SP101 Cylinder Fouling problems

[DukeMinski]

I have a new SP101 in .327 Fed Mag and I'm seeing really bad fouling in the cylinder chambers when shooting .32S&WL cartridges.
So bad, in fact, that after shooting a box of the .32S&WL's and then switching to .327 Fed Mag's, the .327 Fed Mag cases won't eject from the cylinder.
After checking this forum (and others) this appears to be a commen problem with the SP101.
Anyone else have this problem?
Suggestions?

 

[pisgah]

Sure. After shooting the .32 S&W, at least run a dry bore brush into the chambers to get the fouling out before you go back to the magnums. Problem solved.

 

[DukeMinski]

UPDATE: Well, just spent about 5 hours reading thru the "Important Information About the SP101 in .327" informational thread.
To be honest, I still don't know if the problem is...
A) fouling from the shorter practice ammo (.32S&WL), or
B) a defective cylinder.
To address "A", I have cleaned the chambers with TetraGun Copper Solvent as best I can. There still appears to be a small carbon ring in each chamber. But both the Speer Gold Dot .327 and Amer Eagle .327 ammo rounds slide easily in and out of the chambers. No binding or catching in either direction.
I'll go to the range tomorrow and shoot the .327 ammo first to see if I still have ejector problems. Then I'll try some .32S&WL ammo. Then switch back to the .327 to see what happens. I'll take a bore brush with me (just in case).
Concerning "B", I save my old brass & I pulled out some of the spent .327 cases. I tried to insert over 1 dozen spent cases into the chambers. Every spent case hangs up in every chamber with about 0.25" of the case still sticking out of the chamber. These are cases from new ammo from both Speer and Federal. I don't have the tools to measure case diameters, but it just looks like the bases are bulged out. I pulled out the test round that came with the gun from Ruger, and the test date is Aug 2010. Also, the SN on my gun is 574-47xxx. This would seem to make it newer than many other SP101's with this problem.
Any way...after I shoot tomorrow I'll send out another update.

 

[rugerguy]

bottom line ANYTIME one uses shorter, small ammo, and follows up with the magnums you can and will have ejection issues, clean or not....gotta polish out the chambers GOOD................run into this all the time mainly with 38s & specials , in a 357 mag chamber....any doubt, have a gunsmith check out the chambers for you........one "trick" is take some of the 327 mags that were fired in YOUR gun ( empties) and dip the "empty" in some solvent and run this in and out oif each chambers, helps scrub out the chambers.............some use an old brass brush the size or next one up for your caliber, on a small drill motor, clean & hone, and others may use a 'split' (hollow) old 22 cal bore, cleaning rod,cut a slot in the end of it and wrap a small amount of FINE emery paper and carefully 'hone' out the chambers...you want to CLEAN and POLISH, NOT remove material or make the chambers out of round (distorted)....gotta be careful doing this one,,,,,,,,any doubt, DON'T do it...........

good luck

 

[DukeMinski]

Pisgah & RugerGuy; Thanks for the input.

I used a .38 bronze brush after letting the TetraGun solvent "soak" for a few hours. Used the brush with the solvent still in the chambers. Then cleaned the chambers with isopropyl alcohol to get the solvent out. Then following with a "routine" cleaning using Clenzoil Field & Range bore cleaner. I've done this 2 or 3 times and still have the "sticking" problem with the .327 cases.

The "routine" process is wet patch, then wet brush, both using the Clenzoil. Then dry patches.
(Pretty much following the cleaning process shown in the videos on Ruger's web site).

Is my "routine" process less than satisfactory?
Should I be using a product other than Clenzoil?
If so, what would you recommend?

Have not tried a dry bore brush immediately after shooting the practice ammo. Will try that tomorrow at the range.

 

[pisgah]

Did you ever fire magnums in the gun BEFORE shooting the shorter stuff in it? If so, how did it do? 50 to 100 rounds of the short ammo without cleaning is more than enough to create some pretty stubborn fouling rings just behind the chamber throats.

Next step for me would be one I have done may times -- put a worn brush on a short section of cleaning rod and wrap it with fine steel wool. Chuck it in to a hand drill, wet the chambers with solvent, and then run the brush in and out of the chambers with the drill spinning. This won't hurt a thing, but should clean down to bare steel.

When I fire .38s in my .357 revolvers, I usually do the dry brush thing after every cylinder-full of .38s and never get to the point of heavy hard fouling.

 

[DukeMinski]

UPDATE 2:
Took the SP101 to the range and started with the .327 Mag's this time.
Far easier to eject from the clean chambers, but still had a couple that wanted to stick. Then put 2 boxes of Magtech .32S&WL with LRN's thru it.
Dry brushed the chambers & went back to the .327 Mag's.
Sticking became significantly worse (probably should have brushed after each cylinder of the Magtech's).
Back at the house, smeared TetraGun Copper Solvent in the chambers & let it "soak" for a few hours.
Then used Pisgah's trick of the old bore brush with steel wool wrapped around it.
Put it in a drill, smeared on some more solvent, and polished out the chambers. A couple look spotless. One or two still have faint carbon rings. Again, the new .327 ammo slides in & out of the chambers effortlessly. We'll see how it shoots next time at the range.
I think it will really come down to which ammo I want to shoot thru the SP101.
The gun will go to my girlfriend once she gets her CCP. And which ammo we use will depend on her preference.

