stonebuster
Member
Does shooting a steady diet of 357mag 158 grain FMJ and 38 special FMJ 130 grain wear the forcing cone more than unjacketed ammo over thousands of rounds?
So does it follow that 38 specials shot out of a 357 mag will wear the forcing cone more than 357's due to it's shorter profile? I assume shorter profile means length.The problem with the light for caliber bullets with full house .357 powder charges is not the force of the bullet hitting the forcing cone, but the amount of hot gases and carbonized unburnt particles going by the bullet as it enters the forcing cone. This is the main cause of top strap erosion too, not the bullet bouncing off the top strap before it enters the forcing cone............
Light for caliber bullets have a shorter profile, thus allowing more of the hot gases and unburnt particles to get past the bullet as it goes thru the cylinder gap and not follow it directly into the barrel.
So does it follow that 38 specials shot out of a 357 mag will wear the forcing cone more than 357's due to it's shorter profile? I assume shorter profile means length.
I understand 110 grain .357s loaded to a nominal velocity of 1500+ FPS from a 4 inch barrel being hard on forcing cones. But most current 110 grain .357s are loaded to nmt 1295 FPS from the same barrel; roughly like a 9mm plus P (which is even shorter, yet we don’t hear about 9mm revolvers having the same problem). It doesn’t compute for me.
Which is what prompted my initial comment. Corbon 110 grain .357 is spec’d at 1500 FPS but most of the major brands of 110 grain .357 are spec’d at 1295 FPS. Full power 125s are spec'd at 1450 FPS and Remington medium velocity 125s are spec’d at 1220 FPS. If 110 at 1500 is full power (and I think it is) what should we call 1295? I would call that medium power and wonder if it would be anywhere near as hard on forcing cones. I think probably not. Most threads on this subject are unclear, at best.It's the full power .357 loads with light bullets, 110 and 125gr, that seem to be the worst.
That's a really peculiar revolver you have there. If it were mine, I'd get rid of it.Yes, the lightweight bullets are more prone to bounce off the top strap causing undue wear....see post #4.
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My comment in post #4 about the bullet bouncing off the top strap was "tongue in cheek". Hope your comment is too.Yes, the lightweight bullets are more prone to bounce off the top strap causing undue wear....see post #4.
So shooting 130 grain 38 specials wear forcing cone more than 158 grain 38 specials?A 158 grain .38 special bullet is the same length as a .357 158 grain bullet. It's the bullets that are smaller than 140 grain that cause the damage. It's the .357 cases that are longer for more powder.
Probably but erosion at 38 special pressure is going to be so slow it would take thousands and thousands of rounds.So shooting 130 grain 38 specials wear forcing cone more than 158 grain 38 specials?
So shooting 130 grain 38 specials wear forcing cone more than 158 grain 38 specials?