Used 360pd questions

[Jromenitsch]

Hello everyone!
I just picked up a used 360pd and noticed some things about it that are making me wonder. Yoke gap and the cylender play are more pronounced than on my 29. Is that normal on these newer J frames? small pressure on the right side of the cylender can spread the yoke gap. Just barley.

Secondly, I noticed a small scratch on the forcing cone. Could it indicate a timing or alignment issue or is it just a blemish?

I'm not to familiar with j frames. I think these things are normal but I really just don't know.

 

[michpatriot]

Yours still looks nice and tight..mine also had cylinder side to side rock.. They do get a lil sloppy after a while..have two..sent one back and they did a bit of smithing..replaced the plunger in the barrel shroud that grabs the end of the ejector rod and keeps it closed in the front..they used a flatter faced more robust older style and i also had a steel yoke installed in place of the aluminum one..that cured it..when I close mine I make sure that I'm not putting any forward pressure on the cylinder so it doesn't scrape the forcing cone\barrel..with the ti-cylinder..

 

[michpatriot]

The steel yoke..

I consider this a must for a 340 that is going to see a lot of heavy loads..it locks up like a vault now..it weighs 12.1oz now.

 

[michpatriot]

Look up ti-cyl-face erosion.. Pay attention..no scrubbing on the titanium with chlorinated cleaners.. And my personal no-no is..not any rounds Hornady! I had erosion with Hornady rounds in short order! and they were heavier than the minimum.
Heavier is better for bullet weight to a point..then bullet pull is real. I like 135gr. Or 150-8gr hardcast. I personally don't really clean my ti- any more than is functional-y necessary..mine now live well..but I am weird and don't mind a bit of sooty look.

 

[Forefinger]

The photos seem to show some slight erosion perhaps due to too light of projectiles used. Looks mostly to be cosmetic at this time. I wouldn't be overly concerned about that or the scratch. Obtain an online copy of the owners manual from S&W.

I love my 360PD for CCW; I think you will enjoy yours as well.

 

[Jromenitsch]

Thanks for the replies. A steel yoke sounds like a good call. Can you specifically request steel parts from them or do they just make that determination for you? I wouldn't be opposed to a steel cylender either if I eventually have to start replacing things. As far as cleaning; I only use CLP and a nylon brush. But who knows what was done to it before.

 

[Forefinger]

In case you don't know, S&W clearly warns not to use ammo with projectiles less than 120gn to avoid cylinder erosion. The prior owner may not have heeded that warning.

 

[413Maxwedge]

I have a comment and some questions. First, that crane gap worries me. My M&P 340 (your gun's close cousin) has about 1200 rounds of .38+p through it and shows almost zero flex when I press hard on the right side of cylinder. Maybe one sheet of paper's thickness of movement. Maybe.

My questions are about errosion from light ammo since I am not familiar with this. Is this only for titanium cylinders? Why does lighter ammo lead to cylinder errosion? My cylinder is steel, but I was looking at a PC 327 N frame with a Ti cylinder.

Thanks

 

[joebuck]

Looks fine. Just use it as is. There is no erosion on the cylinder face, so you are good to go. Just shoot it. I wouldn't change the crane either. Just practice with .38 specials and then some heavier grain magnums if you want. There is a wealth of info if you search for it on the Ti cylinder within the forum.

 

[ImDrRich]

The 360 is a great gun if you like continual punishment. It is no fun to shoot in .357 magnum and not too much fun in .38 spl +P.

It is definitely NOT a range gun despite the fact that one should practice with the gun he carries. YMMV.

 

[Forefinger]

The 360 is a great gun if you like continual punishment. It is no fun to shoot in .357 magnum and not too much fun in .38 spl +P.

It is definitely NOT a range gun despite the fact that one should practice with the gun he carries. YMMV.

You've got that straight. Any owner clearly understands that a 340 or 360PD is not a range toy after one range trip. For me range trips with my 360PD is simply to maintain some level of proficiency for my wonderfully light and easy to carry CCW.

Now back to the OP's questions. S&W warns that damage to the firearm, particularly the titanium cylinder can occur with 120gn or less projectiles. There are many advantages of a scandium frame and titanium cylinder wheel gun, but one must heed the factory manual concerning care, cleaning and ammo recommendations.