S&W 329 - .44 Specials and Cylinder Marring

[targatop]

When I first purchased my 329 I put 50 .44 special cowboy loads through it just to get a feel for the trigger. Now I can't seem to get the dark rings of gunk out of the cylinder ring. I gave it a good 20 minute cleaning upon the first use, bore brushed it and ran cleaning pads through each chamber after the first outing, light oil, put it in a box and shipped it away for MNP while moved my house, unpacked 3 weeks later and re-cleaned the gun when it arrived back from MNP. That's when I noticed these uneven rings of what appears to be gunk inside about where the end of the casing on the .44 specials would have rested. I spent an HOUR today just cleaning the cylinder chambers, but it seems to have only made a small difference.

I've heard that residual gunk can pit barrels and cylinders. Do you think the light cleaning and then 3 weeks in a box might have done permanent damage to my cylinder and that's what these rings are? That would be unusual, but now I'm begginning to wonder. It's a Scandium alloy frame and I'm not used to that.

I am a gun cleaning fanatic because I believe anything standing between me and the threat should be in better condition than I am.

 

[earplug]

Have you tried dropping a factory 44 Rem Mag in the cylinder?
If it goes in, and ejects without problems when you fire, its fine.
I'm just guessing its something like A heat stain caused by the combustion of the powder.
I don't get very excited about little spots.
Is it clean enough to chamber A round, fine go practice.
If your nervous about defending yourself, just remember when your at the range you don't clean between shots.

 

[Sundles]

Targatop,

No, you did not hurt your cylinder. The ring you are seeing is a combo of carbon and lead deposit. The lead is hard to remove. DONT SHOOT COWBOY (pure lead) loads!

The rumors of short casings (ie shooting 44 SPL in 44 mag. chambers) causing corosion pitting in chambers is UNTRUE. Im sure I'll get some respones on this, but I promise shooting lots of 44 SPL in your modern 44 mag., will not pit the chambers in front of the case mouth. This whole pitting rumor is one of the most prevelant in the gun industry and is untrue, no matter how many folks think it is true, wont change the fact.

 

[targatop]

Thanks a bunch. Yes, the cases eject without issue. I just wanted to understand what I've done wrong - I guess it was the pure lead loads. Good thing it was only a box of 50. I was simply looking for reduced power loads that worked off the shelve to get me used to the DA trigger on this gun before stepping up to the .44 Mags.