Mis-Bored Chambers on a Security Six?

[rnovi]

Ok, I have Security Six. Like the gun, but I've got a problem. It appears that three of the chambers are mis-bored.

Starting with a perfectly clean gun, insert six rounds:

Chamber 1: Fits reloads and factory rounds perfectly.
Chamber 2: as above.
Chamber 3: as above.

Chamber 4: Fits Factory perfectly, reloads on insertion just a touch "sticky" on insertion.
Chamber 5: Fits factory, but reloads on insertion are very sticky.
Chamber 6: Fits factory, but reloads on insertion are very sticky.


The same reloads that stick on isnertion in my Security Six do NOT stick in my GP100. And mind you, the Security Six only sticks in three of the cylinders.

So, three chambers are tight. BUT, and here's the dilemna - factory loads fit just fine. It reloads that show the tightness.


Suggestions? I can assure you it's not a cylinder cleaning question!

 

[Wil Terry]

SOLUTION....

A chambering reamer.

 

[rnovi]

Wil,

Help me out just a bit more...what is a chambering reamer? Is this something a slightly better than average Joe shadetree mech can do? Where do I get said "reamer"? How does it work?

 

[Cosmoline]

Let's not be too quick to ream. Are you sure your ratchet is aligned correctly? I've seen that in Sixes before. I had one that needed one ratchet filed down a hair, then everything fit smoothly. Check fit WITHOUT the ratchet.

 

[rnovi]

Ok, disassembled the cylinder - the #6 & #1 chambers are the tightest. I'm not convinced that the ejector isn't exacerbating the problem a bit, but the cylinder is a bit tight.

Now, it WILL accept factory brand new loads without issue. It's reloads that give me a bit of problem (and then only in two chambers).

Is this something that is factory repairable? (Given that the revo takes factory ammo I'm thinking no...)

 

[Cosmoline]

If factories fit in all six, I'm not convinced there's anything wrong to fix. I would NOT go to the extreme step of a reamer unless it jams up on factory loads. Remember, a tighter chamber will be more accurate. If your handloads are the problem, then you might look to them for a fix.

What are you doing to resize your handloads? You can run the loaded rounds back through the resizer with the decapper removed to tighten up and bumps that may be created.

 

[GrandmasterB]

I had a similar problem with a Colt revolver, where my handloads were too tight but factory rounds worked. I then found that I had a stress crack on one side of my press and the reloads I was making were not being sized correctly. They worked in some of my other guns with more generous chamber dimensions, but not on the Colt which had very tight specs. I got the press worked on and haven't had a problem since.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

I would try a different sizing die or 2 before I even touched the cylinder bores.

Most likely you have chambers on the tight side of spec, and a sizing die on the loose side. So when you add the 2 variances together you have trouble.

A benifit to the tighter chambers would be your brass should last longer.

Thought:
Sticky all the way down? Or just the last little bit?

 

[NORTEXED]

Also you might spray a few reloads with some Dykum, gently insert, taking care to mark the rim of the case on the inside of the cylinder, and see if all cases are rubbing in the same place.

 

[JNewell]

You've diagnosed it yourself...

So, three chambers are tight. BUT, and here's the dilemna - factory loads fit just fine. It reloads that show the tightness.

The factory response is going to be, I can guarantee, "we chamber our guns for factory ammunition, period." I would be looking at why the reloads are sticky. Are the reloads yours or commercial? If they're yours, do you full length resize (is the die adjusted to size the case fully)? Any chance the die is worn? The problem you are talking about is interesting...there ought to be an answer.

 

[Confederate]

Did you buy this gun new? If not, there are some unscrupulous owners switching parts. One fellow years ago tried to sell me a Security-Six that was totally screwed up. It had an excessive b/c gap. They cylinder and yoke assembly didn't seem to fit right. I suspect he took the cylinder and put it in another SS, then tried to sell me the hybrid.

It was in time and would have shot, but it was clear to me that the fitting was terrible. Your story sounds like you may have a similar problem. It's not uncommon for a SS owner to swap parts that are proven winners to put in their pet revolvers and swap out the not so great parts.

 

[Clipper]

So, Confederate, you're saying it's common practice amongst those lowlife SS owners to do something that say, a model 19 owner wouldn't ever do?

Obviously, there is some difference in those reloads. On the surface of it, I would first mike those sticky rounds and compare them to the factory stuff. The sizing die can have a crack which wouldn't show up until the act of passing a case through it opens it up, allowing it to leave the case either oversize, or out-of-round. Even carbide dies can wear down after enough use to run out of spec oversize, and that carbide sizing die ring is brittle, so if dropped on a hard surface, can crack. If the press has cracked or warped or become bent somehow, the cases may be coming out curved slightly. Check everything else you can think of before reaming, since you can't undo it later

 

[Cosmoline]

It's not uncommon for a SS owner to swap parts that are proven winners to put in their pet revolvers and swap out the not so great parts.

??

 

[rnovi]

The factory response is going to be, I can guarantee, "we chamber our guns for factory ammunition, period." I would be looking at why the reloads are sticky. Are the reloads yours or commercial? If they're yours, do you full length resize (is the die adjusted to size the case fully)? Any chance the die is worn? The problem you are talking about is interesting...there ought to be an answer.


Newell,

The reloads are mine. It's possible the dies are worn, but I doubt it. I've got three different die sets in .38/.357 and tried test rounds from each - it's always the same chamber that's tight.

Yes, full length resized every round.

Now, to be honest, I wouldn't mind it at all if ALL the cylinders were tight. Or all were loose. It's the inconsistency that bothers me.

 

[Cosmoline]

The next step is to get it to a smith who can determine the exact dimensions and see if it's out of whack or your handloads are the problem.

 

[rnovi]

I'd love to say the handloads are an issue, but the same exact handloads fit just find in my GP100. And it's only three of the chambers, not all six. If it was all six I could believe it was my reloads...

Gotta find a gunsmith...

 

[JNewell]

Novi, if you want to check chamber dims yourself you can buy some Cerrosafe from Brownells, make chamber castings and mike them yourself.

The product is here.

 

[Master Blaster]

Are you having a problem with .357 magnum rounds you reloaded??

Do .38 specials fit but the .357 magnums are tight????

I would guess that the previous owner shot a lot of .38 specials and never cleaned the cylinders well with a brush. You have years of built up crud so the slightly larger .357 hand loads are dragging on the crud ring.

Take some cleaner and a new chamber brush (longer and slightly larger thana bore brush) or wrap some copper scrubber chore boy around a regular brush and scrub scrub scrub.

I think this will solve your problem.

 

[unspellable]

Oversized reloads

In my experience the most common cause of oversized reloads is not case sizing but is usually due to an oversize bullet swelling the neck or an overzealous crimp expanding the neck a bit.

This is a common problem with the 454 Casull. It has much tighter chambers than a 45 Colt. That's also why they recommend using 454 dies and not 45 Colt dies.

 

[Confederate]

Changing parts in a Security-Six is far easier than a Smith 19. I've swapped cylinders on one of my snubbie SSs for one on a 4-inch. Reason? The cylinder was much better and I still have both guns. But I've seen people who swap out the good parts and sell the leftover, especially if it means an excessive b/c gap or headspace.

 

[gezzer]

The reloads are out of spec.