First time shooting a revolver

vorgath · September 3, 2013, 01:05 AM

Went to the gun range, with my semi that I bought two days earlier.

Decided to rent a revolver, a S&W 386, however I decided to shoot 38 Special rounds.

I liked the feel of the revolver, sturdy, the grips could be better, but here's the big problem .... the damn gun didn't fire all the rounds ?!?!?! Yes it managed to misfire three times .. I thought to myself, fine maybe since it's the first time shooting a revolver I counted the rounds wrong (yeah fat chance of that) .. but when unloading the rounds .. yup ... one fresh non fired round .. this happened three times

I reused the non fired rounds ... so they all fired eventually

Remarks ? Comments ? ... Bad ammo ... or ... a worn out gun not properly maintained at the range

Reason it really bothers me is because when I was looking for a gun I was thinking either a reliable 45 ACP or a 357 revolver

Chowder · September 3, 2013, 03:19 AM

Quote:

a worn out gun not properly maintained at the range

This would be my guess. I would have wanted my rental money back even if it was a small sum. Did you take a look at the primers to see if they looked like light strikes? Also I know some ranges make you shoot ammo that they sell, and it can be cheap light loaded reloads so it may have been the ammo.

NWCP · September 3, 2013, 05:00 AM

While I carry a semi auto and primarily own semi autos I have a few revolvers. All of my revolvers have been reliable shooters. A range gun could have a weak spring, or most likely you had some bad ammo. My wife has a Ruger SP101 .357 and loves it. She shoots .38 special +P primarily and has never had an issue one.

Kreyzhorse · September 3, 2013, 06:40 AM

That sounds like a worn out range gun. If you buy a reliable revolver, Smith or Ruger for example, you'll get a revolver that fires every time.

Don't discount them due to one bad experience. Generally speaking, a revolver is going to be equal to, or better than the mos reliable auto.

TimSr · September 3, 2013, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Bad ammo ... or ... a worn out gun not properly maintained at the range

One or the other. Revolvers are typically everh bit as reliable as your semi-auto.

skoro · September 3, 2013, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Remarks ? Comments ? ... Bad ammo ... or ... a worn out gun not properly maintained at the range

I strongly suspect a revolver that needs some gunsmithing. I've owned and fired many S&W revolvers and never experienced what you did.

James K · September 3, 2013, 09:29 AM

It takes a lot of shooting to wear out that gun; I suspect a dirty gun or maybe even something broken. Believe me, that is unusual for any good quality revolver.

Jim

vorgath · September 3, 2013, 03:14 PM

That's what I thought as well, in fact I expected a revolver to be more reliable than a semi auto pistol

Webleymkv · September 3, 2013, 03:44 PM

I see three possible reasons for the issue. The most likely is that the strain screw was backed out too far. This is probably the most common cause of light strikes on a S&W revolver because it's something that amateur gunsmiths can't help but tinker with. You see, there is a screw on the bottom front of the gripframe that should be bottomed out in order to keep proper tension on the hammer spring (it may have been covered by the grips on your rental gun). Too often, people mistake this for a "trigger pull adjustment screw" and try to back it out in order to lighten the trigger pull only to cause light strikes.

The second most likely cause is the ammunition. If you were shooting reloads or "remanufactured" ammunition (both of which are commonly sold by ranges) then this would be a likely cause. If whoever loaded the ammunition did not get the primers seated completely, then they will be pushed forward by the firing pin which may reduce the crushing force on them enough to cause a misfire. When a cartridge misfires on the first attempt but goes bang reliably on the second strike, that's an indicator that the primers weren't seated deeply enough.

The final, and least likely, possible explanation is that the gun has a short firing pin. S&W revolvers with scandium-alloy frames (which the 386 has) are known to sometimes have light strike issues because they are fitted with shorter firing pins that steel-frame models. S&W does this to ensure that they won't have issues passing California's rather ridiculous drop test so that these models can be sold in that state. I have heard that if a scandium-frame revolver has issues with light strikes and is returned to S&W for repair, they will install the longer standard-length firing pin for non-CA residents.

James K · September 3, 2013, 09:24 PM

I suppose anything is possible Cuckooland, but that firing pin is very small and light; it is hard to conceive of any test where it could be made to fire a gun by inertia.

