Help with Smith 686-1 issue

[19852+]

Thanks to all who responded ! I just now was able to inspect the 686 [with reading glasses] and sure enough there was just a few grains of un-burned powder under the ejector star. I brushed these out and cleaned a little more with a q-tip and viola ! The cylinder now moves freely in and out.
I mean just a few grains of VV N320 is all it took. Very surprised here that there was any un-burned powder with N320 as it has always been so clean. I'm using 148 gr. coated RNL bullets. I can't remember the charge right now but they do shoot very soft. I might up the charge to create more pressure and possibly a cleaner burn after consulting with my loading journal.

Thanks !

[03RN]

As was already stated. When you reload ensure the muzzle is vertical when you give the ejector a good smack.

Ive been told repeatedly during uspsa to watch the muzzle while reloading.

[jh9]

I can't remember the charge right now but they do shoot very soft. I might up the charge to create more pressure and possibly a cleaner burn after consulting with my loading journal.

Yes. That's probably a good idea. If you keep using a charge that leaves unburned grains lying around you're going to keep having problems. There should be some dose that gets you where you want to be.

Even Unique, which is dirty AF by modern standards, will not leave anything behind but regular carbon fouling when charged to 4.7 grains in a .38 special case. Granted, there's a lot of carbon fouling, but nothing that will tie up the gun. That was my SSR load for years and I would brush out the cylinder between matches (usually) and not do much else until it got a 6 month deep clean. Even at 2-3 IDPA matches per month for years at a time that was still enough to keep the gun running without incident. The barrel was filthy, of course, though it had no effect on ringing steel or hitting head boxes out to the distances we shot for club level matches.

[Malamute]

Yes. That's probably a good idea. If you keep using a charge that leaves unburned grains lying around you're going to keep having problems.

I agree its best to try for cleanest burning charge or powder, however good ejection technique will make a large difference in outcome. I tend to buy whatever 22 ammo is cheap, the old K-22 goes through several bricks at a time without issue when shooting cruddy ammo, the cases sticking in the chambers from wax buildup is the determining factor on when to clean for the most part. It used to be much more problematic when not turning the muzzle straight up and giving the extractor rod a sharp smack. Unburnt powder under the extractor star was fairly common before.

[jh9]

I agree its best to try for cleanest burning charge or powder, however good ejection technique will make a large difference in outcome. I tend to buy whatever 22 ammo is cheap, the old K-22 goes through several bricks at a time without issue when shooting cruddy ammo, the cases sticking in the chambers from wax buildup is the determining factor on when to clean for the most part. It used to be much more problematic when not turning the muzzle straight up and giving the extractor rod a sharp smack. Unburnt powder under the extractor star was fairly common before.

Agreed. Technique sounds like it needs an adjustment here. My (lefty) revolver reload technique orients the muzzle straight up for all the reasons mentioned (plus drops the brass more cleanly).

[willie]

After shooting is over, spend 3 seconds with a toothbrush cleaning this area. Problem solved before it can occur,

[19852+]

My reloading technique is the weak hand method. The pistol stays in my right hand and the muzzle does get pointed up while ejecting. Not a sharp smack but quick. The tolerances must be tight in my 686-1 that and there was oil under the star along with the unburned grains.

[Rex G]

My reloading technique is the weak hand method. The pistol stays in my right hand and the muzzle does get pointed up while ejecting. Not a sharp smack but quick. The tolerances must be tight in my 686-1 that and there was oil under the star along with the unburned grains.

Yes, indeed, a tighter-tolerance assembly will be affected sooner, and oil will catch the powder residue, and make it stick. Plenty of old-time police officers, as well as many competition six-gunners, learned to keep an old toothbrush, in a pocket, during long range sessions.

Some gunsmiths will cut “powder eater” grooves, to accommodate the residue, up to a point. When Sturm, Ruger still cared enough, they made the GP100 with such grooves, during production. My first GP100, purchased sometime around 1989 or 1990, has these grooves, and I managed to find another, later, pre-owned, with the same feature. Another of my GP100 revolvers, a newer one, does not have these grooves, and I really have to be careful with it, as it will gum-up quickly.

Edited to add: Best to run a revolver dry, IMHO, and, I do not hold the weapon totally vertical during a reload, as that means that the extended extractor will be perfectly horizontal, better enabling residue to be caught, and then trapped.

[jetfire]

When you reload ensure the muzzle is vertical

Lol no. On a full size gun, all this does is slow your reload down. The muzzle should definitely be elevated, but unless your gun has rough chambers or you're shooting ammo with sticky cases or something, 45 degrees of elevation is enough to get the reload done.

On smaller guns like snubbies that don't have a full length ejector rod, this definitely makes sense because you need all the help gravity can get you. But full size guns with full length rods? Don't be slow on purpose.

[Rex G]

I do not hold the weapon totally vertical during a reload, as that means that the extended extractor will be perfectly horizontal, better enabling residue to be caught, and then trapped.

To be more clear and precise, I do not hold the weapon totally vertical while hitting the ejector rod. If the weapon is perfectly vertical, the internally-facing portion of the extractor star will be perfectly horizontal, better enabling falling residue to be caught upon it, and therefore trapped when the ejector springs back into position.