Smith & Wesson 629 rifling

[Pablo5959]

Hello all,
I bought a Smith 629 used last year and haven't had a lot of time to use it.
I run powder coat boolits and every time I clean it, I always had what I thought was a little leading.

Last Sunday I sat down and was determined to get the lead out.
So after normal cleaning. I could still see it.
I put a patch soaked with Hoppies#9 and left it for a hour.
Then scrubbed and patched.

I did this 3 times, the patches where coming out clean, but I could still see rough grooves near the forcing cone.


This is what it looks like. It's the rifling cut.
I talked to costumer service today, the tech said I could send it in but he said they most likely just send it back and say its within spec.

By the way, this is not fouling. I can not scratch this with a dental pick.

Has anyone else had a .44mag look like this?
What do you guys think?
It groups fair. But always thought it could be better.
Should I send a 8 year old gun in in hope they may repair it?
I would hate to sell it to some unsuspecting soul knowing the rifling is jacked.

My 686 looks smooth as glass.
Thanks
Pablo

[TKM]

Your potato was out of focus or something.

Use one of these.

http://www.brownells.com/gun-cleaning-chemicals/patches-mops/lead-remover/lewis-lead-remover-prod21587.aspx

[Pablo5959]

Ok,
I tried to make it clear.
This is not... Leading or fouling.

This IS the groove cut from Smiths electric chemical cutter.
Pablo

[TKM]

Yep, you've got the new and improved barrel there.

http://www.firearmsid.com/feature%20articles/ecr/electrochemicalrifling.htm

[Pablo5959]

I'll add a couple more pics.


Look how jagged the edge of the forcing cone is.
Pablo

[kcstott]

that really looks like cleaning damage. I mean really bad cleaning damage.

Either that or it was fubar from the factory which I find hard to believe

[USPSA GM]

What type of bore brush could you possibly buy that would be made from a hard enough material to damage heat treated stainless steel? Not to mention be oversized to the point of requiring enough force to push it thru the barrel with enough force to displace temper steel?

The grooves cut in the actual rifling could possibly be from flame cutting if it is a high mileage gun with 1000's of very high pressure loads. Is there any discoloring in that area? The rings in the forcing cone are just plain bad machining.

That's a bad barrel regardless how it's been treated.

[kcstott]

What type of bore brush could you possibly buy that would be made from a hard enough material to damage heat treated stainless steel? Not to mention be oversized to the point of requiring enough force to push it thru the barrel with enough force to displace temper steel?

The grooves cut in the actual rifling could possibly be from flame cutting if it is a high mileage gun with 1000's of very high pressure loads. Is there any discoloring in that area? The rings in the forcing cone are just plain bad machining.

That's a bad barrel regardless how it's been treated.

Ok one barrels are not as hard as you think they are. they are actually very soft compared to tool steels and how hard the could be.

Two: never underestimate the stupidity of a new gun owner.

Steel cleaning rods incorrect patch jags yeah they all can have an effect.
Stainless bore brushes (who's bright idea that was needs to be slapped)

But yeah it look like some one got in there and tried to clean the crap out of it with tools.

cause that sure don't look like anything chemicals could do in the machining process of the riffling


Good idea on the flame cutting of the steel but I would expect to see a damaged throat too. but you never know


Sell it to me Hell I take it of your hands

[Bob Hostetter]

Actually rifle barrels tend to be a lot softer then most people would think but pistol barrels, specifically stainless steel barrels ( the only one's I have experience manufacturing) are fairly hard, at least compared to bore brushes and cleaning rods. They normally run approximately 40-43 on the RC scale depending on the S/S used.

[Pablo5959]

Well,
I was given a contact from a member at Cast Boolits.

LSGMFG.com. Located in S Texas.

I talked to the owner, Frank, he has been doing warranty work for S&W for a long time.

Frank said he has seen many 629's with the same issue.
He sent me a shipping label and will be recutting the rifling and forcing cone if it can be saved.

He was quite optimistic he will be able to get authorization from S&W to do the work.
Pablo

[Bob Hostetter]

Recutting and polishing the forcing cone is a relatively simple procedure that any revolver smith can handle. If the gouges don't go to far down the barrel you could even go to a shallower angle on the forcing cone and extend it down the barrel to remove them. I have seen older Bianchi revolvers with forcing cones that were an inch or more long that shot sub 3" groups at 50 yards out of a Ransom Rest.

I can't imagine how someone could recut the rifling of a finished barrel. It would be very difficult to time a button cutter with the ECM rifling that S&W is currently using and if you tried to recut it with a ECM process you would end up with a barrel oversized in both the OD and ID.

If you are going to try and save the barrel you should lengthen the forcing cone and follow up with a very light hone, very light. I would probably slug the barrel to get the ID/OD before doing any work to make sure you have some room to work with before spending any money.

[kcstott]

Recutting and polishing the forcing cone is a relatively simple procedure that any revolver smith can handle. If the gouges don't go to far down the barrel you could even go to a shallower angle on the forcing cone and extend it down the barrel to remove them. I have seen older Bianchi revolvers with forcing cones that were an inch or more long that shot sub 3" groups at 50 yards out of a Ransom Rest.

I can't imagine how someone could recut the rifling of a finished barrel. It would be very difficult to time a button cutter with the ECM rifling that S&W is currently using and if you tried to recut it with a ECM process you would end up with a barrel oversized in both the OD and ID.

If you are going to try and save the barrel you should lengthen the forcing cone and follow up with a very light hone, very light. I would probably slug the barrel to get the ID/OD before doing any work to make sure you have some room to work with before spending any money.

ID/OD you mean Bore and groove.

The only option I see is making the forcing cone longer.