My 638~I just can't figure this out!!

[Kentucky Rifle]

I have measured every which way. Checked the ejector rod and star. I just can't see the problem. My 638, which I carry daily has a "sometimes" problem with the longer .38 Special RBCDs and no problems at all with the shorter Hydra-Shok (or anything else) hollow points. The problem is that the longer rounds hang-up slightly. Open the yoke, point the revolver down, push up on the ejector rod, and about an eighth of an inch later I feel a "catch". Some more pressure on the rod "pops" the rounds upward. No problems at all with Hydra-Shoks, Silvertips, or anything else I've EVER tried. WHAT is doing this??? The .38 Special RBCD is a little longer than anything else and works slickly in any other .38 Special I own. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Oh..I've measured the cartridges also. The only difference is length. How can the only slightly longer RBCD's work so slickly in ALL the other .38's but not my 638??? I've got to solve this problem! Everything measures exactly the same, yet SOMETHING binds the cartridges on the way UP. Ejecting empty cases DOWN is a breeze. What could be holding them when I push UP on the ejector rod?

Frustrated!
KR

 

[BigG]

Not familiar with the ctgs, but could the chamber throats be a little snug and be gripping the projos?

 

[Old Fuff]

If the case walls are a little thicker the brass may wedge a bit when the crimp opens. Perhaps having the chambers polished might help.

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

Well, I just passed a few patches through the charging holes and now I can't get the RBCD cartridges to hang up at all. This is a frustrating, intermittent problem. It's like when you take your car to your mechanic and try to explain what it was doing 15 minutes ago...only NOW it seems fine. BAH!

Oh, by the way. I don't usually carry a pistol this big in my pocket. However, I wondered if that dime getting into the hammer slot could possibly be true. I can get a dime in the slot, but when I dry-fire the revolver, the hammer pushes the dime away. No way for a dime to retard function. I do admit that the centennial models have a certain appeal. There is no way pocket lint can get to the hammer. It just HAS to stay cleaner in there. ~Which has got me to thinking about the model 332 again. A 12 ounce revolver that's chambered for .32 H&R Magnum has only slight recoil.
(The best thing to do is stop trying to find ways to STOP buying neat firearms. It's for the best. )

KR

 

[Old Fuff]

I suspect that one or more of you’re chambers are on the tight side. When they are clean they work and when they aren’t they stick. Brownells (www.brownells.com) sell a polishing tool called a “Flex-Hone†that is reasonably inexpensive, chamber specific and can be used many times. You simply chuck it up in an electric drill and polish away. Whole outfit is about $30.00 and will do all of your .38 Special/.357 Magnum revolvers and then some.

 

[Al Thompson]

Is this fired cases or loaded ammo? If it's loaded, the bullets may simply be a bit long and catching in the cylinder. I'd also think of chucking a brass bore brush in a drill and polishing the chambers with the brush and some Flitz

 

[Jim March]

OK, I see what's up. I think.

Lemme get this straight: the RCBD *shells* are a bit over-length?

If so, then what's happening is similar to what happens with 357 shells in a dirty 38Spl gun. When you shoot a lot of 38s, a "ring of crud" builds up just ahead of where the 38 shell goes. This is normal in any gun. With a 357 shell after a lot of 38 shooting, you're pushing the longer shell "into the crud" some.

This causes two problems: sticky extraction, and in very extreme situations, can (in theory) cause a K-Boom . The crud prevents the 357's case mouth from opening properly and releasing the shell. The pressure goes up and...if it's a weak gun and a very strong load AND a lot of crud...boom.

Having it happen so bad it blows up is extremely rare. And if that's all it took, it wasn't a really good gun to start with (old K-sized Taurus/Rossi, or a Windicator or a "Comanche" .)

But anyways, this would seem to be the basic syndrome you've got with these over-length shells. That's why cleaning it helps.

If you still want to carry RCBDs, just clean the cylinders really well first.

 

[Tamara]

Everything measures exactly the same, yet SOMETHING binds the cartridges on the way UP. Ejecting empty cases DOWN is a breeze.

"Doctor, it hurts when I do this..."

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

I've tried to eject "upwards" (muzzle pointed down) this morning a few times and it's no problem at all. I intend to keep carrying the RBCD's. I'll just clean the charging holes in the cylinder more often. I guess it's not that big a deal.

KR

 

[C.R.Sam]

Ejecting with muzzle down more likely to get junk under star and cause binding of cylinder.

Sam....It hurts when I do a lot of things.