Smith J Frame Hammer Pull Difficulty After Night of Firing Lead Bullets.

[Redleg2814]

I spent a few hours at the range last night firing .38 +p reloads (lead bullets, Winchester 231 powder) through my S&W 60-10. I put approximately 150 rounds through the revolver before it started "stiffening" up and getting very gunked up (for lack of technical term).

After a mild cleaning, the cylinder spins like it once did and the cylinder and crane rotate as they once did.

However...when I pull back the hammer, at about every 4th or 5th hammer pull, the hammer gets stuck and becomes difficult to pull back. The trigger also becomes difficult to pull in DA. After I pull through, the action becomes smooth again for 3-4 pulls and then gets tough.

Can anybody offer some advice? What could be happening in the action that causes this? Is there a specific part of the revolver I want to target with a lead remover?

Thanks.

 

[Coaltminer]

First 2 things I would check-make sure that it's clean under the extractor, check to make sure the ejector rod is tight, left to tighten. Perhaps others can think of other things to look for. Good luck with it.

 

[panamajack310]

Does your model 60 still have the lock or have you removed it??? That could be part of the problem. Next take off the side plate and take a look at what is happening inside when you cock the hammer and it does get stuck. There could be fouling in the internals. There could be a problem with a spring... etc,

 

[scattershot]

Dollars to doughnuts, it's gunk under the extractor star. You can clean it out with a toothbrush.

 

[snubbiefan]

Yep....seems to be something related to one bore, or extractor dragging at one spot. If simply shooting a lot of cast bullets could cause a problem.....none of mine would be shooting. Hold it up to a light and see if you can detect where it's dragging. Peek thru the BTCG area and the recoil shield area and you'll find the "spot".

 

[Redleg2814]

Alright...to answer/clarify...

1) This revolver (60-10) does not have the lock.
2) I hope no one thinks I was suggesting lead bullets = bad. I was trying to provide as much info as possible to the issue.

I spent more time cleaning tonight and addressing those recommended areas. This pretty much resolved the issue. I usually clean that area very well and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I would have never guessed that was the issue. Thanks all for your responses.

Of course...this cleaning helped me discover something else that I know wasn't there before....

Inside the barrel, closer to the breech, the bore has what I can best describe as "splotch" marks. I've been using Remington 40-X Bore Cleaner with Rem Oil on a Viper Bore Snake. This has always cleaned the bore of my revolver/pistols very well.

Any thoughts on this?

Thanks again for the first issue resolution.

 

[Gunhacker]

What kind of lead bullets are you using, hard cast, plain swagged lead?

What you're describing... the cylinder and crane rotating normally after cleaning, splotches in the bore.. all sounds like a classic case of severe lead fouling from hot roding too soft of a lead bullet.

How does the face of the cylinder look? You can definitely get cylinder rotation binding due to lead fouling on the cylinder face and rear of the barrel that reduces the barrel/cylinder gap.

I learned all of this the hard way shooting the first box of ammo I bought and shot through my first gun... factory Remington (swagged) 158 gr. SWC lead 357 Mag rounds from my Model 28-2. About 3/4 the way through the box, the gun started to bind and finally the cylinder would not turn in D/A mode.

When I got home and examined the gun, I could see that the barrel/cylinder gap was just about nonexistent. I looked at the bore, the lead fouling was so bad that after I corked the breech of the barrel and poured Hoppes #9 in the barrel to soak, when I ran a brush through, a 4" long strip of lead the width of the rifling grove came out in.

 

[Redleg2814]

What kind of lead bullets are you using, hard cast, plain swagged lead?

What you're describing... the cylinder and crane rotating normally after cleaning, splotches in the bore.. all sounds like a classic case of severe lead fouling from hot roding too soft of a lead bullet.

How does the face of the cylinder look? You can definitely get cylinder rotation binding due to lead fouling on the cylinder face and rear of the barrel that reduces the barrel/cylinder gap.

I learned all of this the hard way shooting the first box of ammo I bought and shot through my first gun... factory Remington (swagged) 158 gr. SWC lead 357 Mag rounds from my Model 28-2. About 3/4 the way through the box, the gun started to bind and finally the cylinder would not turn in D/A mode.

