Deal With It or Rechamber

[Tar Heel]

I wonder how many folks would purchase a firearm if they were to see images like this of the gun they were purchasing from a retail dealer in new condition. Now I know why the 22LR casings have to be beaten out of the chambers! Having tried to lap these chambers with a hand drill and cleaning brushes, and now having seeing the depth of these manufacturing tool marks, I wonder if I should just have this re-chambered to 22 Magnum.

This revolver was made in 2017 [CS] when a particular Italian Mfg was having significant QC issues.
What say you? Deal with this mess or re-chamber the rascal?

286925

[tazman]

That is atrocious. I have never seen a chamber that bad.
The only think I have seen that came close was one that had been allowed to rust and got pitted.

[358429]

You need a new cylinder man. I'm not sure which is worse between the cylinder Chambers or the ratchet star teeth!

Who made that gun?

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[Tar Heel]

That is atrocious. I have never seen a chamber that bad.
The only think I have seen that came close was one that had been allowed to rust and got pitted.

The external fit and finish is immaculate. Unless you illuminate the chambers properly to cast shadow, the tool marks are extremely difficult to see. The shadow lighting and macro lens allow us to see what is actually in there. What a shame. Notice too the ratchet. The metal is so soft I doubt the ratchet will last 500 rounds. I haven't shot more that 50 out of the revolver since getting the empty cases out is such a chore. I have to remove the cylinder and tap each one out with a cleaning rod. I am reminded of the phrase "Beauty is only skin deep."

[ShooterAZ]

Agreed, I'd try to find a new cylinder. If not, try contacting the manufacturer and see if they will help you out.

[Tar Heel]

Who made that gun?

Sent ya a PM with the Mfg.

[358429]

The external fit and finish is immaculate. Unless you illuminate the chambers properly to cast shadow, the tool marks are extremely difficult to see. The shadow lighting and macro lens allow us to see what is actually in there. What a shame. Notice too the ratchet. The metal is so soft I doubt the ratchet will last 500 rounds. I haven't shot more that 50 out of the revolver since getting the empty cases out is such a chore. I have to remove the cylinder and tap each one out with a cleaning rod. I am reminded of the phrase "Beauty is only skin deep."I bet extraction is terrible! Those grooves cut deep into the cylinder... why did they bother chamfering cylinder chamber mouths with the cylinder bores so poorly cut?

Whoever did that probably got fired that day.

Consider yourself lucky that the gun did not fire, cylinder out of alignment with the barrel, and throwback lead fragments into your face and blind you.. or pop the gun.

Can you post the picture of the outside circumference of the cylinder showing where the bolt pops up into? Those little notches with the half-moons leading up to it..

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[Gofaaast]

Why are you not sharing the manufacturers name so folks know to look for this if procuring from that company?

[Texas by God]

The tag on the pic says Pietta. Their version of the Single Ten, perhaps?
I would dedicate that cylinders purpose in life to weighing down paper.
OR- see about Pietta replacing it for free.

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[Dusty Bannister]

You might have a smith measure the chambers and advise if there is sufficient material to lightly turn a finish reamer to knock off the high spots and improve extraction.

If that is not an option, consider shooting 22 shorts or 22 CB caps and hope the shorter case allows easy extraction. I would not think that the soft steel in the cylinder would do well with the higher pressures of the 22 mag round.

[Martin Luber]

Shorts are rare as hens teeth. Cheaper a long time ago but it's a specialty ammo now that Int'l Rapid Fire dropped it.

[Tar Heel]

Why are you not sharing the manufacturers name so folks know to look for this if procuring from that company?

I didn't want to start a name bashing session. As Texas by God indicated, it is in fact a Pietta, made in 2017 when their QC program apparently burped. While this is a bad example for the company, not all of their product displays this level of incompetence. They apparently had some manufacturing issues in 2017 from what I have heard on the grapevine in the industry. I will try to get this replaced but frankly I purchased it in April 2018. With parts as scarce as they are, it may be an impossible task. I'll try contacting Pietta directly and see if they will allow it to be sent off to EMF for cylinder replacement if any cylinders are available.

The timing (bolt drop) is excellent but as you can see from the eaten ratchet, it won't be for long. The hand is also exceptionally soft and these two parts will destroy themselves in short order. Lockup for now is great but after two cylinders of firing, it is almost impossible to get the empties knocked out due to crud and chamber wall abrasions.

[Tar Heel]

I would not think that the soft steel in the cylinder would do well with the higher pressures of the 22 mag round.

Believe it or not, these same guns were once offered as "Convertible" and came with a 22 Mag cylinder as well. We ended up having to send hundreds of the 22 Mag cylinders back to Italy due to their oval cylinder mouths. We struck the "Convertible" designation and just sold them as 22LR guns. I used to work for a large retailer of these guns and there were multiple issues that year with all the Pietta product. That has since been resolved by Pietta. Apparently I bought the last one in 2018 which had spiral cut chambers. :-)

I was thinking that the slightly larger chamber diameter of the 22 Mag may clean up the tool marks. They sure look deep however. I think I will just attempt to have Pietta replace the cylinder.

[Dusty Bannister]

Yes, I understand that they did come with two cylinders and thus were considered a convertible. That does not mean the 22 mag cylinder was of the same metal or strength as the 22 RF. Given the comment about the rapid wearing of critical fit, that would/should give pause to altering the cylinder to take a higher pressure cartridge.

Safest option for lack of correct cylinder is perhaps a trot line weight. Entirely up to the OP as which option is used. Most likely at some point it will be removed from service.

[uscra112]

This isn't the first thread on here about those atrocious Pietta cylinders.

[358429]

There's more?!?

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[jimlj]

I'm guessing you have already tried it, but if not try several different types of ammo. I have a Rossi revolver that wouldn't eject spent PMC Zapper cases. It has somewhat rough chambers. Anything else seems to shoot fine from it.

[Wayne Smith]

E-mail Pietta - I'll bet they respond. I have one of their LeMats, years ago broke the spring that holds the loading lever. E-mailed and got a response from one of the Pietta's asking for my address and explaining that that was a known failure point. Address sent, soon got an envelope with two extra springs!

[hylander]

You need a new cylinder man. I'm not sure which is worse between the cylinder Chambers or the ratchet star teeth!

Who made that gun?

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+1
That cylinder is trashed.
Call Pietta

[Brassmonkey]

Variable speed drill bore brush lapping compound ta dah.

[rbuck351]

The chambers would be easy to fix by reaming to 22mag and then lining the cyls with fired 22 mag cases with the back of the case cut off. A 22lr fits nicely inside of a 22mag case but there is still the soft metal indicated by both the ratchet and the metal of the cyl being "sticky" and cutting poorly. Your cyl my have missed being hardened or simply made from soft steel.

[Sasquatch-1]

I agree with contacting Pietta. As mentioned, looking at the ratchet star, it doesn't look like it would last long. Part of it looks like low quality soft steel.

[KCSO]

I have had 3 new Heritage revolvers with cylinders like that and they all went back to the factory. There is no real fix for that.

[pietro]

.

FWIW, once upon a time, I had a .22Mag SA revolver with the same issue.

I fixed it quickly via using a .22 Flex-Hone cylinder hone from Brownells - with cutting oil, chucked in a homeowner's hand-held variable power drill.

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/shotgun-tools/barrel-hones-accessories/rifle-polishing-system-prod651.aspx

https://www.brownells.com/userdocs/skus/l_080001177_2.jpg