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Thread: 43C Questions

  1. #1
    Hammertime
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Desert Southwest

    43C Questions

    A buddy and I have 43Cs. Both have stars that look like this after 1000 rounds.

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    In addition they spit lead like this:

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    Is this normal? It is still firing. I cleaned it up but the lead itself is a PITA and not bothering things so I left it. I am afraid I will damage the frame scraping it off.

    The star just doesn’t look great. This is a surprisingly low quality pistol for $600. My LCR 22 has zero of this drama with a much higher round count.

  2. #2
    Mine looks OK. Probably a little less than 1000 rounds. No lead build up like that and star looks normal. I've mostly shot quality ammo. CCI Mini Mags, Velocitors, SK Pistol Match, Winchester and a few others.

  3. #3
    Member Scal's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    The 404
    Mine started having severe end shake issues that were caused by the yoke wearing or otherwise punching through the anodizing where it rode on the inside of the cylinder, and (I think) then acting as a slide hammer until the end shake got bad enough to cause a very hard DA pull as a result of cylinder drag. This was with maybe 1000-1500 rounds through the gun, including several hundred rounds of stingers. When this got bad enough to cause the hard trigger pull, I took the cylinder out of the gun, and saw that the yoke had punched/worn a ring shaped groove into the cylinder that was maybe .010-.020” deep. I didn’t have any tools that could measure the exact depth, but it was prominent, and easy to feel the ledge of the ring with a plastic cleaning pick.

    It ended up going back to the factory for a cylinder and extractor replacement, as the extractor failed at the hollow threaded end when I was trying to reinstall the rod after discovering the end shake issue. After that, the I had to reinstall the factory mainspring, as it didn’t reliably ignite some brands of ammo with a reduced power mainspring anymore, like it had done before the cylinder replacement. With the factory mainspring reinstalled, it had a lousy trigger pull, and I was frustrated enough with the the whole affair that I ended up selling the gun.

    I don’t think that my problem is necessarily representative of the 43c by any means, as I know of several other users who haven’t experienced anything like this issue with much higher round counts than mine got to, but I am not going to pay any more to take a chance on another gun with an aluminum cylinder, even a .22.

    Doc, I did do some very light stoning on the burrs on my extractor early on before the failure, and I did get some lead buildup, but not quite to that degree. The replacement and original extractor stars both had some bad burrs raised when they were new. I wish that Smith would either have that addressed by doing better finishing or changing their manufacturing processes.
    Last edited by Scal; 03-13-2021 at 08:43 PM.

  4. #4
    Site Supporter farscott's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Dunedin, FL, USA
    That is a lot of lead and powder for 1000 rounds. I would not be surprised if multiple chambers are not properly aligned with the bore or the cylinder gap is not consistent. My old S&W K-22 Masterpiece does not have that much gunk after shooting cases of ammo. Nor did my M34-1 J-frame.

    As far as cleaning it, soaking the pistol in Kroil is what I would usually recommend. Once the oil is underneath the lead and powder mess, it should brush off with a soft nylon brush. The only concern I would have with a 43C is the two-piece barrel; the Kroil will get between the barrel liner and shroud. If that loosens that liner I cannot say.

  5. #5
    Member Hizzie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Texas
    That’s terrible.
    Quote Originally Posted by caleb View Post
    Oh man, that's right. I forgot that some people feel like they need light SA triggers in DA guns instead of just learning to shoot the gun better. You can get a Redhawk DA trigger pull down to 10 lbs, and if you can't manage that you suck and should probably just practice more.
    *RS Regulate Affiliate*

  6. #6
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    In the desert, looking for water.
    That makes glad I got an M18 when I was looking for a DA .22LR. Maybe I’ll get an LCR for a snubby.

  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    ATL
    Is that just residue on the star or peening, I can’t tell? That seems like a lot of rounds between cleanings. My little 43c was really picky with what it would eject easily.

    Dave

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Polecat View Post
    peening
    Its extruded aluminum and needs to go back to the mothership for someone to be pulled aside and scolded.

  9. #9
    Hammertime
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Desert Southwest
    Quote Originally Posted by SCCY Marshal View Post
    Its extruded aluminum and needs to go back to the mothership for someone to be pulled aside and scolded.

  10. #10
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    America
    I wish they made the 43c with the model 63 stainless steel cylinder and extractor. Do you ever think that the factory hopes we don’t actually shoot them ?

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