Has anyone seen this problem - 351PD
- Thread starter Talldog
- Start date
Temperature and humidity can also make the issue more easily apparent. Most likely that is why you had trouble free outings initially. Smith may fix it, but it may take a couple trips. If not, others have mentioned how to potentially address it.
"It's around 100 bucks for a reamer and after fixing the problem, you still have the reamer if you or a friend ever needs to do it again."
... Spending an extra $100.00 for reamer to fix the problem is not economically feasible for the purchaser of the 351 PD. Why spend $100.00 when S&W will fix it under warranty and free of cost? The MSRP on the 351 PD is $839.00 ... if you buy the reamer at $100.00 a pop then you end up with a $939.00 purchase. And if you should botch the cylinder up ... well, the price probably goes up another $200.00 plus to buy a new cylinder ... now you're into $1139.00 (probably should have skipped the 351 PD intially bought the 360 PD instead) and let's not forget the additional price of proper tools to do a proper job ... maybe an extra $100.00 as well. Now you just purchasd a $839.00 351 PD for $1239.00 dollars. (all of sudden you realize for an extra 200.00 or so, you could have bought yourself a new colt python with the 3 inch barrel... so now you spent $1439.00 and you have a new colt python!!! life is good. But wait there is more ... you always wanted a S&W 351 PD, but you don't have the money. However, you post an add saying you would like to trade up your new colt python for a S&W 351 PD. And so it happens. You no longer have your Colt Python with the 3" barrel, but you have a used S&W 351 PD. As for the moment of truth, you just spent $1439.00 on a used 351 PD. Sounds like a sweet deal doesn't it? Why ream yourself out with extra cost, when S&W will fix it for free? I'm feeling hungry now, anyone up for Applebees?
... Spending an extra $100.00 for reamer to fix the problem is not economically feasible for the purchaser of the 351 PD. Why spend $100.00 when S&W will fix it under warranty and free of cost? The MSRP on the 351 PD is $839.00 ... if you buy the reamer at $100.00 a pop then you end up with a $939.00 purchase. And if you should botch the cylinder up ... well, the price probably goes up another $200.00 plus to buy a new cylinder ... now you're into $1139.00 (probably should have skipped the 351 PD intially bought the 360 PD instead) and let's not forget the additional price of proper tools to do a proper job ... maybe an extra $100.00 as well. Now you just purchasd a $839.00 351 PD for $1239.00 dollars. (all of sudden you realize for an extra 200.00 or so, you could have bought yourself a new colt python with the 3 inch barrel... so now you spent $1439.00 and you have a new colt python!!! life is good. But wait there is more ... you always wanted a S&W 351 PD, but you don't have the money. However, you post an add saying you would like to trade up your new colt python for a S&W 351 PD. And so it happens. You no longer have your Colt Python with the 3" barrel, but you have a used S&W 351 PD. As for the moment of truth, you just spent $1439.00 on a used 351 PD. Sounds like a sweet deal doesn't it? Why ream yourself out with extra cost, when S&W will fix it for free? I'm feeling hungry now, anyone up for Applebees?
While, I have reamed quite a few cylinders and almost every K22 cylinder I own, I would hesitate to ream an aluminum one. I am sure the reamer would cut fine, but I am not sure what finish got applied to the interior of those aluminum chambers. IF they were anodized reaming them would remove that and most people could not put it back.
I am not a fan of lubricating the chambers of any firearm. I understand protecting the chamber from corrosion, but CLP and many oils will dry and leave a film in the chamber. That film can be just enough to cause chambering and/or extraction issues.
cmj8591
Member
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AgentM
Member
If you ream the aluminum cylinder of your 351PD, you will destroy it. My 351PD, purchased over four years ago, has gone between 500-600 rounds without a hiccup. I clean the chambers and bore with a nylon-bristle 22cal pistol brush and Break Free CLP. I swab everything dry with RamRodz 22caliber swabs. I make sure the swabs come out clean. The RamRods swabs are also used to initially swab the chambers and bore with BreakFree CLP prior to brushing.
My ammo is mostly Hornady Critical Defense or VMax. I tried a few cylinders of Aguila, but that stuff shot dirty. The Hornady ammo will get me through almost two qual courses (120 rounds) before the chambers are noticeably dirty.
