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Thread: Revolver Reliability - a function of size?

  1. #11
    I have experienced several issues with revolvers in IHMSA silhouette competition, where it is not uncommon to fire 80-160 rounds of very hot ammunition in the course of a match. The issues have included:

    1. Screws backing out on my S&W M29 and M629; both frame and cylinder-retention screws.
    2. Base-pin's escaping from Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 Magnums and .357 Maximums (easily solved by a Belt Mountain replacement pin and an extra-power retaining spring).
    3. Rear sight pin drift on Ruger single actions (endemic across all Ruger revolvers, and easily solved by keeping an eye on it and pushing the pin back in as needed).
    4. Cylinder/Frame binding on S&W M629 no-dash (pre- "Endurance package" engineering change) as the gun got hot in the course of a match.

    None of these are "malfunctions" so much as they are indicative of the complexity of revolvers and the need to keep an eye on them, particularly if you're running them hard.

    Also, I have found that cleaning the operating surfaces (recoil shield; cylinder face; ejector star; forcing cone; pawl, and hand) of my revolvers between each course of fire (every 40 rounds in IHMSA) makes life much easier; this is especially true of rimfire revolvers and I tend to also brush out the chambers on my S&W M617 between every bank of targets (every 10 rounds) to prevent bullet deformation from excessive seating pressure.

  2. #12
    Member JonInWA's Avatar
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    I have no significant issues in shooting 100-150 round IDPA matches with any of my Ruger revolvers-a 1998 GP100, which has been the recipient of extensive action work and enhancements for street performance (including a stepped or terraced extractor star by Chris Peters, who performed all the work on my GP-he termed it his "+P Powder Eater"), a 1978 Security Six, which I believe has been the recipient of an excellent action job by a previous owner-after my acquisition, Ruger thoroughly went through the entire revolver after I acquired it; subsequently I had the chambers lightly chamfered and added a Millett Orange Bar front sight and a couple of months ago got a new Ruger white outline rear sight. Grips are Trausch. My last Ruger revolver is a stainless Blackhawk with a 4.6" barrel.

    I've actually used the Blackhawk in 2 IDPA matches-it's a Convertible .357/.38 and 9mm, so I've used both .357 magnum and 9mm is separate IDPA matches.

    I will admit that with the Security Six when using .38 Special +P after cylinders I do have to press the rounds fully into the cylinder after speedloading (with either Safariland Comp II or HKS speedloaders), but that's not all that onerous.

    I'm now exclusively using .357 magnum in the GP100, with no reload issues, and there have been no reload issues with the Blackhawk, with either .357 or 9mm.

    I do clean and lubricate my revolvers after each session/match, and I only use quality factory new cartridges-jacketed or semi-jacketed;

    .357: GP100: Federal Hydrashok 158 gr (carry), Sellier & Bellot 158 gr (either jacketed ball or semi-jacketed hollow points), Hornady Custom 158 gr XTP for the Blackhawk (hunting/woods carry), Sellier & Bellot 158 gr as in the GP100 for practictice/match;

    .38 Special: Only 125 gr .38 Special +P; Remington Golden Saber JHP for carry, UMC/Remington SJHP for match/practice

    9mm: Sellier & Bellot 124 gr jacketed ball

    Best, Jon
    Last edited by JonInWA; 03-25-2020 at 03:13 PM.

  3. #13
    Member JonInWA's Avatar
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    Oregon45, and easy solution to the rear sight pin drifting on adjustable sight Ruger revolvers is to drift the pin out, give it a slight bend in the middle, and re-install. The bend exerts sufficient spring pressure on the pin's tunnel to preclude drifting when using, but if necessary to remove the sight, the retaining pin is easily drifted out with a punch.

    Best, Jon

  4. #14
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by okie john View Post
    I haven’t heard this podcast, but those comments strike me as coming from someone who hasn’t spent much time with revolvers and who is used to treating a Glock like a lawnmower. As for delicacy, I’d refer you to the tooth marks on the trigger guard of The Hebrew Hammer. I’m also unsure how often anyone gets into a sustained-fire situation with a revolver. I’ve heard of police officers tying revolvers up shooting dirty ammo in training, but that’s about it. The other issues that you cited can be addressed with good maintenance.
    Those comments were mostly made by the owner of the Hebrew Hammer, for what it's worth.
    .
    -----------------------------------------
    Not another dime.

