1911Tuner
Moderator Emeritus
Maybe not.
I took an unplanned, spur of the moment trip to the range today to shoot my single-actions and decided to run a few 90% top-end .357 loads through my 3-inch Model 13...the one that's been my more or less constant companion for the last 6 months. The ammunition was my own 160-grain cast SWC and 13.5 grains of 2400. Not a wimp load by any stretch, but neither is it a Grizzly killer. Perfect in my Blackhawk and 681. A pretty good handful in the 3 and 4-inch Model 13s.
Before I go any further, let me note that this little revolver has seen very little use in the 25 years that I've had it. Carried a lot and seldom shot...it's probably seen no more than 200 rounds, and only about half that with magnum-class ammunition.
It did something that I haven't seen a revolver do in a good many years. Used to see it a lot in 4-inch Model 29s firing "Keith" type ammunition. Occasionally in a well-used Super Blackhawk. A couple times in K-frame .357s that had a lot of rounds down the pipe.
I ripped off two fast rounds, and on the third pull, the hammer fell on a dead chamber.
I knew immediately what had happened, so I tried again. This time, it clicked on the second pull.
What occurred was that the heavy recoil compressed the bolt spring far enough to release the cylinder when the muzzle climbed skyward. When the gun torqued, the cylinder stood still and indexed the previous chamber...with an empty case...to move under the hammer on the next pull. Click.
Not a problem on the range. In an emergency...could be a big problem.
I switched to my normal range load for the K-frames consisting of the same bullet and 6.5 grains of Unique. It's plenty healthy, beating the pants off the vaunted .38 Special +P 158 LSWCHP...but not even close to the violence of the other one. Ripped off 6 rounds in about 3 seconds with nary a problem.
So....It looks like I'll be ordering a new bolt spring soon. I don't think I've got one out in the parts drawer, dagnabbit.
Lesson:
Ya might wanna run a few test rounds through that little revolver that almost never gets shot. It might hold an unpleasant surprise if it happens to be on hand for an Up to your Crotch in Crocodiles moment.
I took an unplanned, spur of the moment trip to the range today to shoot my single-actions and decided to run a few 90% top-end .357 loads through my 3-inch Model 13...the one that's been my more or less constant companion for the last 6 months. The ammunition was my own 160-grain cast SWC and 13.5 grains of 2400. Not a wimp load by any stretch, but neither is it a Grizzly killer. Perfect in my Blackhawk and 681. A pretty good handful in the 3 and 4-inch Model 13s.
Before I go any further, let me note that this little revolver has seen very little use in the 25 years that I've had it. Carried a lot and seldom shot...it's probably seen no more than 200 rounds, and only about half that with magnum-class ammunition.
It did something that I haven't seen a revolver do in a good many years. Used to see it a lot in 4-inch Model 29s firing "Keith" type ammunition. Occasionally in a well-used Super Blackhawk. A couple times in K-frame .357s that had a lot of rounds down the pipe.
I ripped off two fast rounds, and on the third pull, the hammer fell on a dead chamber.
I knew immediately what had happened, so I tried again. This time, it clicked on the second pull.
What occurred was that the heavy recoil compressed the bolt spring far enough to release the cylinder when the muzzle climbed skyward. When the gun torqued, the cylinder stood still and indexed the previous chamber...with an empty case...to move under the hammer on the next pull. Click.
Not a problem on the range. In an emergency...could be a big problem.
I switched to my normal range load for the K-frames consisting of the same bullet and 6.5 grains of Unique. It's plenty healthy, beating the pants off the vaunted .38 Special +P 158 LSWCHP...but not even close to the violence of the other one. Ripped off 6 rounds in about 3 seconds with nary a problem.
So....It looks like I'll be ordering a new bolt spring soon. I don't think I've got one out in the parts drawer, dagnabbit.
Lesson:
Ya might wanna run a few test rounds through that little revolver that almost never gets shot. It might hold an unpleasant surprise if it happens to be on hand for an Up to your Crotch in Crocodiles moment.