38 special repair

[loadedp3at]

I need my cylinders honed on my 38special. Does anyone know a good gunsmith in the Knoxville area or where I can get a hone.

[Dolomite_supafly]

Do it yourself, easy enough. 

Get a 45 caliber bore mop and chuck it into a drill. Then saturate the mop with a metal polish, like Flitz. Insert the bore mop into the cylinder and spin it for about 15 seconds. Repeat until you get the desired results. This should polish the chamber to ease extraction. 

[loadedp3at]

Is that just the regular cotton type bore mops?

[DaveTN]

Are they damaged?

[chances R]

I have done the same with shotgun chambers, but used 000 steel wool on a bore brush.  I would think the same could be done on a cylinder and then finish with the Flitz.

[loadedp3at]

They are not damaged. Just sticks when fired and can't reload well. Have to push the shells in. I have used solvent thinking the chambers were full of powder but no good.

[DaveTN]

If you think that is what it needs...

http://www.ktgunsmith.com/polish_chambers.htm

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/375236/flex-hone-pistol-cylinder-hone-38-special-357-magnum-800-grit

 

[Dolomite_supafly]

800 grit is too course to polish. It will give a finish similar to what came from the factory but it will not be polished. It will eventually lead to the same problem because there will still be microscopic grooves. That is unless you polish the chamber. Also, that is course enough that it is possible to actually change the dimensions of you are not careful.

Flitz, or any metal polish, will actually polish without removing material or at least you really have to try hard to remove material.

I have used this method on at least 25 guns over the years. I have never had a problem and it has always improved the function of the gun.

Where are you located?

 

 

[1gewehr]

If you have been using lead bullets, then it might just be lead buildup.  There are some specialized cleaning cloths for removing lead buildup.  I have one by Remington that I bough years ago.  Cut into the proper size, it does a good job of getting out lead from rifling and cylinders.

There are other methods as well.  It's pretty easy to figure out if it's lead.  A sharp iron, copper, or bronze tool will easily scar the surface of lead.  Don't use steel as it will scar the steel cylinder!

[chances R]

simple enough to try a choreboy copper pad wrapped on a cleaning brush to see if it helps if the problem is lead build up.

[bucnball]

My favorite is bronze wool that cannot scratch steel & you can get it @ most marine supply stores though choreboy is a good cheap choice. Question? Is it a Smith/Colt or other revolver?Reason for asking is ease of removal of cylinder/crane assembly. If you can remove the crane/cylinder from the frame cleaning foreign matter from the parts is easier and less possibility of damaging the fit /finish of the pistol. Hope this helps you.

[sybo]

Listen to Dolomite! Flitz and go slow! You can do this easily yourself.