing

I put a rod with a bore mop down my 25--2 without opening the cylinder and when I tried to remove it it detached from the rod.This jammed the gun closed.I got lucky and used amuzzle loaded patch puller.....DUMB
 
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