I bought it new and never modified it. I don't have a local smith, But I read the pamphlet that came with the gun and there is a S&W authorized smith about 40 miles from here. I guess I will start there.
Blown Primers Damaged My Revolver?
- Thread starter rod5591
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I bought it new and never modified it. I don't have a local smith, But I read the pamphlet that came with the gun and there is a S&W authorized smith about 40 miles from here. I guess I will start there.
earplug
Member
Relax
Contact Winchester about the ammo.
Give them the pictures.
If this is a firing pin in the frame model 686. Contact a company like Brownels or Midway and order a new firing pin. Its not rocket science to replace.
I had a Old M-27 that I tried to work up the classic Elmer Kieth load of 14 grains of 2400. On my gun I pierced the primers and it ruined my firing pin at 13 grains. This was on the old hammer mounted firing pin guns.
I have never heard of this problem caused by a light hammer spring. If this was true, more people would complain about firing pin problems after trying for ultra light DA action jobs. The numerous PPC, ICORE, USPSA and Bullseye shooters would support this.
Sometimes all the grains of powder fall on the wrong side of your day. For every squib, there is some extra powder floating around.
Contact Winchester about the ammo.
Give them the pictures.
If this is a firing pin in the frame model 686. Contact a company like Brownels or Midway and order a new firing pin. Its not rocket science to replace.
I had a Old M-27 that I tried to work up the classic Elmer Kieth load of 14 grains of 2400. On my gun I pierced the primers and it ruined my firing pin at 13 grains. This was on the old hammer mounted firing pin guns.
I have never heard of this problem caused by a light hammer spring. If this was true, more people would complain about firing pin problems after trying for ultra light DA action jobs. The numerous PPC, ICORE, USPSA and Bullseye shooters would support this.
Sometimes all the grains of powder fall on the wrong side of your day. For every squib, there is some extra powder floating around.
MtnCreek
Member
Have you contacted Win about this ammo?
Giving this business another thought, and wonder if one of the cases with a spread primer could be decapped to look at the flash hole. An oversize flash hole can let high pressure back into the primer pocket and that could flatten the primer and drive back the hammer/firing pin to cause the "pierced" primers. Also, pull the bullets on some of those rounds and see if the powder and weight can be identified. I don't recall seeing factory ammo of late with brass (unplated) primers, but then I don't buy much factory ammo.
Earplug, so-called pierced primers are almost always the result of a light hammer/firing pin spring or a lightweight hammer/firing pin. What happens is that there is just enough energy to fire the primer, but not enough momentum to remain in the primer until the pressure drops. The result is that the internal pressure in the primer itself (not from the main powder charge) forces the primer metal back and without the firing pin in the primer, a disc of metal is driven back into the firing pin hole. In most such cases, the primer will appear otherwise normal. But here we have severely flattened primers in addition to the hole, so I think something more needs to be looked at.
Jim
Earplug, so-called pierced primers are almost always the result of a light hammer/firing pin spring or a lightweight hammer/firing pin. What happens is that there is just enough energy to fire the primer, but not enough momentum to remain in the primer until the pressure drops. The result is that the internal pressure in the primer itself (not from the main powder charge) forces the primer metal back and without the firing pin in the primer, a disc of metal is driven back into the firing pin hole. In most such cases, the primer will appear otherwise normal. But here we have severely flattened primers in addition to the hole, so I think something more needs to be looked at.
Jim
Scimmia
Member
That's typical for Winchester. Winchester used to be plated way back when, but they stopped to improve sensativity. 2007 would have been unplated for sure.
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BSA1
member
Rod,
The first thing I would is send the box along with all of unfired and fired rounds to Winchester with a detailed letter about what happened. If Winchester determines the ammunition is faulty they will replace it. You could also ask they pay for the repairs to your gun.
Sending the ammo back is the way you can rule out the ammo being the cause.
Examination of your gun by a S&W repair center will determine if there is a problem but without having your ammo checked you won't know for sure what was the case.
The first thing I would is send the box along with all of unfired and fired rounds to Winchester with a detailed letter about what happened. If Winchester determines the ammunition is faulty they will replace it. You could also ask they pay for the repairs to your gun.
