Hey guys, is there something wrong with my revolver?

Hank15 · May 28, 2009, 12:22 AM

Hi everyone, I have a smith and wesson 686 plus revolver. At the very end of my barrel, my rifling looks weird. Just imagine a rifled barrel with a ==> , sort of metal formation at the very end.

Is this normal on smith and wessons? It doesn't seem to affect my accuracy, but i am just curious.

Thanks in advance.

Elvishead · May 28, 2009, 01:53 AM

Quote:

==>, Weird

Can you be more specific? Or show a picture?

Hank15 · May 28, 2009, 02:07 AM

I am not sure how to take a picture of the barrel...

but it's basically a piece of metal at the very end of the barrel.

I'll try to illustrate it here:

='=========== <== kind of like that, just a piece of metal at the end of the rifling.

I've only shot the revolver at about 21 feet ~ 30 feet, so i am not really seeing any accuracy issues.

Alert · May 28, 2009, 05:15 AM

sounds like a burr

Kreyzhorse · May 28, 2009, 07:41 AM

I guess burr as well but without a picture it's hard to tell. I'd have either a gunsmith or someone where you bought it take a look at it.

kraigwy · May 28, 2009, 09:31 AM

You said it dosnt effect accuracy, why worry about it?

melchloboo2 · May 28, 2009, 12:08 PM

Try to scrape it off with a wood or plastic toothpick. I have had pieces of lead the same color as the barrel show up like that and really blend in with the barrel or rifling so I thought it was a burr. With a little scraping of a toothpick it comes off and turned out to be lead.

A brass brush sometimes doesn't get those pieces if they are smooth, but the toothpick does and I had one really fight me once...

SamStafford · May 28, 2009, 07:25 PM

Yeah, with out any pictures...seems like some lead is in there.

Model-P · May 29, 2009, 01:07 AM

As long as it's just ='=========== <== you should be O.K.

If it was ====xx====%#==/ you might want to worry about it, but if it was ===##@===<*=++XX=, then you have a serious problem.

Venom1956 · May 30, 2009, 09:46 PM

Model-P very nice. that made me laugh

45-70 · May 30, 2009, 11:21 PM

Have you been shooting swaged lead bullets, such as come in some factory lead bullet loads? Or otherwise shooting lead bullets? I've seen big chunks of lead in the barrel from soft lead bullets, especially in .357.

Hank15 · June 3, 2009, 02:11 AM

Pictures coming up soon. Can anyone teach me how to upload photos on here?

Webleymkv · June 3, 2009, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Can anyone teach me how to upload photos on here?

This may be helpful

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...d.php?t=292842

npdxc300 · June 3, 2009, 10:20 PM

I have a S&W, 329PD, that has something similar in the barrel. A gunsmith took a quick look at it, without a bore light and said it looked like lead or copper fouling. I got several kinds of chemicals and scrubbed, and scrubbed. I had fired approximately 200 rounds of .44 special in it after buying it. I had bought it new at the indoor range he works at. The good news was that it was the most accurate shooting that I had done, or pistol or revolver that I had. I could not get the metal "arrow" out, took it back, this time he checked it with a bore light and announced it appeared to be metal, or a molded part of the barrel. I was on a S&W forum, and someone else mentioned much the same problems, but with a different model of S&W. He worked with a gunsmith, who sent it into S&W. Apparently they use a electrochemical process to put the rifling in barrels(don't quote me, because I don't know, just what his blog talked about), and they have a few problems show up with it. If I recall right, it went back and forth, if they were going to replace the barrel or not, or the gun, and last I read it was still up in the air. I worried about this alot, as it shot to well to want to send it in, but what happens if I want to sell it? I decided it works very accurately, I am not planning on selling it, so I will relax and enjoy it. If you desire, talk to the manufacturer about it.

Hank15 · June 16, 2009, 06:34 PM

I tried numerous times to get a good picture, but it's rather difficult.

But I think this will give you an idea of what I was talking about.

The obstruction is in the upper left corner.

Just for your reference, I've put about 150 rounds of FMJ Magtech 38 specials/ Fiocchi 357magnums through it. Well, around there.

Dfariswheel · June 16, 2009, 07:22 PM

That's not normal, and it's in the wrong place to be leading or other fouling.

Looks like a manufacturing defect. It happens.
Back to S&W if it's under the lifetime warranty.

Atticus Thraxx · June 16, 2009, 08:29 PM

"If it was ====xx====%#==/ you might want to worry about it, but if it was ===##@===<*=++XX=, then you have a serious problem."

Funny!

Hank15 · June 24, 2009, 12:33 PM

I tried to remove the obstruction with plastic picks and wooden tooth picks, but it's still stuck there.

Called Smith and Wesson today, talked to a representative, and the box with instructions is on its way.

I'll write a review of S&W customer service when the issue is resolved.