When I got home and examined the gun, I could see that the barrel/cylinder gap was just about nonexistent. I looked at the bore, the lead fouling was so bad that after I corked the breech of the barrel and poured Hoppes #9 in the barrel to soak, when I ran a brush through, a 4" long strip of lead the width of the rifling grove came out in.

Thanks for the informative response. I do not know the type of bullet. These are being made by a local guy and sold at my LGS for about $25 for 500. Is there a way to determine if they are hard cast or plain?

For preventative medicine, are you recommending I lighten the powder in the bullet? I've been thinking of going to plated bullets in the future.

After those 100 plus rounds last night, the revolver struggled to fire in DA, as you mentioned.

Are the splotches in the barrel permanent? Or is there something I can do to clear it up?

Thanks.

 

[arjay]

Get some chore boy copper wool at the grocery store.Wrap a bit of it around an old bore brush and scrub the barrel.You'll have a pile of lead shavings in no time at all.

 

[snubbiefan]

You can purchase lead hardness testers, but it sounds like you purchase your slugs and don't want/need to bother with how they are cast. You could ask the guy what he uses. Lead is generally a slang term for just about any cast bullet. The better ones will contain some small percentage of tin or antimony and old wheel weights seem to be the perfect alloy for bullet casting. If you're shooting hot loads under lead....you need to consider a gas seal on the base. Shooting pure lead slugs is okay.....just takes a bit more cleaning and care. You can usually purchase jacketed slugs for close to the price you're paying for the lead ones, or only a cent-or-two more and just avoid the problem altogether. You can find jacketed slugs at competitive prices, or slugs from providers that will list the hardness measurement, if you look in the right place. The only reason I shoot mostly cast bullets is because I cast them myself.

 

[tbury]

One test for hardness is to use your finger nail. If you can dent the bullet it is very soft and either swaged or a high concentration lead alloy. Midway and Brownells sell lead removal cloths which will clean up fouling on the face of SS cylinders. Do not use them on blued metal or alloys. Chore boy or bronze brush scrubbing will work you just have to do it until the fouling is gone.

 

[gwalchmai]

I'd like to buy some of those boolits if the guy wants to sell $50/1000.

 

[blujax01]

You just shot 150 rounds of .38 through a .357.
I would check to see if the bases of one or more cases are dragging on the breech face.
It is common for the chambers to be so filthy after extended .38 use that the rounds will no longer seat properly.

 

[snubbiefan]

That is a great suggestion. Never crossed my mind (that tends to happen as I get older). It's so easy to foul a 357 chamber if all you shoot is 38-special in it.

 

[blujax01]

I've managed to save enough .357 cases that it is not an issue for me. If I'm not feeling like handling the magnum recoil, I just load them light.

 

[snubbiefan]

Which is exactly what I do.

 

[Redleg2814]

Thanks for the discussion. Can you elaborate on the firing .38 through a .357? I'm not understanding what is actually happening here that is bad. Thanks.

 

[climbcut25]

The .38 case is shorter than the .357. As a direct result there will be a carbon/fowling ring in the chambers at the mouth of the shorter case. This will "hang up" on the longer .357, keeping them from seating fully.

 

[Frank V]

As Climbcut said fouling will fill up the 1/10" in the chamber that the .38 Specials don't fill. The .38 Special is about 1/10" shorter than the .357 Mag. You can carry a .38 cal bronze cleaning brush, cleaning rod, solvent, & a few cotton patches, with you & about every 50 rounds or so give the chambers a cleaning. This will go a long way towards keeping your gun running fine. It's not something that will permanently damage your gun, it just needs cleaning now & then & after every range session.
Good shooting.
Frank

 

[blujax01]

According to Alliant's web site: Alliant Powder - Reloader's Guide

A 158 grain Speer LSWC over 3.9 grains of Bullseye in a .38 spl case is classified as "+P" at 919 fps.

The same 158 grain Speer LSWC over 4.8 grains of Bullseye in a .357 case runs at 939 fps.

Cleaner shooting, same felt recoil. Better accuracy.

For the cost of less than a grain of powder?

Seems reasonable to me.