Took the S&W Model 60 (circa 1976) to the range: Quite a learning experience

[Snowdog]

I finally got the M60 out to the range and couldn't be happier with the performance. This revolver is far more accurate than I was expecting. In single action, the bullseye was a torn-up mess at 7 yards. It produced respectable groups in double action as well. I'm sure with practice, those groups can only get better.

I learned a few things today:

1: Coated bullets rock! I fired some 130gr lead HP (these I purchased online) with both traditional lube and some that I poly coated (Eastwood Ford dark blue and Kawasaki green). Accuracy seemed nearly identical. A few groups tended to favor the coated bullets. The stark difference was ZERO smoke with the coated bullets. It was as if I was firing jacketed slugs. As easy as it is to powder coat, that's the route I'm taking from now on.

2: My attempt at replicating the old Federal standard pressure Nyclad so far is going well. The pure-lead HPs I casted using the Lyman 125gr 9mm/.38special single cavity hollow point die casted well (once the die got very hot). These were coated dark ford blue and it seemed the most accurate of all the handloads I fired. Now I just need to gel test this load to see how close it is to the old Federal Nyclads. It sure looks like them.

3: I need to be more careful charging the cases with powder using my Lee Auto Disk with micrometer adapter. After thousands of handloads over the past two decades, I encountered my second squib round. The first I encountered about 10 years ago from my 1911 managed to send the 200gr SWC out the barrel. Today, the 148gr wadcutter stuck in the M60's barrel and it was stuck in there good. This barrel obstruction leads me to the next and most interesting thing I've learned.

4: Stuck bullets are hard as hell to remove using a wooden dowel. I pounded on that stuck slug with a wood dowel to the point the dowel was flattening out against the bullet. I used solvents, tried heating the barrel, nothing worked. I was almost resigned to taking this S&W M60 to a gunsmith but decided to Google a cure first. I found a YouTube video where a fellow was demonstrating how to remove a stuck bullet using a paraffin slug over a couple grains of powder. The barrel, pointed downward, would then be filled with water and the paraffin slug fired into that.

I figured what the hell and gave it a shot, quite literally. I loaded a primed .38 Special brass with a WSP, 2 grains of Win 231 and shoved it through a tea candle. Once outside, I filled the barrel with water using a straw, closed the cylinder and pop, out came the bullet. First attempt. After I removed the paraffin (easy enough), the barrel is pristine. Absolutely no bulging or anything like that.

And to think I was pounding on that SOB for a good hour. That's a trick I'll never forget.



The wadcutter on the right was the stuck bullet (caught by a folded towel).

 

[doubleh]

My wife bought one of these back in the early 70's as her very first firearm. Yes, she had shot my guns but wanted her own. I didn't care for the little rascal at all as it came out of the box and thought it really nasty with +p loads. I found a set of cocobola grips that made the grip big enough to fill your hand and had finger grooves. It civilized the little critter to no end and my darling wife, after complaining about them for awhile, decided she actually liked them. It's her dresser drawer gun just in case although we've never needed it or any other gun for that matter to defend ourselves with. Better safe than sorry though.

 

[Snowdog]

I hear you about the grips. I did have to make sure I had a good grip on them before shooting, so engaging was a bit on the slow side. I'm sure practice will rectify that, but replacement grips would too. If I planned to use this revolver for defense, that's the first thing I'd do. I'm just playing around with it out of nostalgia.
It's a fun little gun that's plenty accurate.

 

[MikeJackmin]

My (vague) understanding of barrel obstructions and bulges is that the damage is done by the moving bullet coming to a stop, transferring the energy of its momentum into the surrounding container (the barrel).

A wax slug is low mass, hopefully low enough to deliver a bullet-moving but not barrel-bulging force. I imagine the water would transfer the pressure equally all around, further softening the blow at any one point. It is an interesting and useful trick.

 

[Snowdog]

Yup, I wouldn't have thought of it. I'm guessing the paraffin was to keep the water from the powder, but who knows. All I know is that it worked like magic.
I cannot tell you the grief pounding on that poor little M60 caused me. I felt like I was beating a puppy.

 

[Eddietruett]

4: Stuck bullets are hard as hell to remove using a wooden dowel. I pounded on that stuck slug with a wood dowel to the point the dowel was flattening out against the bullet. I used solvents, tried heating the barrel, nothing worked. I was almost resigned to taking this S&W M60 to a gunsmith but decided to Google a cure first. I found a YouTube video where a fellow was demonstrating how to remove a stuck bullet using a paraffin slug over a couple grains of powder. The barrel, pointed downward, would then be filled with water and the paraffin slug fired into that.

I figured what the hell and gave it a shot, quite literally. I loaded a primed .38 Special brass with a WSP, 2 grains of Win 231 and shoved it through a tea candle. Once outside, I filled the barrel with water using a straw, closed the cylinder and pop, out came the bullet. First attempt. After I removed the paraffin (easy enough), the barrel is pristine. Absolutely no bulging or anything like that.

And to think I was pounding on that SOB for a good hour. That's a trick I'll never forget.

View attachment 800300

The wadcutter on the right was the stuck bullet (caught by a folded towel).

View attachment 800301

I learned a real easy way to remove a bullet from a barrel from a gunsmith. Get a piece of plastic tubing that the od is the same as the barrel diameter find a drill bit that is the same size as the id of the plastic tubing. The tubing protects the grooves from any contact with the drill bit. Drill through the bullet. This will normally remove enough metal that there is no pressure holding the bullet against the grooves. Also use the largest diameter wooden dowel you can when driving the bullet out which I'm sure you were doing for strength. I also carry a piece of tubing and an aluminum rod that will fit inside of it when I go to the range. In case I was to have a squib, I could use the aluminum rod and the tubing would still protect the grooves although I don't think the aluminum would do any damage anyway.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO the easiest way to push out a bullet stuck in a barrel is with a brass rod. Wooden dowels flatten or break but the brass rod won't and won't damage the barrel either. Best of all it can be used at the range so you can continue shooting that gun.

OP, you said above you heated the barrel, that's never a good idea. Heat effects the heat treating.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I had a brass rod turned down to fit a .38 caliber bore. A few whacks with a hammer drives stuck bullets right out.

 

[Snowdog]

It certainly wouldn't hurt to bring a brass rod to the range. Lord knows the wood dowel can be a PITA.

 

[CajunBass]

I carry a section of an old aluminum shotgun cleaning rod in my range bag. When I have gotten a squib, I use it and a small hammer to tap the bullet out. No problems whatsoever.

I like those coated bullets. I thought at first they were the wax ones.

 

[Master Blaster]

Tap gently 10-20 light taps (use a brass rod not awood dowel)) and it will come right out. When you wack it hard you expand the soft lead bullet and make it harder to get out.

 

[BSA1]

You sure went to a LOT of trouble to remove a stuck bullet when tapping on a brass rod would quickly removed the bullet. A visit to the hardware or big box store will get enough different sizes to fit all of your guns.