Pisgah = Thanks for the tip.

DonD = Thanks for the advice. I'm not a reloader and don't really plan to start. The .327 Mag's are pretty easy to find in my area (Mid Tenn).
However, I have been saving the brass. And I do have a good friend that reloads & he would probably show me how to use the eqiupment (if I bought all the stuff).

Again, does anyone know if Clenzoil Field & Range is any good?
Do I need to use some other product for routine cleaning?

 

[pisgah]

Never tried the Clenzoil but, to be honest, just about every gun oil or cleaning product on the market will work OK if used properly. Try several, and if one seems best to you stick with it.

 

[Pal Val]

No steel wool in my cylinders, but I get rid of fouling with an old .22 brush wrapped with copper "chore boy". Make sure it's copper - put a magnet to it. Soak in solvent and give it a spin with an electric drill. No sweat.

I've fired Magtech .38's in my .357 mag guns, and they leave a nasty ring of fouling. Fine brass for reloading.

 

[DukeMinski]

Maybe the powder MagTech uses is the problem.
I've noticed, especially with the .32S&WL with LRN, that the MagTech ammo produces more smoke when firing than some other brands.
Have seen the same thing shooting thier .38 Spl ammo thru my GP100.
Unfortunately, MagTech is about the only .32S&WL that I can find in this area and the GF likes to practice with the light loads.
I've ordered some Black Hills .32H&R Mag with JHP's. Want to compare them to the .32S&WL and the .327 Mag's. Maybe that will prove to be a happy medium between the other two ammo's.

Pal Val - Why copper instead of steel?

 

[Pal Val]

Common sense says copper, softer than steel, won't risk damaging the cylinders. Rub steel wool on steel hard enough, and you could remove metal. No good.

 

[pisgah]

Common sense says copper, softer than steel, won't risk damaging the cylinders. Rub steel wool on steel hard enough, and you could remove metal. No good.

Well, get some 0000 steel wool and have at it, and let me know when you've removed a measurable amount. I'll wait for your report, but I won't hold my breath.

If it happens by using it as described, it will take thousands upon thousand of repetitions. The steel used in guns is not particularly cheesy...

Now, removing rust from blued steel, I say go for the copper if you have it. Fine steel wool will remove blue faster -- if you lean on it very hard for quite a while. I'll use it on small, light rust patches, but use copper or bronze when it's more severe and really needs scrubbin'.

 

[DukeMinski]

Aaahhh...copper on steel does make sense, then.
For the record, I did use the #0000 steel wool (I think the package calls it "UltraFine" or something like that). But I'll pick up some copper Chore Boy next time I'm at Wally World. Will probably try that along with some good ol' Hoppe's No.9 and see how that works.

By the way...I really appreciate all the great advice from everyone.

 

[Triggernosis]

Pisgah is right.
All SP101's are stainless, right? Well then, save yourself some time and effort and quit using "Susie Pansy's" copper-solvent type gun cleaners and copper wool, or even 0000 steel wool, in the cylinder holes. None of that crap is going to do much good in cleaning out carbon from the holes or in smoothing them out any appreciable amount You're wasting you're time!
Instead, go ahead and get you some 800-1,000 grit wet/dry sandpaper, wrap it around the next size down bronze brush, put some oil on the paper, chuck it in a drill, and spin it for about 5-6 seconds in each hole, working it in and out a little bit.
If that doesn't smooth things up just right, repeat the process another time or two until it does.
Sound drastic? Well, call some of the top gunsmiths and ask them how they do it.

 

[Terry_P]

When I shoot 38's in my 357 most fouling comes out with a bore brush and solvent but have had stubbon situations where I have use JB Bore paste or at other times I have used mother mag polish and scrubed on a patch. Have had success with either.

 

[Pal Val]

I'm not arguing about my methods. It's a free country. Whatever you do to your guns is none of my business. Do it with my blessings. I'll take care of mine the way I do anyways.

 

[DukeMinski]

Another Update:
Cleaned the living daylights out of the cylinders.
Combination of Tetra Copper Solvent, Hoppe's #9, and the "Steel Wool" trick. Now they are spotless...well, almost spotless.
Also, tried shooting just the .327 magnum ammo (American Eagle and Federal) and have not had anymore "sticking cases".
I did try a box of Black Hills .32H&R Magnum ammo. I really liked it & I think my GF would like it better than the .327 magnum. It has less recoil and noise than the .327's. The trouble is finding it now! Also, the .32H&R Magnum ammo did not seem cause any more cylinder fouling than the .327 magnums.
I guess the lesson here is:
32S&WL ammo may be cheap, but not if you have to spend 3 hours and use $20 worth of solvents to get the dang chambers clean ! ! !
Thanks again, evryone, for all the great advice!