jad0110
Member
Blown cylinder chamber (correction: expanded chamber) - here is what one looks like
I am posting this as a cautionary tale to those who buy used revolvers.
This is not something that shows up on the Revolver Checkout procedure at the top of the forum. Maybe I'll see if we can get this one added, with a photo or two.
Anyway, I bought a 2" S&W Model 15-2 a year ago, made in 1965. It is one of my favorite carry guns, and apparently it had a blown chamber ever since I bought it and I didn't notice it until my sister tried it out last month .
Whenever I eject spent casing, I do so with the muzzle pointed skyward, giving the ejector rod a good thwack with my free hand to clear the spent cases. I was aware that I was getting a sticking case issue on one chamber, but I always thought that chamber was running just a little tight, similar to my K-22. In fact, I had considered taking it to a local smith to do just a touch of reaming on that chamber.
When my sister tried the gun last month, she ejected the cases with a much gentler technique and couldn't get the case out of that chamber. Not even close. As I pulled the case out, I could sense it dragging on one spot and got that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I new at that moment what the problem was before I even looked.
Sure enough, there it was. A ripple on the inside of an otherwise smooth chamber wall, directly opposite from the cylinder stop notch. Looked kinda like a door ding on a car. The brass itself had swelled into that chamber indentation, which was plainly visible with just the naked eye.
I took the gun to Matt Almeda (http://www.revolverarmorer.com/) to have the cylinder replaced with a new-used one. Such a job can run as high as $200+ (parts plus labor) if a lot of fitting is required. I lucked out and came in at the extreme low end of the spectrum: about $100 for everything!
So the gun is fixed, but I've learned a valuable lesson. In addition to a flashlight and feeler gauges, I now bring along a boresnake or two in a ziplock bag to clean not just the chambers, but the bore as well, if needed.
Learn from my misfortune.
Anway, here are some pictures. The blown chamber is at the top right in the first two pics, and in the far right in the last.
I am posting this as a cautionary tale to those who buy used revolvers.
This is not something that shows up on the Revolver Checkout procedure at the top of the forum. Maybe I'll see if we can get this one added, with a photo or two.
Anyway, I bought a 2" S&W Model 15-2 a year ago, made in 1965. It is one of my favorite carry guns, and apparently it had a blown chamber ever since I bought it and I didn't notice it until my sister tried it out last month .
Whenever I eject spent casing, I do so with the muzzle pointed skyward, giving the ejector rod a good thwack with my free hand to clear the spent cases. I was aware that I was getting a sticking case issue on one chamber, but I always thought that chamber was running just a little tight, similar to my K-22. In fact, I had considered taking it to a local smith to do just a touch of reaming on that chamber.
When my sister tried the gun last month, she ejected the cases with a much gentler technique and couldn't get the case out of that chamber. Not even close. As I pulled the case out, I could sense it dragging on one spot and got that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. I new at that moment what the problem was before I even looked.
Sure enough, there it was. A ripple on the inside of an otherwise smooth chamber wall, directly opposite from the cylinder stop notch. Looked kinda like a door ding on a car. The brass itself had swelled into that chamber indentation, which was plainly visible with just the naked eye.
I took the gun to Matt Almeda (http://www.revolverarmorer.com/) to have the cylinder replaced with a new-used one. Such a job can run as high as $200+ (parts plus labor) if a lot of fitting is required. I lucked out and came in at the extreme low end of the spectrum: about $100 for everything!
So the gun is fixed, but I've learned a valuable lesson. In addition to a flashlight and feeler gauges, I now bring along a boresnake or two in a ziplock bag to clean not just the chambers, but the bore as well, if needed.
Learn from my misfortune.
Anway, here are some pictures. The blown chamber is at the top right in the first two pics, and in the far right in the last.
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