need 357 ruger help

[nekshot]

I loaded a bunch of shotshells and found a older ruger sa (73 or 75 model production) we have and never use will not chamber them. The other guns do. This gun obviously has tight chambers. Other than taking hanguns apart to clean and smooth up the actions I am lost. Could someone enlighten me has to what should the desired chamber be and what is best route to doing it? Thanks, I am very teachable and enjoy long guns but this is out of my zone.
nekshot

[ReloaderFred]

Perhaps the gun was shot with a bunch of .38's and there is a carbon buildup in the chambers. If so, chuck up a bore brush in a cordless drill and wrap a few strands of [B]stainless steel wool around it and clean the chambers real well.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[nekshot]

Fred when you brought up the 38 possibility I thought of course why didn't I think of that. Well that did not help it but all the chambers have alot of machining circular marks at the same area in all 6 holes. I got to thinking this would appear to maybe have been chambered with a old reamer (hence the marks, and smaller diameter). The gun is tight and all I can get thru the cylinder gap is .002 feeler gauge. what do we do next?

[ReloaderFred]

Well, I'd probably just shoot the shot loads in the other pistols and forget about shooting them in the Blackhawk. I've got 5 Blackhawks and they all have smooth chambers, so your revolver must have been a late Friday afternoon production gun...........

[nekshot]

I have need for a reamer rental for a project rifle I am working on and I imagine I can run that reamer in each cylinder hole. That should at least get me to factory specs, I guess. So, more reason to rent the reamer because I don't want a gun this tight. I checked reloads and they are too snug for me as is some factory fodder on the snug side.

[9.3X62AL]

I would be prone to doing a Cerrosafe casting or slugging op if that cylinder was one of mine, and compare the results to a SAAMI print of the chamber specs. "Snug" is all right--"too tight" most assuredly is not. If it was too tight, I would likely rent the reamer as you have said.

[GP100man]

Snug chambers & over crimped (bulged cases) is what it sounds like to me ???

Over crimping is easy to do on the platic capsules & untrimmed cases ??

[nekshot]

The crimp might be a issue, but factory fodder goes in snug and will not fall out with out the ejector plunger pushing them out. I noticed this the first time I shot it but did not really consider it a problem, odd yes but I still could eject them.

[dmize]

If you managed to snag a SAAMI Speced,tight chambered Ruger and if it chambers and reliably ejects 357 Magnum I wouldn't ream it so you could shoot shotshells.
A lot of money has been spent on custom cylinders to get that.

[MT Gianni]

Well, I'd probably just shoot the shot loads in the other pistols and forget about shooting them in the Blackhawk. I've got 5 Blackhawks and they all have smooth chambers, so your revolver must have been a late Friday afternoon production gun...........

More likely a Monday morning and a brand new reamer.

[ReloaderFred]

Naw, a new reamer would have made a larger chamber, whereas a worn reamer would make a smaller, rougher chamber. The Monday morning part might be right, though, especially if the worker had a rough weekend........

Fred

[9.3X62AL]

If you managed to snag a SAAMI Speced,tight chambered Ruger and if it chambers and reliably ejects 357 Magnum I wouldn't ream it so you could shoot shotshells.
A lot of money has been spent on custom cylinders to get that.

HA HA, lotta truth to THIS statement! Gotta say, my late-90s Ruger Bisley Blackhawk in 357 Mag is a total delight in all respects--dimensionally, accuracy-wise, and strength. A definite Wednesday product.