340PD cylinder erosion

[Hatchett]

The titanium cylinder on my friend's 340PD is getting some weird erosion on it. He says he's only shot it 250 times and that he has NEVER fired loads lighter than 110 grains like the billboard on the barrel warns. Supposing he's not lying, I can only assume the strength treatment isn't quite up to snuff on this one. I'm thinking I should just tell him to send it back to S&W and see if he can get them to put a new cylinder in it?

 

[XD 45acp]

If that is indeed down in the cylinder metal, S&W needs to know about it. Looks like the grain of the metal isn't right. Shooting the eroded cylinder chambers may start bullets to shave as they start into the forcing cone, spitting metal to both sides. I'd definitely send it back.

 

[orionengnr]

I sold a low round count PD360 to a friend six-seven years ago.
After he shot it a bit, his developed the same issue.
He contacted S&W, they sent him a shipping label. He sent it in, they replaced the cylinder and it's been fine ever since.

May I assume that this is an older 340?

 

[627PCFan]

"he has NEVER fired loads lighter than 110 grains" or he has never fired 110 grain rounds?

 

[Old Fuff]

Open the cylinder and look at the barrel's rear face. Do you see any tool marks on the barrel that match the marks you noticed on the cylinder? If so, I know what the answer to the problem is.

 

[Hatchett]

I meant he never fired 110 grain loads OR anything lighter. He says the lowest he's gone is 125, and only a few times.

Anyway, he called S&W and they sent him a shipping label and it's on the way back for a new, free cylinder. Just to complete the thread for anyone's future reference.

 

[Nom de Forum]

Same thing happened to my 340's cylinder when I bought it 10? years ago. I had only fired 50 rounds of 125s when I noticed pitting from erosion. S&W replaced the cylinder for free. I shot another box of 125s that again caused erosion just not as bad as the first box in the original cylinder. After evaluating the situation I came to the conclusion the coolness of owning Ti Sc flyweight .357 had worn off and a PF-9 was a better option. I sold the S&W.

 

[MartinS]

Any chance he cleaned the cylinder face with an abrasive?

 

[340PD]

I have over 1000 rounds, (mostly handloaded .357 lite) through my very old 340pd, and the face of the cylinder still looks like new.

Is the flame guard still in place and is there any damage to the top strap?

Contact S&W for a free fix.

 

[pps]

I have a little over 2500 rounds through mine. Being in the habit of using Hoppes #9 on all my guns I did the same with my 340PD. I'm pretty sure the solvent must have chemically stripped some of the protective coating off the face.

Yes, I should have not assumed that hoppes would be ok for everything, as the manual does not have it listed as being ok, but rather recommends "Hoppes Elite" for cleaning. Your friends choice of solvent could possibly contribute to this problem.

The gun is no beauty queen, but I've had no jacket fragments spitting from the BC gap. At some point I'll probably swap a stainless steel cylinder that's milled for moonclips into this gun. I carry this gun A LOT! Shoot it at the end of about every other range session... just enough to stay proficient with it.

 

[Hatchett]

That's exactly the same kind of erosion and S&W themselves admitted to my friend it's caused by flame cutting into the titanium and not Hoppes. They are replacing his cylinder. They will likely yours as well.

Maybe there was just a certain number of them whose titanium wasn't quite up to snuff as far as hardness?

 

[brokenolmarine]

My 340 looks really good right now, but I'll file the info away for future reference. Thanks guys.