  5. #15
    Site Supporter Totem Polar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jetfire View Post
    I hate cleaning guns.

    I hate it even more when my guns fail me when I need them to work. As such, I clean my working revolvers every 250 rounds or so with a "quick" clean that removes debris and keeps the chambers clear. Every 2k rounds I do a full ass clean, that's when the bronze brushes and solvents come out.
    Now might be a good time to post a link to that awesome revolver cleaning video you did recently. Not that you asked me, but I say pimp that bitch out while the timing is right.

    Quote Originally Posted by OlongJohnson View Post
    Those comments were mostly made by the owner of the Hebrew Hammer, for what it's worth.
    This is, of course, true. A great episode, IMO.


    I’ve shot a bit of revolver—including in name-brand classes, bowling pins, paladin (proof that I really am older than I look or act) my bag has a screwdriver set with added return spring tool, as well as a k-frame ejector rod tool, etc. etc..

    Like folks say, maintenance.
    ”But in the end all of these ideas just manufacture new criminals when the problem isn't a lack of criminals.” -JRB

  6. #16

    Revolver maintenance

    A few observations from my years of shooting a revolver. When cleaning, check for powder residue and lead build up on the forcing cone and cylinder face. An accumulation here can cause a cylinder to bind and affect trigger pull. Clean not only under the extractor but the face of the extractor too. Clean the recoil shield too. Check all screws for tightness. I have a J-frame S&W 340pd where the thumb piece screw becomes loose. Just another thing to check, no biggie. On a S&W revolver that has a leaf type hammer spring, just check the strain screw. Check side plate screws as well.

    I have had a K-frame S&W ejector rod loosen which caused difficulty opening the cylinder. Care must be used when tightening the ejector rod or it can warp (?) and not turn straight. I have seen one develop a wobble that could be seen when one spun the open cylinder.

    For me, the above is just part of maintenance when cleaning a revolver. Clean it, then give it the once over.

  7. #17
    Member
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    It looks like we agree that keeping the revolver clean is the key to
    reliability.

    I remember observing some old revolver shooters using toothbrushes on the line at a Thunder Ranch revolver class years ago and said to myself “never me.” That fleck of powder or lead will end up on the star when vertically ejecting empty shells and by itself might not be enough impair cylinder closure but an hour later it might when something else lands on the star or a cartridge with a slightly out of speck primer jams things up. So even though like all of you I clean my revolver after every use, tolerances are tight and unforgiving in my view. I do brush under the star and the cylinders a couple times during a match so there are no problems.

  8. #18
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    In regard to Ruger DA revolvers, the tiny screw that holds the cylinder release in place is the only screw that can loosen up. My first GP100 had that screw back out far enough one time to prevent the cylinder from opening. My impression at the time was that it didn't seem to bother with light loads, only when shooting a lot of magnums. I solved the issue with a drop of blue Loctite. Currently I only shoot magnum loads, so when I get a new revolver I keep an eye on that screw for a while, and if there is any tendency to loosen up, the Loctite comes out.

  9. #19
    Hammertime
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    I put 2000 rounds through a 9mm LCR without cleaning or oiling.

    Everything went fine until a screw backed out and the latch disassembled in the last hundred rounds.

    I don’t know if 9mm FMJ is less fouling than other more traditional loads but I was impressed with that level of reliability.

  10. #20
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    IME, when I carried a revolver through the academy and my first few years on-duty, the ammo we used caused most of the problems. Many agencies used commercial reloaders to provide practice ammo and it was absolutely filthy, unreliable stuff. It left powder residue all over the cylinder and frame of the gun when you would shoot 500 rounds in a range session. our stainless revolvers looked black. The duty ammo we issued was Federal 158 grain LSWCHP +P .38 Special. It wasn't the cleanest shooting, due to the lead bullet, but light years ahead of the practice ammo. My 642 that I killed shooting thousands of rounds Speer 135 grain Gold Dot +P would easily go a 200 round session with no problems. No one liked shooting the Gold Dot, other than for quals and carry, so I would shoot up the excess - free ammo! If any gun should have gotten gunked up, it's that little J frame. So, in my experience, I can neither prove nor disprove the assertion. It seems reasonable that a larger revolver with more mass and larger parts would be less susceptible to getting fouled enough to cause malfunctions.

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