I have a New Model Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Special/.44 Magnum, which is 24 years old. Lately I have been having trouble extracting .44 Mag cases. Could the cylinder be bell-mouthed? I shoot a lot more .44 Specials than Mag loads. If so, how can this condition be ascertained? Is there a fix or am I only to use Specials from now on?
Wheel gun problem...
- Thread starter ancora
- Start date
PriseDeFer
Single-Sixer
- Joined
- Apr 22, 2014
- Messages
- 450
The Special case is shorter. Firing residue left where the Magnum case has to fit. Clean chambers with a bronze or nylon brush. Perfectly normal.
Chuck 100 yd
Hunter
Yes, what PriseDeFer aid. The buildup of lead/lube and fouling that can accumulate in the very last tenth of an inch in the front of the chamber needs to be removed before switching back to magnum loads.
Old Judge Creek
Single-Sixer
I'll chime in and add that I fully agree with the two previous posters.
"A permanent fix" for the problem once you've thoroughly cleaned the cylinder chambers as previously mentioned, is to reload your own ammo and to load 44 Magnum (longer cases) down to more comfortable 44 Special ranges. I've been doing that very thing for as long as I've had magnum revolvers and never once had a problem. I typically load (using published reloading data found in the reloading manuals) 240 grain bullets to 850-925 fps. Those loads will suffice for any purpose I have in the lower 48 states.
Again I say to use published data to avoid potential problems. If I can't find it in a book, I don't use any load I don't care who recommends it to me. The older us old farts get, the easier to "dis-remember" a load.
"A permanent fix" for the problem once you've thoroughly cleaned the cylinder chambers as previously mentioned, is to reload your own ammo and to load 44 Magnum (longer cases) down to more comfortable 44 Special ranges. I've been doing that very thing for as long as I've had magnum revolvers and never once had a problem. I typically load (using published reloading data found in the reloading manuals) 240 grain bullets to 850-925 fps. Those loads will suffice for any purpose I have in the lower 48 states.
Again I say to use published data to avoid potential problems. If I can't find it in a book, I don't use any load I don't care who recommends it to me. The older us old farts get, the easier to "dis-remember" a load.
GP100man
Buckeye
The dreaded crude ring strikes again!!
Since ya don`t reload take a set of needle nosed pliers or summtin to expand a 44 mag case enuff to fit tite into the chambers & push it to the spot of the build up & it`ll scrape the stuff out ,it may take a little tap from a small beater of sorts, I`d remove the cyl from the frame though & let it soak 24hrs in summtin to soften it up maybe.
I`ve scraped crude out of cyls that was so hard it looked like metal flakes or crystals of carbon.
If ya look closely at some fired 44 cases I bet ya can see a small ring around the mouths???
GP
Since ya don`t reload take a set of needle nosed pliers or summtin to expand a 44 mag case enuff to fit tite into the chambers & push it to the spot of the build up & it`ll scrape the stuff out ,it may take a little tap from a small beater of sorts, I`d remove the cyl from the frame though & let it soak 24hrs in summtin to soften it up maybe.
I`ve scraped crude out of cyls that was so hard it looked like metal flakes or crystals of carbon.
If ya look closely at some fired 44 cases I bet ya can see a small ring around the mouths???
GP
GP100Man offers some good advice there, I've never had that much to remove, but it sounds like it'd work. Another 'fix' if it is crud buildup is to wind some chore boy around your .45 caliber cleaning brush and use a very slow speed electric drill. For lighter build ups, use it by hand. When you buy your chore boy cleaning scrub, BE SURE IT'S PURE COPPER. Many of that type are plated steel and not good for your cylinder/barrel interior.
I own and very occasionally use, a Lewis Lead Remover as well. It's a heavy cleaning rod supporting a rubber tip on which you mount circular pieces of copper screening. It does as good a job as the Chore Boy, but at considerable expense. Either should cure your crud build up problem.
