Looking for guidance, diagnosis, recommendations

[Tanners Owner]

I used my S&W 581 no dash at a recent ICORE match and it was progressively spitting lead more and more throughout the match. What should I look for as the source and fix for this problem. I really enjoy shooting it, but want it to be safe for me and the ROs

My thoughts are it could be timing but not sure how to determine as it appears tight. What should I look at to determine cause?

Suspect if I sent it to S&W they'd say it's normal wear & not repair under warranty, so any recommendations who could help diagnose and repair?

 

[Protocall_Design]

For the timing, check to see that the cylinder locks into place on every chamber before the hammer falls. If it isn't all the way on one or more chambers, the bullet will get shaved off the right side as it passes from the cylinder into the barrel.

If shooting lead bullets, check for a leaded barrel in the forcing cone area. If that is leaded up, you need to look at the forcing cone. Make sure it's big enough and has a smooth surface. Also, check for barrel constriction where the barrel threads into the frame. You can do that with gage pins, or by driving a lead slug through the barrel, then measuring it's diameter.