That Dreaded Carbon Ring

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airfoil said:
If you're a reloader...just use .357 brass with .38 powder charges.
Click to expand...
It's not that simple; I've tried it.

A light load of a compact powder doesn't fill the case up enough for reliable and complete ignition. It will light off, but you'll find unburnt powder on your shooting table and may notice the inconsistent power levels. This can be helped somewhat by tilting the gun vertical prior to every shot, to get most of the powder next to the primer.

The 357 case needs a bit more powder to be reliable and consistent. One example: with 148 gr. cast wadcutters, the load in 38 Special cases is 2.5 - 2.8 gr. of HP38. With 357 cases, it's 3.0 - 3.5 gr. So your choice is to either shoot 38s and deal with the carbon ring or shoot 357s and use a bit more powder with more recoil & flash.

Here's the recent instance where I had this happen:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/question-on-light-loads-in-magnum-cases.911578/

The rounds will shoot, but they will not be as consistent as if they fill the case more.

I'm just going to use slightly heavier loads in the Magnum cases and with magnum primers. It's not bad recoil out of the relatively heavy 3" SP-101 or 4" S&W 19; nowhere NEAR full power magnum loads. Next compact revolver I get, I'm just going to buy a 38 Special, as I don't like nor need magnum loads in them.
 
Last edited:
trackskippy said:
It is a thing, and more noticeable if you shoot a lot of shorter cases in a longer cased gun. . . . .
Click to expand...

Just me- I wouldn't do that at all.
If I had a 44 magnum, I wouldn't
use low powered ammunition in it.
I'd buy a 44 special.
I wouldn't use low powered ammunition
in a heavy 357 magnum, I'd buy a 38
special.
If that was too much for me, I'd skip
on down to a 32.
If that was too much, I'd get a nice 22LR
target pistol.
If I couldn't handle that, I'd be looking
at the various play stations and maybe
eventually move up to one of the old
fashioned pistols that you put a red
roll of caps in
 
I do wadcutters...I shoot targets, but I wouldn't stand in front of a wadcutter. It is simple, if you have the time to find a load that works for you.
 
I still sometimes use the bronze brush on my PRS rifle's chamber to get the carbon ring in the neck. We shoot fast, and often in the heat, and really lay the carbon down.
 
Smaug said:
It's not that simple; I've tried it.

A light load of a compact powder doesn't fill the case up enough for reliable and complete ignition. It will light off, but you'll find unburnt powder on your shooting table and may notice the inconsistent power levels. This can be helped somewhat by tilting the gun vertical prior to every shot, to get most of the powder next to the primer.

The 357 case needs a bit more powder to be reliable and consistent. One example: with 148 gr. cast wadcutters, the load in 38 Special cases is 2.5 - 2.8 gr. of HP38. With 357 cases, it's 3.0 - 3.5 gr. So your choice is to either shoot 38s and deal with the carbon ring or shoot 357s and use a bit more powder with more recoil & flash.

Here's the recent instance where I had this happen:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/question-on-light-loads-in-magnum-cases.911578/

The rounds will shoot, but they will not be as consistent as if they fill the case more.

I'm just going to use slightly heavier loads in the Magnum cases and with magnum primers. It's not bad recoil out of the relatively heavy 3" SP-101 or 4" S&W 19; nowhere NEAR full power magnum loads. Next compact revolver I get, I'm just going to buy a 38 Special, as I don't like nor need magnum loads in them.
Click to expand...
hp38 is too slow. use bullseye powder for the real light loads in your magnum cases.

luck,

murf
 
The Kingfish said:
Use Mothers mag & aluminum or Flitz polish on a tight fitting patch and spin it on low to moderate speed with a drill.
Click to expand...
Been doing that for years. Have a S&W Model 19 and I would swear whoever had it shot only .38 Special in it. First time I fired .357 Magnum I played hell extracting the empties. A cotton patch on a .40 bore brush and Flitz with one of my hand drills. Been doing that for many decades. Works fine and last a long time. :)

Ron
 
I'm gonna buy some Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish. It's a LOT cheaper than Flitz.

Will it get the carbon rings off the front of the cylinder too?
 
Smaug said:
I'm gonna buy some Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish. It's a LOT cheaper than Flitz.

Will it get the carbon rings off the front of the cylinder too?
Click to expand...
Yup. I use it for that all the time on my SS guns. Just a dab on a patch is all you need too. Works great.
 
I slop hoppes #9 in each chamber, let it sit for a day or two, then use a bronze brush 1 size too big (.40 cal for a 9mm or .38) screw the brush into a cleaning rod tip and chuck into an electric drill. Run the brush back and forth in each chamber. Never fails.
 
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