Is this normal?

4

40BOY

New member
I bought my first revolver a few weeks ago, A very slightly used S&W 4" M66, (claimed to be unfired) and I took it to my fav range to try it out. (never fired a revolver before)

1st 50 were Speer Lawman 158g FMJ .38+p. - Decent accuracy, very little recoil.
2nd 50 were REM 110g SJHP .357 mag - very accurate, big flash, pretty loud but recoil not bad.

I was pretty pleased with accuracy and recoil. Being my first time firing .357 mag, I expected more recoil/pain.

I was so pleased, I went back to the counter and bought 50 more, this time PMC 158g SJSP .357 mag.

On every round from this box I felt a "splash-back" on my face. There was nothing on my face when I checked in the mirror. There were no malfunctions thru the 150 rds.
Was this unburnt powder?
Lead shearing off the un-jacketed tip of the PMC?
Crappy ammo?
Gun problem?
Normal?
I haven't shot it since this, so I don't know if any other ammo would do it. I cleaned and inspected it and there is nothing visually wrong with it.

What do you think?

Thanks in advance
 
There's a possibility of that with any ammo. I suspect it was a chunk of lead if it was unjacketed. Another good reason to wear eye protection. :)
 
Were you standing near some sort of a wall, post or panel with that second box?

I occasionally shoot at an indoor range, and have noticed the dividers between shooting points reflect the shock wave back at me, so I feel a "wash" come over me with each shot.

But, if it felt like particulate matter, it may be unburnt (or even bits of burnt) powder, or, if the cylinder is slightly out of time, tiny bits of lead.

It is generally a good idea to take a newly purchased used gun to a competent gunsmith and pay him (or her) the twenty bucks it usually costs to examine the revolver and make sure everything is in "spec".

If there is something a bit out of whack, it can actually accelerate the wear on the gun, in addition to negatively affecting accuracy.

Most timing problems can be fixed for under $40.

Hope this helps, -Kframe
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top