HighValleyRanch
New member
Loaded up some LeHigh Defense 130 grain. Their site stated 5.5 to start with HP38. Measured up 5 grains on a digital scale to start. I know that there was powder because I only loaded 2 and weighed each one.
Took it out to test, and got a squibb on the first round.
Stuck half way down the barrel.
So got a hardwood dowel and banged it back to about 1/2 inch from the cylinder end of the barrel, and then it stuck, no further. This was holding in my hands with a hammer on the wood dowels.
The LeHigh has that Phillips all copper bullet so it was hard on the dowels.
So after many failures to get it to budge after that, I decided to take the time and make a solid jig to hold the frame tight so it would not flex or break. It is a 360 PD with the Scandium frame. The photo shows the jib I made. Made sure that it was supported on all sides with a glue center block to protect the cylinder frame.
Screwed it into my 4" thick work bench, and started to hammer as hard as I could, and it didn't budge at all. The brass down started to bend and peen on the hammered side.
I'm afraid that if I beat on it any harder, i.e. with a sledge that the frame will blow up even with all that wood support.
What to do?
Send it back to Smith and Wesson?
Put the gun in the fridge to get it colder?
Heat up the barrel?
Solid copper bullet in lined barrel.
There are no gunsmiths within 200 miles of where I live.
Took it out to test, and got a squibb on the first round.
Stuck half way down the barrel.
So got a hardwood dowel and banged it back to about 1/2 inch from the cylinder end of the barrel, and then it stuck, no further. This was holding in my hands with a hammer on the wood dowels.
The LeHigh has that Phillips all copper bullet so it was hard on the dowels.
So after many failures to get it to budge after that, I decided to take the time and make a solid jig to hold the frame tight so it would not flex or break. It is a 360 PD with the Scandium frame. The photo shows the jib I made. Made sure that it was supported on all sides with a glue center block to protect the cylinder frame.
Screwed it into my 4" thick work bench, and started to hammer as hard as I could, and it didn't budge at all. The brass down started to bend and peen on the hammered side.
I'm afraid that if I beat on it any harder, i.e. with a sledge that the frame will blow up even with all that wood support.
What to do?
Send it back to Smith and Wesson?
Put the gun in the fridge to get it colder?
Heat up the barrel?
Solid copper bullet in lined barrel.
There are no gunsmiths within 200 miles of where I live.