Here’s the same gunsmith removing two squibs from a 686 barrel:
Here’s the same gunsmith removing two squibs from a 686 barrel:
Certainly the gunsmith could remove the lead. The quote to do so may very well be close to the cost of a new barrel. Throw in possible damage and now the customer is looking at more shop time and a new barrel anyway.
Great example of just because you can, does mean you should.
Taking a break from social media.
I am familiar with a 4 inch S&W Model 28 that had 5 bullets stuck in the barrel, the last one was in the barrel cylinder gap similar to the Python in the video, back in the late 70s. A local gunsmith was somehow able to remove all 5 without damage to the gun. The bore looked pristine and the gun returned to service with the owner.
That's my gunsmith. Didn't know they had the video up....Originally Posted by RevolverRob
REPETITION CREATES BELIEF
REPETITION BUILDS THE SEPARATE WORLDS WE LIVE AND DIE IN
NO EXCEPTIONS
I have the week off, and I already planned to visit Ricky and let him burn up some .32 on my dime in my wife's Cheetah.
I imagine he will be in a good mood to answer questions after that if folks want me to ask. 😉 I'll try to get answers to anything posted here before I go.
REPETITION CREATES BELIEF
REPETITION BUILDS THE SEPARATE WORLDS WE LIVE AND DIE IN
NO EXCEPTIONS
My impression from talking to Ricky's stepson was that the price of the labor would exceed the price of a new barrel.
Ricky typically has a 2 month wait on jobs. He stays busy. He charges accordingly. Not expensive, but certainly not cheap.
He lit up when I told him I would be bringing in my stepdaughter's GP-100 for trigger work. I'm pretty sure he likes doing trigger jobs more than this sort of repair.
His reaction to a customer trying to get a Lorcin/Jennings repaired was funny. Not sure if he actually attempted it.
REPETITION CREATES BELIEF
REPETITION BUILDS THE SEPARATE WORLDS WE LIVE AND DIE IN
NO EXCEPTIONS
Due to other issues, I didn't make it to Ricky until yesterday. I was dropping off my CW45 to sell to finance a G21, but that's another thread. Despite the fact my intention was simply to pick up a spring to do @jetfire 's "redneck gunsmithing trick" on my wife's Cheetah, after he shot five rounds on the micro-range out back of the shop, now the 84bb is on his queue for work. Also, despite Ricky saying he'd never work on a Beretta again after my wife's Tomcat. That might turn into another thread.
When I get back the Cheetah, my stepdaughter's 6" GP-100 will be getting a trigger job.
So after hours I was chatting with Ricky about the subject of the thread. I told him about this thread. He says there may be another video on this eventually, but the owner is now balking at repair costs, so the Python is thoroughly disassembled now, with lockwork removed from the frame and barrel removed with 2 bullets still in it. I got to handle it. Sad.
(Sorry, left my phone in the car and was having too much fun to retrieve it. Next time.)
I should have taken written notes, but here's my understanding:
-- the bullet sticking out came out easily, I think with pliers
--Ricky then put the gun in a drill press, put a small screw into the next bullet, and pulled it out by the screw
The big problems came with the bullet stuck in the cylinder and forcing cone. Ricky was being really vague, so I pressed him for details.
He looked at me with that smile of his, and said "I can't tell you."
I have come to realize Ricky is our local "Winston Wolf" since my last post, and he takes on some business from other smiths locally from time to time. He's very solution-oriented. I can't blame him for being cagey. Those solutions mean money in his pocket.
What I do know: however the got the cylinder out of the frame, it sheared the stuck bullet in two, and bent the frame. He says repairing the bend is no biggie.
I hope this was informative, if not completely revealing.
I also got to see what happens when you double-charge max .44 mag and fire it in a Super Blackhawk. I saw the remaining half cylinder. I wouldn't have wanted to be around the hand grenade-type explosion.
Ricky also showed me a pic of a once-fired .270 brought in for repair. Unfortunately, the owner left the laser boresight in the rifle. Nice, classic "Elmer Fudd" barrel, with three twisted pieces of metal.
I started chatting with another customer who was picking up his EVO with a can, and so now I've fondled one of those. This turned into a chat about silenced. 45-70s , then talk about his favored levergun, a 336 in .35 Remington. "Easy to handload!"
I really need to get my "enabling shields" repaired before making too many trips to my awesome LNGS. The hive here ain't nothing compared to the bad ideas on tap chatting with the well-heeled folks there.
And it's less than 9 miles from my house. First world problems.
ETA: I forgot to mention that I was mistaken about damage to the lockwork on the Python. That's OK at least.
Last edited by Baldanders; 08-21-2021 at 12:42 PM.
REPETITION CREATES BELIEF
REPETITION BUILDS THE SEPARATE WORLDS WE LIVE AND DIE IN
NO EXCEPTIONS
Another thing: Ricky's plan for the other two bullets (a new barrel makes way more sense) is to put the gun back in a press, drill out most of the lead cores of the two remaining bullets until hopefully the jackets become easy to deform.
Evidently, he can't put a screw into a bullet once it's more than an inch or so in the barrel.
But I don't think that's happening.
REPETITION CREATES BELIEF
REPETITION BUILDS THE SEPARATE WORLDS WE LIVE AND DIE IN
NO EXCEPTIONS
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