May 28, 2009, 12:22 AM	#1
Hank15 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2009 Location: California Posts: 437	Hey guys, is there something wrong with my revolver? Hi everyone, I have a smith and wesson 686 plus revolver. At the very end of my barrel, my rifling looks weird. Just imagine a rifled barrel with a ==> , sort of metal formation at the very end. Is this normal on smith and wessons? It doesn't seem to affect my accuracy, but i am just curious. Thanks in advance.

May 28, 2009, 02:07 AM	#3
Hank15 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2009 Location: California Posts: 437	I can't really provide a picture I am not sure how to take a picture of the barrel... but it's basically a piece of metal at the very end of the barrel. I'll try to illustrate it here: ='=========== <== kind of like that, just a piece of metal at the end of the rifling. I've only shot the revolver at about 21 feet ~ 30 feet, so i am not really seeing any accuracy issues.

May 28, 2009, 07:41 AM	#5
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,464	I guess burr as well but without a picture it's hard to tell. I'd have either a gunsmith or someone where you bought it take a look at it. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

May 30, 2009, 11:21 PM	#11
45-70 Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2005 Location: Dallas TX area Posts: 310	Could be lead? Have you been shooting swaged lead bullets, such as come in some factory lead bullet loads? Or otherwise shooting lead bullets? I've seen big chunks of lead in the barrel from soft lead bullets, especially in .357.

June 3, 2009, 02:11 AM	#12
Hank15 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2009 Location: California Posts: 437	Pictures coming up Pictures coming up soon. Can anyone teach me how to upload photos on here?

May 28, 2009, 05:15 AM	#4
Alert Senior Member Join Date: July 8, 2007 Location: Mobile, Alabama Posts: 203	sounds like a burr

May 28, 2009, 09:31 AM	#6
kraigwy Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 11,060	You said it dosnt effect accuracy, why worry about it?

May 28, 2009, 12:08 PM	#7
melchloboo2 Member Join Date: January 2, 2009 Posts: 37	Try to scrape it off with a wood or plastic toothpick. I have had pieces of lead the same color as the barrel show up like that and really blend in with the barrel or rifling so I thought it was a burr. With a little scraping of a toothpick it comes off and turned out to be lead. A brass brush sometimes doesn't get those pieces if they are smooth, but the toothpick does and I had one really fight me once...

May 28, 2009, 07:25 PM	#8
SamStafford Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2009 Location: Portageville, MO. 63873 Posts: 162	Yeah, with out any pictures...seems like some lead is in there.

May 29, 2009, 01:07 AM	#9
Model-P Senior Member Join Date: February 24, 2009 Posts: 727	As long as it's just ='=========== <== you should be O.K. If it was ====xx====%#==/ you might want to worry about it, but if it was ===##@===<*=++XX=, then you have a serious problem.

May 30, 2009, 09:46 PM	#10
Venom1956 Senior Member Join Date: October 4, 2008 Location: WI Posts: 3,656	Model-P very nice. that made me laugh

June 3, 2009, 10:20 PM	#14
npdxc300 Junior Member Join Date: March 2, 2009 Posts: 2	Hey, guys....... I have a S&W, 329PD, that has something similar in the barrel. A gunsmith took a quick look at it, without a bore light and said it looked like lead or copper fouling. I got several kinds of chemicals and scrubbed, and scrubbed. I had fired approximately 200 rounds of .44 special in it after buying it. I had bought it new at the indoor range he works at. The good news was that it was the most accurate shooting that I had done, or pistol or revolver that I had. I could not get the metal "arrow" out, took it back, this time he checked it with a bore light and announced it appeared to be metal, or a molded part of the barrel. I was on a S&W forum, and someone else mentioned much the same problems, but with a different model of S&W. He worked with a gunsmith, who sent it into S&W. Apparently they use a electrochemical process to put the rifling in barrels(don't quote me, because I don't know, just what his blog talked about), and they have a few problems show up with it. If I recall right, it went back and forth, if they were going to replace the barrel or not, or the gun, and last I read it was still up in the air. I worried about this alot, as it shot to well to want to send it in, but what happens if I want to sell it? I decided it works very accurately, I am not planning on selling it, so I will relax and enjoy it. If you desire, talk to the manufacturer about it.

June 16, 2009, 07:22 PM	#16
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,561	That's not normal, and it's in the wrong place to be leading or other fouling. Looks like a manufacturing defect. It happens. Back to S&W if it's under the lifetime warranty.

June 16, 2009, 08:29 PM	#17
Atticus Thraxx Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2007 Location: Yolo County CA Posts: 314	"If it was ====xx====%#==/ you might want to worry about it, but if it was ===##@===<*=++XX=, then you have a serious problem." Funny!

June 24, 2009, 12:33 PM	#18
Hank15 Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2009 Location: California Posts: 437	Just an update I tried to remove the obstruction with plastic picks and wooden tooth picks, but it's still stuck there. Called Smith and Wesson today, talked to a representative, and the box with instructions is on its way. I'll write a review of S&W customer service when the issue is resolved.