Dan Wesson Keyhole Problem. Advice Please.

[mikeyluke]

Greetings all!
I am considering the purchase of a DW service model 14-2 heavy underlug. 2 1/2" barrel. It came in its original box and the gun has a very solid lockup and is 98%. I shot it on Saturday and used magtech .38 158gr. non-jacketed ammo. Fully 60% of the hits on paper had keyholes. I checked the cylinder gap with the tool and found some play but not much. Thinking it was the non-jacketed ammo, I switched to some .357 jacketed Blazer and while only shooting 6 rounds, I didn't keyhole anything. Some of the guys at work say steer clear, some say no problem. What do you guy's think?? Thanks in advance,

mikey

[BamBam-31]

How's the cylinder timing?

[mikeyluke]

Timing is dead on, lockup is rock solid. Must be the 2.5 barrel and possibly the cylinder gap. Jacketed ammo shot fine.


mikey

[brassburnz]

When I had a DW .357, I was told to make the cylinder gap a little on the snug side. I had four barrels and was always switching them. After a while you get a feel for when everything is installed correctly. When tightening the barrel nut, you may either get it a little too tight or a little to loose. Tight is better, but not too tight or you'll get a bind, especially if the cylinder isn't perfectly true.

[bohoki]

are all the keyholes the same direction?

[El Gato]

I'd suspect ammo...
lead keyholes... jacket doesn't... = ammo problem... too hot and too soft on the lead...

soft lead and high velocity causes problems....
DW arms can be very very accurate with lead... my 6 in 44 has documented 3 in 6 shot groups at 100 yards with a 245 gr hard cast lead bullet and a good dose of 2400... and in my gun they are no problem... shoot other types of lead at higher velocities or switch barrels and we have problems... the 4 in barrel likes the same bullet behind 6 gr of a uniquely designed powder ... other than than ...
I spent years as a DW warranty repair person for their revolvers and they are uniformly accurate with a load they like...try a different load... hard cast lead... not the soft swaged stuff...IMHO

[bohoki]

i suspect paper bias with lower velocity rounds

the blazer 357 is really hot and leaves nice holes

the slow lead 38 is tearing through if they are all tombstone holes in the same direction that is paper bias

if they at all different direction then that is keyholing