Sourcing Chore Boy can be a problem, locally. I got mine off Amazon with half a dozen pure copper pads, enuf for a lifetime's use for me. Apparently, the pure copper ones are used by drug producers in the production of meth, et. al.
Best Regards. Rod
I own and very occasionally use, a Lewis Lead Remover as well. It's a heavy cleaning rod supporting a rubber tip on which you mount circular pieces of copper screening. It does as good a job as the Chore Boy, but at considerable expense. Either should cure your crud build up problem.
Sourcing Chore Boy can be a problem, locally. I got mine off Amazon with half a dozen pure copper pads, enuf for a lifetime's use for me. Apparently, the pure copper ones are used by drug producers in the production of meth, et. al.
Best Regards. Rod
wideglide
Bearcat
Same thing happens with the 357/38 specials. A little Hoppes and a little brass brushing and it ok. Same if you shoot some 22 shorts in a single six and go back to 22lr.
muzzleloader
Single-Sixer
- Joined
- Mar 25, 2011
- Messages
- 320
lots of good replies here. I've put very few magnums down my M29 (80's vintage) but lots of unique powder in magnum cases. Much more pleasant.
Pal Val
Buckeye
I buy chamber brushes from Brownell's. When I run into a cylinder with the crud buildup in front, first I let it soak in Hoppes for 1/2 hour or so, then I chuck one of those brushes in the drill and run it in there. It's amazing how hard that stuff gets when it's cooked into the metal.
I found some generic copper scrubbers, similar to Chore Boy, at KMart's a couple years ago. I checked them with a magnet before buying. They do a fine job of scrubbing the lead out of a gun. I bought so many, I'm set for life with them. Before that, I had been searching for Chore Boy for months.
I found some generic copper scrubbers, similar to Chore Boy, at KMart's a couple years ago. I checked them with a magnet before buying. They do a fine job of scrubbing the lead out of a gun. I bought so many, I'm set for life with them. Before that, I had been searching for Chore Boy for months.
brushunter
Single-Sixer
Sounds like you've got some excellent responses. More than likely they've solved your problem. However there is another possibility that hittman eluded to. You didn't say what type of 44 mags were sticking. Handloads ? One of the first indicators of high pressure is sticky brass .....food for thought. I have a hunch the problem lies with a crud ring though. Good luck , lots of good advice here.
regards , brushunter
regards , brushunter
hawk_driver
Single-Sixer
I use a bore brush one size up on a section of cleaning rod, in a cordless drill, on low speed. 44/45's get a brush made for the .480, 357's get a .40 brush in the cylinder. Pre soak with some Hoppes #9, quick pass with the bore brush, proper size jag with patch, comes out clean as could be.
Hondo44
Hawkeye
The only thing I can add is that I bring a 45 cal. cleaning brush to the range with me and run it thru the chambers every 5th or 6th cylinder full of 44 Spls so the crude doesn't build up and harden in place.
PebblePimp
Bearcat
hawk_driver said:
+1
Works amazingly well. Just remember, when they say low speed, they mean LOW SPEED. I've never heard of adding copper Chore Boy to the mix like Rodfac mentioned, but it sounds like a great fix for an extremely cruddy cylinder.
GhosT
Blackhawk
Been there ,done that ,with a.38 special's fired in a .357 magnum,a few decades ago.
Firing specials in a magnum=ALOT MORE cylinder scrubbing.
BTW Ancora,
My first .44 magnum was a Super Blackhawk........(EARLY 1980's)
KUDO's on yer choice.....mine ROCKED!!!!
Firing specials in a magnum=ALOT MORE cylinder scrubbing.
BTW Ancora,
My first .44 magnum was a Super Blackhawk........(EARLY 1980's)
KUDO's on yer choice.....mine ROCKED!!!!
Cleaned out the cylinder bores and loaded up with empty, never used .44 mag cartridge cases, (I reload.) They went in easy and dropped right out. The next time I go to the range I will shoot .44 mags first and see if they stick in a clean cylinder.