My ammo is mostly Hornady Critical Defense or VMax. I tried a few cylinders of Aguila, but that stuff shot dirty. The Hornady ammo will get me through almost two qual courses (120 rounds) before the chambers are noticeably dirty.
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After you get the gun back from S&W, do not use any lube in the cylinder charge holes. Cleaning them is proper and necessary for proper function but leave them clean and dry when done.
When ejecting fired cases, tilt the barrel upwards so any case debris falls out with the empty cases instead of falling into the charge holes.
When ejecting fired cases, tilt the barrel upwards so any case debris falls out with the empty cases instead of falling into the charge holes.
Way more guns and barrels are ruined by over zealous cleaning that by leaving them dirty. Black powder excepted
I concur that is true for improperly cleaned barrels, but not so much for cylinders. A dirty cylinder on a straight wall case will tend to grab case walls and cause extraction problems. This is more noticeable on revolvers because extraction is by hand rather than by a gas or blow-back operated slide extracting the case, but in extreme instances, even semi autos can exhibit problems, including ripping off part of the rim. However as I said with revolvers, pointing the muzzle skyward before extracting the shells will help prevent leaving debris in the cylinder and help ensure a more pleasurable range day.
cmj8591
Member
Why would it destroy it?
Because it is very likely anodized aluminum and you would remove the anodizing from inside the chambers. The anodized coating is harder than bare aluminum.
Although 22 ammo is usually pretty dirty and K22 cylinders tight. Yet, I once fires over 1000 rounds from my 18-4 with out any problems and not cleaning it.
I agree cylinders should be kept clean. But a couple passes with a brush, then a couple swabs with cotton patches from time to time is enough on a properly sized cylinder. Ejecting muzzle up is very important with any revolver.
Scrubbing every bit of carbon mark off the cylinder and barrel extension is a waste of time if you plan on shooting it again.
Lots of people go way over board cleaning the guns they shoot even if they only shoot them every few years. But, then I live in a area with low humidity
Although 22 ammo is usually pretty dirty and K22 cylinders tight. Yet, I once fires over 1000 rounds from my 18-4 with out any problems and not cleaning it.
I agree cylinders should be kept clean. But a couple passes with a brush, then a couple swabs with cotton patches from time to time is enough on a properly sized cylinder. Ejecting muzzle up is very important with any revolver.
Scrubbing every bit of carbon mark off the cylinder and barrel extension is a waste of time if you plan on shooting it again.
Lots of people go way over board cleaning the guns they shoot even if they only shoot them every few years. But, then I live in a area with low humidity
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cmj8591
Member
Will reaming the chamber remove enough material to get beneath the anodizing? If it does remove all or most of it, being on the inside of the chamber, would it make a difference?
The cylinder is made from an aluminum alloy. What it is coated with inside the charge holes or even if it coated, I do not know, but I would not risk using a reamer on it. As Steelslaver suggests, a few passes with a bush and the proper solvent should be sufficient on all but the dirtiest of chambers. The fact that the OP's gun functioned flawlessly for several hundrend rounds before starting to seize up indicates a cleaning issue, even if that issue resulted from leaving the wrong cleaning/lube substance sitting in the chamber for too long. Again, chambers need to be clean.
Bill Lear
Member
Well, the chambers can't be getting smaller. It's either non-standard ammo, or chamber debris not properly cleaned out.
I guess it could be aliens or ghosts.
My vote is for the extra lube ( clp in this case) causing the issue. Cylinder chambers should be dry not oiled. Clp is pretty thick and has the effect of a sort of hydraulic effect that causes sticking.
Make sure chambers are bone dry and try again will probably work fine
Make sure chambers are bone dry and try again will probably work fine
What does the user manual suggest for cleaning the cylinder's chambers?
Since it's aluminum do they say no bronze brushes, only nylon, since it might get scratched causing an extraction problem?
.
Since it's aluminum do they say no bronze brushes, only nylon, since it might get scratched causing an extraction problem?
.
Before the hassle of shipping it back, I would Thoroughly clean the chambers (bronze brush, Hoppe’s #9). Run ‘em through Several times in each chamber. Then dry patch each chamber a couple times till the tight patches come out clean. Since it worked w/o issues for 30 cylinders full it’s very unlikely it’s the chambers themselves-more likely carbon/invisible crud in the chambers. Clean them and then try a couple quality rounds. In betting that’ll solve the issue. (It did on mine)
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