Muzzle trashed...

[fleaflop]

Hey gang,... have you ever seen this type of corrosion and what could have caused it... I have never seen this type of thing from a firearm that has not been buried since WWII.
This is a new purchase of a used Shield 380 PC that looked to be in good shape except for the carbon.... The carbon was so thick, I suspected it had not been cleaned since new... and that was the reason I did not see the damage. wow.

 

[nra jim]

Someone did a number on the crown and the end of the rifling, Strange that it's only at the end and no corrosion on the outside of the barrel? Closest to that I have seen is a barrel on a 1911 that someone tried to alter the rifling profile, a relative who is a LEO here in Florida showed me one they had gotten from a car. I didn't see the actual barrel, just pictures.

Sent from my SM-T227U using Tapatalk

 

[TJm15.38]

That barrel is trashed, but I swear I don't know what would cause the corrosion that is inside the barrel and not elsewhere. My first thought is that it had been dipped in salt water, but no corrosion on the outside would seem to negate that idea. From your picture, I can only conclude that a previous owner tried to clean the bore with an acid or overly aggressive solvent and no oil.

 

[cololab]

Wet pocket lint, fuzz, dust bunnies, etc. will do that if left long enough in the muzzle.

 

[clang444]

Are you sure it's not just lead build up?

 

[BMCM]

Looks to me poorly made or faulty MIM barrel got by QC.
The porosity and erosion at the muzzle tells me they ran short of MIM goop to fill the mold on that one.

Cheers
Bill

 

[stansdds]

Maybe the port in the barrel is not a factory item and Bubba cut the port with a cutting torch?

 

[cracker57]

Left in a leather holster for a very long time?

 

[.455_Hunter]

Looks to me poorly made or faulty MIM barrel got by QC.
The porosity and erosion at the muzzle tells me they ran short of MIM goop to fill the mold on that one.

Cheers
Bill

I don't think MIM is used for barrels.

 

[ACORN]

Man, that’s ugly.

 

[BMCM]

I don't think MIM is used for barrels.

A brief search on this forum will yield copious discussion on MIM barrels, even linked video clip wherein a still of a J-frame MIM barrel is displayed.

Image search via google one finds images of bodyguard 380 barrels with the telltale parting line where the halves of the mold meet.

Cheers
Bill

 

[AJ]

Looks sort of like salt water to me also. But would think there would be other evidence of that type of corrosion in other places.

 

[fleaflop]

Lots of good ideas there, but why not on the crown? or outside of the barrel.... those two spots look new, or at least age appropriate. The rest of the rifling looks fine also... Corporate says this is what the model is called: M&P 380Shield Ported PC EZ. Made Aug.2020. Say that five times fast!.... I also sent the images to S&W, I think they may be stunned, confused like everyone here,... cause have not seen a reply.

   

 

[Autonomous]

Dropped in mud and only outside cleaned off?

 

[Rpg]

As ugly as it is, it may deliver quite acceptable accuracy. After all, it’s not a dedicated bullseye pistol.

I don’t see anything that would make it unsafe to shoot.

If it was my pistol, I’d shoot it. Would you?

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

As I ask on the other forum. Why did you buy it?

 

[oink]

Maybe have it trimmed back to slide length, unless barrels are cheap. Why do you need porting on a 380.

 

[fleaflop]

Porting, was the way it was manufactured... I bought it because it was an online auction, coated in carbon (inside barrel, and frame) but could not see that anyway with images of the gun. The images looked like a brand new pistol, but was not expecting that. I had the same thought as Auton... buried in mud since 1942, but only the inside tip of the barrel,...except it was built in Aug. of 2020. In fact, i seriously doubt if the seller even knew about the damage.... the carbon on the barrel has been piling up for some time... it took several cleanings to remove it. Hard to say, but I would guess the round count to be less than 1000, judging by the wear everywhere else.

 

[Breakaway500]

That is nasty, Maybe S&W would replace it under warranty?

 

[s&wchad]

Are you sure it's not just lead build up?

It's hard to tell from the photo, but I suspect clang444 is correct. Soak the muzzle in some cleaning solvent for a few days and go at it with some copper Chore Boy wrapped around a bore brush.

 

[AJ]

Scrub it well as suggested. Try shooting it and see how it does, it may surprise you(one way or the other). You can ask S&W about replacing the barrel (they may, but I doubt it). Or just see if you can find a ported barrel for it and replace it. Keep us posted.

 

[fleaflop]

currently communicating with S&W... They want to take a look at it. I am gonna shoot it today.... Into the breach!

 

[fleaflop]

the ez shot ok,... at 15 yards, not great, could be sights, prob. me, first 25 rounds, and not sure if the barrel was going to come apart in my hands. No excuses, prob. me... Its not a target pistol, fairly smooth shooter,. I dont really get the ported barrel part but shot ok with a trashed muzzle.

 

[LVSteve]

Does it look the same after shooting? Did you use jacketed ammo?

 

[fleaflop]

yes and yes,....Monarch 94gr FMJs w polymer coating and steel casings, 14.00 worth. If you mean, does the damage seem worse:?.... not really.

 

[bruce381]

hard to see the depth looks like crud to me. re crowning the muzzle will clear that up and is far cheaper than a new barrel or just shoot it

 

[fleaflop]

Do most machine shops re crown barrels? where would I get a price on a re crown? That would cut down the barrel past the port. 3/8" at least. Would not that effect accuracy as much as the damage? maybe more?

 

[wachuko]

What is the cost to replace it?

 

[D Brown]

I have a theory, but there's no way to prove it.

Somehow, a kid or group of kids got hold of this gun and a package of Black Cats. He/They then proceeded to stick firecrackers into the muzzle and light them to make a noise and smoke just like a loaded gun. When the fun was over, (out of firecrackers) the gun was returned to its original storage location and the black powder fouled bore was not discovered by the owner until after severe corrosion had set in. A cleanup attempt would have cleared out the rust but left the damage from pitting.

Just a theory.

 

[fleaflop]

I think thats exactly right!!