Sending the ammo back is the way you can rule out the ammo being the cause.
Examination of your gun by a S&W repair center will determine if there is a problem but without having your ammo checked you won't know for sure what was the case.
more data
I reread my posts and wish I could go back and rewrite it--I didn't correctly describe everything. Let me try again. the week before my S&W .357 magnum 686 L frame revolver broke, I the last 7 rounds I fired were Winchester 110 gr. hollow point. I fired them off and tried to reload, but one of the chambers would not accept the shell so i stopped and when I got home I found a shell casing broke in half inside one of the chambers. See Pic.--
Next week I was firing Winchester 157 gr. hollow point and the cylinder froze. It would not move, so I muscled it some and it started turning again so I shot 7 more rounds but then it froze again and wouldn't move. I had to get the range office to clear it and he looked and said the firing pin was gone, and showed be the blown primers on the spent rounds (same as them members here commented on). I took it to a gunsmith who said the ammo was the problem, he said they were reloads, which is what i came and posted.
Does the fact that one of the Winchester 110 gr. hollow point shell casing broke in half inside one of the chambers add any info to the discussion? See Pic.--
by the way, there was a recall of 686-6s about 20 years ago but I bought this gun in 2005--could I have a recall gun? There is no M stamped above the serial numbers, just "686-6"
I reread my posts and wish I could go back and rewrite it--I didn't correctly describe everything. Let me try again. the week before my S&W .357 magnum 686 L frame revolver broke, I the last 7 rounds I fired were Winchester 110 gr. hollow point. I fired them off and tried to reload, but one of the chambers would not accept the shell so i stopped and when I got home I found a shell casing broke in half inside one of the chambers. See Pic.--
Next week I was firing Winchester 157 gr. hollow point and the cylinder froze. It would not move, so I muscled it some and it started turning again so I shot 7 more rounds but then it froze again and wouldn't move. I had to get the range office to clear it and he looked and said the firing pin was gone, and showed be the blown primers on the spent rounds (same as them members here commented on). I took it to a gunsmith who said the ammo was the problem, he said they were reloads, which is what i came and posted.
Does the fact that one of the Winchester 110 gr. hollow point shell casing broke in half inside one of the chambers add any info to the discussion? See Pic.--
by the way, there was a recall of 686-6s about 20 years ago but I bought this gun in 2005--could I have a recall gun? There is no M stamped above the serial numbers, just "686-6"
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Steel Talon
Member
Dont know if this would be relative to your issues???
Myself, I only shoot 158 grain bullets through my magnums. Years ago I fractured the forcing cone on my model 19 shooting some factory 125's. I took it to a local gunsmith. Who told me the problem was the lighter grained bullets and thier bearing surfaces, and to stick with 158 grain bullets.
Never a problem since
Myself, I only shoot 158 grain bullets through my magnums. Years ago I fractured the forcing cone on my model 19 shooting some factory 125's. I took it to a local gunsmith. Who told me the problem was the lighter grained bullets and thier bearing surfaces, and to stick with 158 grain bullets.
Never a problem since
triggerman770
Member
first go to the S&W website to check the possibility of a recall gun.
second. send the pix of the ammo with lot numbers to winchester.(the pierced primers and the separated case) along eith the lot numbers.
third. if not a recall gun have it looked at by Smith & Wesson or a gunsmith familiar with Smith & Wesson's. As Jim K said something more needs to be looked at
I sent S&W an email and they sent me a prepaid warranty label and asked me to send them the gun back. I am thinking at this point that it was a recall gun and that the issue was with with the gun and not the ammo.
One good thing that came about from this was that, since my S&W .357 magnum is out of action, I went out and bought a 1911 to replace it, and I really like it!
I will post the reply from S&W after I get my gun back, just to close out this thread.
One good thing that came about from this was that, since my S&W .357 magnum is out of action, I went out and bought a 1911 to replace it, and I really like it!
