JonB_in_Glencoe
09-18-2013, 12:13 PM
Yesterday, I was at the LGS.
They had a newly offered, used S&W 629 with 4" bbl for $650 [44mag stainless].
older pre-lock but in seemingly nice condition, very smooth double action trigger feel, 500 target hammer and trigger, adj rear site.
It appeared to have been test fired recently and not cleaned. The left side of the barrel [inside] had a coating of what looked like flat black spray paint, it started about 1" past the throat and continued to the muzzle...Left side only. I showed the LGS owner and he didn't have a comment except that he thought that was strange and maybe it was oil and the gun was layed on it's side so the oil collected on that side and dried. To me, it didn't look like dried oil, it was an even coat like spray paint and covered 1/3 of the surface. The other employee [his daughter] looked at it...said the same thing, "that's strange".
The owner then ran a clean patch through it, and it wiped out easy. The cylinder chambers looked a tiny bit dirty, what I'd call normal for shooting a few rounds of commercial j-word ammo. I looked closely at the inside of the cleaned barrel and could see nothing unusual with the naked eye, the rifling looked consistant and not worn on one side, the throat looked fine as well.
I'd sure like to slug the bore, but the owner balked at that notion. I just passed on it.
Anyone have any idea what the problem might be ?
Thread choke ?
oversize bore ?
ammo problem ?
Thanks,
Jon
They had a newly offered, used S&W 629 with 4" bbl for $650 [44mag stainless].
older pre-lock but in seemingly nice condition, very smooth double action trigger feel, 500 target hammer and trigger, adj rear site.
It appeared to have been test fired recently and not cleaned. The left side of the barrel [inside] had a coating of what looked like flat black spray paint, it started about 1" past the throat and continued to the muzzle...Left side only. I showed the LGS owner and he didn't have a comment except that he thought that was strange and maybe it was oil and the gun was layed on it's side so the oil collected on that side and dried. To me, it didn't look like dried oil, it was an even coat like spray paint and covered 1/3 of the surface. The other employee [his daughter] looked at it...said the same thing, "that's strange".
The owner then ran a clean patch through it, and it wiped out easy. The cylinder chambers looked a tiny bit dirty, what I'd call normal for shooting a few rounds of commercial j-word ammo. I looked closely at the inside of the cleaned barrel and could see nothing unusual with the naked eye, the rifling looked consistant and not worn on one side, the throat looked fine as well.
I'd sure like to slug the bore, but the owner balked at that notion. I just passed on it.
Anyone have any idea what the problem might be ?
Thread choke ?
oversize bore ?
ammo problem ?
Thanks,
Jon