125 grain 357 magnum load damage to revolver

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shoot to thrill

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The top strap flame cutting is worst with light bullets and ball powders. Stick powders for whatever reason do not do it. (gas temperature difference?)

I've always thought the reason flame cutting stops at a certain point is flame temperature. Once the top strap cut is so deep the gasses have cooled enough they can no longer do damage.
well maybe just get a hacksaw and saw a groove there on a new gun. just funning with you not mocking you
 
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yes, the ONLY issues we ever had, seen or heard about was the flame cutting ( Ruger was the ONLY one concerned) and as noted it went just so far and then basically "spot annealed" itself and stopped...the other issue was the K frame S&W model 19s because they had cut a "flat" on the underneath of the barrel at the forcing cone to clear the gas ring on the cylinder when fitting them up,,,,duh "thin spot" and with fast, light weight bullets crack this area in time, and NOT always the "same time",,,I shot many thousands of rounds out of my early model 19 from 1969/70 and later on had it " Metalifed SS" Looked like stainless , and so I sold it........never cracked the breach end of the barrel or washed out the forcing cone.............you will NOT have these issues with a double action Ruger..............remember soft lead bullets mainly reloads will tend to gum up the forcing cone area, and make it appear to be "shot out"....clean it !!!:cool:;)
 

LAH

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My N Frame had a few "max" type loads though it with no problem. Believe maybe Skeeter`s did also. Just saying.
 

gunzo

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Bullet smack was the forcing cone problem.
Max velocity lightweight bullets hitting the cone harder than the slower, heavier bullets.

And, when it comes to comparing the GP with the 19....why? Smith offers a GP weight gun in the L frame.

This cause quite a stir back in the day.
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Joseywales

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Assume for a second that this could be a problem in an SP101, does it makes sense that it would NOT be a problem in the early SP101s (125 grain max), which had the 38 cylinder? I would think the cylinder to frame fit would not allow space for the issue to occur. Correct?
 

gunzo

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Good point Josey, but I don't know the wall thickness of the forcing cone . Even though the SP is a smaller frame(?) than the K Smith, it could have a thicker FC wall.
But there is one other thing to consider. Thinking the number of full house 357's put through K frame Smiths over the decades might be.... a thousand, a hundred thousand to 1? that get fired in the short frame SP's.
The original 19/66 Smith did have a thin area in the FC, but damage was rarely immediate, or at all.
 

shoot to thrill

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Bullet smack was the forcing cone problem.
Max velocity lightweight bullets hitting the cone harder than the slower, heavier bullets.

And, when it comes to comparing the GP with the 19....why? Smith offers a GP weight gun in the L frame.

This cause quite a stir back in the day. View attachment 13758
S&W trying to dupe the public cause they know their pistols which are fine made guns will shoot loose if shot with a lot of even 357 factory loads. I talked to smiths who loved S&W pistols but admitted the Rugers outlast them by a mile. they said in order to get very good trigger pull and smooth action they lightened critical parts
 

shoot to thrill

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Try shooting one double action for accuracy and you will know exactly why.
When I had one, I determined the only thing it was good for was shooting a kneeling prisoner.
they are some revolvers and semi autos DA only. military guns were not made to enter olympic matches. I have seen guys shoot well the DA. single action is more accurate no doubt. your pistol was made in the 1890's I am sure by now it could have been made to fire SA
 

Saltcreek

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The damage, which was rare, was to Smith and Wesson K-frame revolvers. A GP100 will shrug those loads off forever with no damage.
The flame cutting to the frame happened to L-frames too but seems to stop after a point. I carried my L-frame with those loaded as a duty gun and have been shooting them since 1981 and still the same ones. The only unblemished guns are Safe-Queens.
 

dhains1963

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S&W trying to dupe the public cause they know their pistols which are fine made guns will shoot loose if shot with a lot of even 357 factory loads. I talked to smiths who loved S&W pistols but admitted the Rugers outlast them by a mile. they said in order to get very good trigger pull and smooth action they lightened critical parts
Correct. It isn't even something to debate on. When you get a new sp101 357 and compare it to a S&W the Ruger hammer, trigger and cylinder feels tight "new." The S&W equivalent & Taurus 605 "feel" loose and broken in already. Breaking in a mechanical object is "wear." It takes thousands of rounds to make the Ruger feel like the S&W and 10,000 rounds, or more, to make it feel like the 605.

This means that the Ruger will outlast both guns by the amount of rounds it takes to make it feel like the others when they are brand new. Everyone seems to look for technical reasons to explain the sometimes obvious.
 

dhains1963

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It is kinda a trade-off. You can buy a S&W and get the better trigger, smoother cylinder and hammer now.......or have the same thing with the Ruger later with greater longevity. I went with the longevity of the sp101. I also believe that carrying 5 to ten rounds less than a 9mm striker fire pistol warrants 357mag loads for maximum one shot stops.

My opinion only. 38 special, even plus p, is subpar to the modern 9mm cartridge. I carry my pistol for ccw. I'm not a competitive shooter, nor do I hunt with handguns. That being said, if I am going to carry only 5 rounds I want them to count.....357mag.

For pure ccw purposes, I would carry a 10 to 15 round striker fire pistol, before I would carry a sp101 in 38 special. I also believe that something is better than nothing. There is nothing wrong with carrying 38 special, however there are better options out there for personal protection.
 

shoot to thrill

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It is kinda a trade-off. You can buy a S&W and get the better trigger, smoother cylinder and hammer now.......or have the same thing with the Ruger later with greater longevity. I went with the longevity of the sp101. I also believe that carrying 5 to ten rounds less than a 9mm striker fire pistol warrants 357mag loads for maximum one shot stops.

My opinion only. 38 special, even plus p, is subpar to the modern 9mm cartridge. I carry my pistol for ccw. I'm not a competitive shooter, nor do I hunt with handguns. That being said, if I am going to carry only 5 rounds I want them to count.....357mag.

For pure ccw purposes, I would carry a 10 to 15 round striker fire pistol, before I would carry a sp101 in 38 special. I also believe that something is better than nothing. There is nothing wrong with carrying 38 special, however there are better options out there for personal protection.
38 special is ridiculously under loaded. Elmer keith got 1500 fps with 158 gr bullet out of the 38 in the large frame 38-44. then S&W worked with ammo company made the 38 longer called it the 357 magnum
 

dhains1963

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38 special is ridiculously under loaded. Elmer keith got 1500 fps with 158 gr bullet out of the 38 in the large frame 38-44. then S&W worked with ammo company made the 38 longer called it the 357 magnum
I agree. They could easily be superior to 9mm ammo if they loaded it half way between a 9mm and a 357mag!
 
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