OT - Unusual Wear on a SAA

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Mon May 19, 2008 3:05 pm

I was cleaning my Colt after a little range time and noticed that the blue was worn off the top front edges, of the cylinder. It's rubbing on something, but I can't see what. I called Colt and they had never heard of this happening either, so they said to send it in. I've only put about 150, light 32-20,rounds through it. I mean real light....3.9gr of HP-38 under a 115gr Laser Cast.

Have any of you seen this or had this happen before?

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Mon May 19, 2008 3:20 pm

That's normal.
It's lead.

JimT · Post by **JimT** » Mon May 19, 2008 3:35 pm

casastahle is correct... it's just lead .. not wear

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:08 pm

+3... (you guys are FAST)!

DPris · Post by **DPris** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:21 pm

Don't send it to Colt, they'll laugh at you.
It's powder/lead buildup & you just need to work a little harder at getting it off.
Don't scrub too hard or with an overly abrasive material, though, or you will wear the bluing off there.
Denis

colo native · Post by **colo native** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:22 pm

does this revolver have the black powder cut just in front of the forcing cone in the top strap??

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:31 pm

I've seen less of that on guns where the frame has more clearance between cylinder and top strap, and less of it if the cylinder-barrel gap is thin.

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:35 pm

You may give me all you've got. I've earned it.

I ignored the obvious because Laser Cast bullets aren't supposed to lead up anything.

I've never shot lead, only jacketed, out of revolver before. I wrapped a little piece of lead/carbon removal cloth around the end of match stick and it came off.

Boy do I feel stupid.

AkRay · Post by **AkRay** » Mon May 19, 2008 5:46 pm

I must be old and experienced now because I've seen that exact thing on some of my guns' cylinders. I even recognized it for what it is.

I've felt stupid before about other gun related, shooting questions, but I don't think I ever have about this particular one. We probably only get to stop feeling stupid when we stop learning, and there's a lot to learn when it comes to guns.

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:26 pm

jdad wrote:You may give me all you've got. I've earned it. I ignored the obvious because Laser Cast bullets aren't supposed to lead up anything.

I've never shot lead, only jacketed, out of revolver before. I wrapped a little piece of lead/carbon removal cloth around the end of match stick and it came off.

Boy do I feel stupid.

Please don't feel stupid jdad, been there done that.

Last Sept. I was asking the same exact question. (New SAA in .357 mag.)
A little trick I was told is to spray the exterior of the cylinder with
Pam before a shooting session. Then clean up time, just rub your thumb
over the lead buildup and it comes right off.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Mon May 19, 2008 8:15 pm

Don't feel that way - I've been around over 6 decades, and I still learn something new, just about every day.

One thing I know I haven't larnt, is ta keep my trap shut.

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:31 pm

Try a lead removal cloth. They're soft on your bluing and will take that off in a hurry.

jdad · Post by **jdad** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:36 pm

kimwcook wrote:Try a lead removal cloth. They're soft on your bluing and will take that off in a hurry.

Yep, that's exactly what I did. It will take the blue off if you're too aggressive.

"I wrapped a little piece of lead/carbon removal cloth around the end of match stick and it came off."

Mutt · Post by **Mutt** » Mon May 19, 2008 11:00 pm

All of my Colts do that . Just some extra elbow and a silicone cloth + a solvent like maybe Break Free . At least that's mostly what I use,seems to help me .Not sure if a strong lead remover will hurt the blue or not though....

Mutt

Lefty Dude · Post by **Lefty Dude** » Tue May 20, 2008 12:03 am

Slug your bore. Your are most likely using undersized bullets. To stop that you need to shoot bullets more closely sized to the cylinder throats, & bore groove diameter.

Take it from one who has been here before.

I shoot a pair of third generation Colt 44-40's.

AkRay · Post by **AkRay** » Tue May 20, 2008 12:23 am

I've never heard of the Pam idea before. I'll have to try it. My Dan Wesson .22 revolver seems to be a particularly bad offender when it comes to this kind of build up on the cylinder. Maybe this tip will cure it.