Revolver Cleaning

[localgirl]

Oooh! I LOVE puzzles!

So, you've had the pistol for 30 years. You've been consistent with its use and care in all that time. What changed the past year? Did you clean it sooner or later after firing than normal? Did your storage conditions change? Did you start using a significantly different type of ammo?

[walt629]

Not sure about 'every' cylinder, but a couple of the more used 38specials I have (Ruger) has the start of a forcing cone configuration at the exit end of the cylinder. A rough ring where the explosion of the bullet separating from the brass case is first exposed to the confinements of the cylinder has developed in the cylinder. This is a form of erosion and can cause a minor increase in the ID of the cylinder exactly at the end of the cartridge length. Check the OD of the offending brass, See if it looks like it has a slightly fluted end.

The act of 'polishing' the cylinder will actually remove material and give you a larger ID bore in your cylinder (all that 'rough' material had to be removed to make it smooth). Check with your smith to see if he can gauge the ID of the cylinder with pin gauges to make sure the ID is correct and you are not over expanding the brass.

May be time for new cylinders.

[sgtbill]

The cylinder is not a problem as long as the forceing cone at the rear of the bbl. is in good shape you will not see any diffrence in accuracy . I typicaly clean all my cylinders out of the weapons and use a drill press and a shotgun bore brush depending on the calibre. I strip all the parts out of the cylinder and clean it with something like HOPPE's #9 and the shotgun brush on medium speed.

DO NOT TRY THIS UNLESS YOU CAN GET IT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN PROPERLY.
Bill

[wizard]

Now that it is months later, Have you figured out what happened? My feeling is that after many rounds the cylinder wall did get a small groove in it, upon firing and the crimp unrolling it was hanging up in the cylinder, the chamber polishing removed this and smoothed out the entire chamber, making the problem go away. I do not think that the polishing would create a larger than normal chamber dimension, as it was done by a competent gunsmith, whom I am sure would not over bore said chambers. The OP has not mentioned any ill effects of the repair. So I hope your revolver is functioning without issue.