Jim

Webleymkv · September 4, 2013, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by James K
I suppose anything is possible Cuckooland, but that firing pin is very small and light; it is hard to conceive of any test where it could be made to fire a gun by inertia.

I have a hard time seeing it too, but then again California does seem to be rather creative in coming up with ways to ban guns. As I understand it, CA's drop test involves dropping the gun from 1 meter onto a concrete slab in six different positions while a primed case is in the chamber.

Like you, I have a difficult time imagining that the primer could be detonated by inertia, but I've seen the issue referenced on several forums including this one in the past.

September 3, 2013, 01:05 AM	#1
vorgath Member Join Date: August 21, 2013 Location: Phoenix Posts: 78	First time shooting a revolver Went to the gun range, with my semi that I bought two days earlier. Decided to rent a revolver, a S&W 386, however I decided to shoot 38 Special rounds. I liked the feel of the revolver, sturdy, the grips could be better, but here's the big problem .... the damn gun didn't fire all the rounds ?!?!?! Yes it managed to misfire three times .. I thought to myself, fine maybe since it's the first time shooting a revolver I counted the rounds wrong (yeah fat chance of that) .. but when unloading the rounds .. yup ... one fresh non fired round .. this happened three times I reused the non fired rounds ... so they all fired eventually Remarks ? Comments ? ... Bad ammo ... or ... a worn out gun not properly maintained at the range Reason it really bothers me is because when I was looking for a gun I was thinking either a reliable 45 ACP or a 357 revolver

September 3, 2013, 06:40 AM	#4
Kreyzhorse Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2006 Location: NKY Posts: 12,463	That sounds like a worn out range gun. If you buy a reliable revolver, Smith or Ruger for example, you'll get a revolver that fires every time. Don't discount them due to one bad experience. Generally speaking, a revolver is going to be equal to, or better than the mos reliable auto. __________________ "He who laughs last, laughs dead." Homer Simpson

September 3, 2013, 05:00 AM	#3
NWCP Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2006 Posts: 1,903	While I carry a semi auto and primarily own semi autos I have a few revolvers. All of my revolvers have been reliable shooters. A range gun could have a weak spring, or most likely you had some bad ammo. My wife has a Ruger SP101 .357 and loves it. She shoots .38 special +P primarily and has never had an issue one.

September 3, 2013, 09:29 AM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	It takes a lot of shooting to wear out that gun; I suspect a dirty gun or maybe even something broken. Believe me, that is unusual for any good quality revolver. Jim

September 3, 2013, 03:14 PM	#8
vorgath Member Join Date: August 21, 2013 Location: Phoenix Posts: 78	That's what I thought as well, in fact I expected a revolver to be more reliable than a semi auto pistol

September 3, 2013, 03:44 PM	#9
Webleymkv Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2005 Location: Indiana Posts: 10,446	I see three possible reasons for the issue. The most likely is that the strain screw was backed out too far. This is probably the most common cause of light strikes on a S&W revolver because it's something that amateur gunsmiths can't help but tinker with. You see, there is a screw on the bottom front of the gripframe that should be bottomed out in order to keep proper tension on the hammer spring (it may have been covered by the grips on your rental gun). Too often, people mistake this for a "trigger pull adjustment screw" and try to back it out in order to lighten the trigger pull only to cause light strikes. The second most likely cause is the ammunition. If you were shooting reloads or "remanufactured" ammunition (both of which are commonly sold by ranges) then this would be a likely cause. If whoever loaded the ammunition did not get the primers seated completely, then they will be pushed forward by the firing pin which may reduce the crushing force on them enough to cause a misfire. When a cartridge misfires on the first attempt but goes bang reliably on the second strike, that's an indicator that the primers weren't seated deeply enough. The final, and least likely, possible explanation is that the gun has a short firing pin. S&W revolvers with scandium-alloy frames (which the 386 has) are known to sometimes have light strike issues because they are fitted with shorter firing pins that steel-frame models. S&W does this to ensure that they won't have issues passing California's rather ridiculous drop test so that these models can be sold in that state. I have heard that if a scandium-frame revolver has issues with light strikes and is returned to S&W for repair, they will install the longer standard-length firing pin for non-CA residents.

September 3, 2013, 09:24 PM	#10
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I suppose anything is possible Cuckooland, but that firing pin is very small and light; it is hard to conceive of any test where it could be made to fire a gun by inertia. Jim