I will post the reply from S&W after I get my gun back, just to close out this thread.
au_prospector
Member
Recall was long ago on earlier models, not yours
Hey just to clarify, there is no recall on your specific model. There is a recall on S&W 586, 586-1, 686, 686-1 from many many moons ago. The problem was blown primers back flowing into the firing pin aperture. The result would be a locked up cylinder to the point that dis assembly was needed to free it. This was usually the result of owners using overly aggressive reloaded ammunition. Firearms were to be sent back to S&W where a new parts? were added and the frame was stamped with a 'M' next to he model number. Beginning with model 586-2 and 686-2, the problem was fixed at the factory.
How do I know all this? I own a early '80's 586 no dash, no 'M' stamp and stumbled upon the recall during an internet search. I phoned S&W and spoke with a factory gunsmith who simply said something like this... "if you havent had a problem yet, you likely will never have a problem. Dont use out of spec reloads, continue to shoot factory ammo and within spec reloads and you will be fine. Enjoy your revolver." He offered to take a look at my revolver if I sent it to him on my dime, I declined. And that was that.
So unless you have a factory defective 686-6, expect S&W to point to the ammo. Hopefully they will replace your firing pin at no charge. How did you make out with the ammo manufacturer in the mean time?
http://firearmsid.com/Recalls/FA_Re...1-1, 586-1, 681-1, 686-1 & 686CS-1, REVOLVERS
BTW, the recall is from 25 years ago.
Hey just to clarify, there is no recall on your specific model. There is a recall on S&W 586, 586-1, 686, 686-1 from many many moons ago. The problem was blown primers back flowing into the firing pin aperture. The result would be a locked up cylinder to the point that dis assembly was needed to free it. This was usually the result of owners using overly aggressive reloaded ammunition. Firearms were to be sent back to S&W where a new parts? were added and the frame was stamped with a 'M' next to he model number. Beginning with model 586-2 and 686-2, the problem was fixed at the factory.
How do I know all this? I own a early '80's 586 no dash, no 'M' stamp and stumbled upon the recall during an internet search. I phoned S&W and spoke with a factory gunsmith who simply said something like this... "if you havent had a problem yet, you likely will never have a problem. Dont use out of spec reloads, continue to shoot factory ammo and within spec reloads and you will be fine. Enjoy your revolver." He offered to take a look at my revolver if I sent it to him on my dime, I declined. And that was that.
So unless you have a factory defective 686-6, expect S&W to point to the ammo. Hopefully they will replace your firing pin at no charge. How did you make out with the ammo manufacturer in the mean time?
http://firearmsid.com/Recalls/FA_Re...1-1, 586-1, 681-1, 686-1 & 686CS-1, REVOLVERS
BTW, the recall is from 25 years ago.
roadsidesaint
Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2012
- Messages
- 6
Did you ever have a trigger job done on it? Or any work for that matter?
S&W had a recall on the 686 for problems just like you had firing these rounds. I don't know much more about it though. Have you talked to S&W? That is the first thing I would do rather then listen to one of us telling you that recall doesn't apply to your gun.
Double Naught Spy
Sus Venator
Wow, it is amazing how a little perspective and information change and the situation goes from Sportsmans Guide selling you reloads as new ammo in a new ammo box to the problem now being with the gun.
yep your right. I jumped to conclusions based on what the gunsmith told me and then posted here unjustly blaming Sportsman's Guide. I am pretty sure at this point the "reloads" theory is incorrect.
As another poster mentioned, the S&W recall covered 686, & 686-1, and mine is a 686-6. But the problem I had sounded just like the recall problem--the cylinder binded while firing.
I contacted S&W via their website and and they sent me a prepaid Fed-ex shipping label, even though my gun was purchased in 2005. So it must be the gun is defective somehow, otherwise why would they ask me to return it to them on their dime? I sent it back to them today.
Nope I never had any work done on it. I never even fired it for 6 years.
I haven't even tried to contact Winchester yet. I think I will wait to hear what S&W has to say.
To be honest, I find it a drag to have to deal with stuff like this. Too much like work! How I wish things just worked correctly! LOL
I packaged up my revolver with the fired cartridges and sent it back to S&W. Today I received my revolver back from S&W. They replaced the cylinder, bushing and firing pin, free of charge. They didn't say a word about what caused the damage.
Note to self: Buy no more Winchester ammo. I couldn't even find a number on their web page on how to contact them.
Note to self: Buy no more Winchester ammo. I couldn't even find a number on their web page on how to contact them.
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