My 686-4 is a "spitter"

T

Tom68

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Mine is the six-shot with the ported barrel. I don't experience "spitting" while shooting .38 Special, but .357 Mag will do it nearly every time. By spitting I mean some small particle comes back as the gun is fired.... And a really good reminder for wearing eye protection as it normally hits me in the cheek. Not enough to even make a red spot... But somewhat disconcerting nonetheless.

I primarily shoot .38 special so it's not a common thing, but I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this before, and could anything be done to address this matter? I've had the gun well over a decade now and don't plan to get rid of it, just wondering.
 
Perhaps timing is off a bit. Fellow shooter had a NIB 627 performance center gun that had the forcing cone cut a bit off center. Not bad for a $1000+ S&W OTD
 
When was the last really good deep cleaning the gun had?
Normally I'd say the timing is off a bit, but, since it doesn't do it with .38spl, I'd look elsewhere for a solution.

The most obvious place would be a real good cleaning.
 
Barrels with compensators and ports can do that, especially if the gases are directed upward, like yours.
That might be one reason why Magnaport and others put ports down the sides of the barrel.
And the higher velocities of the .357s can account for it.
 
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The porting has been my suspicion all along. Cleaning isn't a problem... I clean it pretty well after each session and pay special attention to the port. Forgot to mention that I shoot SA more often than DA... So timing wouldn't be a factor I wouldn't believe. Sounds like a design aspect and not much can be done unless someone comes along with a suggestion that none of the rest of us have considered. Oh well, I still enjoy shooting it and loading for it. And BTW, it does it with factory loads probably even more so than my handloads... Probably because they load them hotter than I do.
 
.357 will blow unburned powder back at the shooter, that's probably what you're feeling. The porting probably makes it more noticeable.
 
If you are willing to try a little experimentation you can figure out whether it is powder or lead that is spitting. You'll need some wide tape (the really sticky and strong plastic packing tape would be perfect) and some wire (like a coat hanger). Use the wire to make a rough shield and put the tape over it skicky side towards the gun. It has to be far enough away from the cylinder that gas won't blow through the tape but close enough to catch anything that is being blown out.

Then, just fire off a couple of shots. The tape should collect whatever is being thrown off and you can examine it to determine if it is metal or powder.
 
Nick, that's a good question. However, I had made the decision to buy a 686 to replace the 586 I had unwisely sold several years earlier... And the ported 6" is what my LGS had in the store. It wasn't a feature that I desired but was not a deal breaker either. The result is a heavy revolver that makes .38 spc feel more like .32 S&W.
 
I have a 6'' 686 powerport like the OP and a 6'' standard 686 along with several other 686s. The difference between shooting them at the range islike the difference between an alloy J-frame and a Steel J-Frame shooting +p loads. Enough to be noticable and enought for some to be the difference between pleasant shooting and no-so pleasant shooting. Most folks reach for the Powerport at the range, when offered a second round of shooting, over my others.

That said, I get as much blow-by from the non-ported models as I do with the Powerport. Short, light for caliber bullets over slow burning powders are the most noticeable. Factory and handloaded .38s generally use faster powders, thus less unburnt powder to blow out the cylinder gap. The fact that the faster powders use less volume also means there are less burnt particles to get thrown to the wind. IMR4227 is the worst culpritt altho it is also the most accurate in my revolvers. If the particles don't sting, they are probably powder residue. If the gun is out of time enough to shave lead/copper in .357, it should do it with .38s also.
 
I have a ported .45 that spits, but only when I’m shooting plated bullets. The ports strip the thin plating off and spit sharp slivers into my face. Bullets with hard, thick jackets are no problem. The ports peel lead off cast bullets and plate the sides of the front sight. The lead brushes off easily.

My point: The front edge of the port is probably pretty sharp and, if you’re shooting high-pressure loads or soft bullets (or both) that edge is going to cut into the sides of the bullets and fling the stuff out of the port. If your face is in the way …..
 
There is an easy way to determine if the expectoration is coming from the port, and that is to get a piece of tin or aluminum and wrap it around the barrel. If the spitting stops and the wrapping metal shows signs of having been hit, you have your answer.

The solution could lie in the bullets, the ammo in general or in the angle of the port. Determining which could involve a fairly lengthy testing program.

Jim
 
Yeah, and I still feel sick about letting it go and that was 1991. My wife isn't a gun girl and even she thinks I was an idiot for selling it.
 
That's too bad. I've never owned a 586 (three 686's though), but I've noticed that they have a fanatical following. Many say that the carbon steel makes them smoother shooters than the stainless 686's. I believe it.

(Sorry to hijack the post.)
 
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