New 617 Leading - Send Back or Not

[InTheWoods]

Just bought a new 4" 617. I am an old guy not new to SW rimfire revolvers and own several others at this time. I shoot them a LOT (backyard range). This is the first one that leads the bore, and it does so badly .

The amount varies by brand of ammo, but seems worse with my favorite CCI Minimags. Minimags generally give folks the least trouble with leading. The problem with the leading seems to be at the forward section of the forcing cone and the first little bit of rifled bore, and it appears worse at the 5 to 7 o'clock portion of the bore. Small sheets of lead come out of the bore with a brush after only 20 rounds! Again, I have zero problems with any of my other SW .22s (34, 35, 63, 18, etc.) leading even after hundreds of rounds. Maybe I have just been lucky with the others.

I have searched several older posts about this issue and many folks seem to say it is common (not to me!) and live with it, others give hints on cleaning the lead out (shouldn't have to), and a few say send it back to Smith.

Am I wrong to wanting Smith to work on this forcing cone issue, or just live with?

 

[Aerocross]

Have you used a straw to check if the cylinder is in line with the barrel/forcing cone?

 

[H Richard]

I think I would call the S&W repair center and discuss the problem. I expect they will want you to send it back to them so they can determine what the problem is. My guess is cylinder throats oversized (unusual) or timing/lockup not correct.

 

[dusty3030]

I'd check all the throats in the cylinder as well. If they (or a few) are too tight / undersized that can cause it.

 

[InTheWoods]

All the chambers line up correctly with the bore.

 

[InTheWoods]

Just called Smith and Wesson. Had an extremely nice conversation with a 'Jared'. They emailed me a Fedex return label within one minute of the phone call. Best let them take a look at it first, I guess.

 

[amazingflapjack]

If it's a new gun, I would guess that it ain't the ammo. JMTCW.

 

[SLT223]

Yeah, that's probably undersized throats from a chamber reamer that's been in the cylinder cutting process too long. Easy fix for your gun by S&W.

 

[Macinaw]

I had to ream the cylinders' throats to bring them up to SAAMI specification.