Bore with powder fouling on left side only ?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

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

[theperfessor]

Could it have been a spray type cleaner that someone squirted in and then let the gun lay on its side while it evaporated and left the fouling behind? Guessing here, can't think of what mechanical (size/shape) issue might cause this.

[captaint]

John - Since whatever it was wiped out easily, I'd say go forth. It probably was just oil or something similar. Just my .02. Mike

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Could it have been a spray type cleaner that someone squirted in and then let the gun lay on its side while it evaporated and left the fouling behind? Guessing here, can't think of what mechanical (size/shape) issue might cause this.

Well, when it's explained like that...a product like "gunscrubber" might do that, but I don't believe a CLP type product with oil in it would do it ?

John - Since whatever it was wiped out easily, I'd say go forth. It probably was just oil or something similar. Just my .02. Mike

yeaaaaaaahhhhh [ I say hesitantly], I just hate to end up with something that has a serious mechanical issue.

[Rick Hodges]

He needed to alternate left and right hand jwords to even out the fouling. It is a quirk of those old S&W's, you have to alternate...every other cylinder with right hand then left hand j-words....boolits, on the other hand, work just fine....

[44man]

He needed to alternate left and right hand jwords to even out the fouling. It is a quirk of those old S&W's, you have to alternate...every other cylinder with right hand then left hand j-words....boolits, on the other hand, work just fine....

I have to remember this! Cracked me up, best I ever seen here.

[IridiumRed]

He needed to alternate left and right hand jwords to even out the fouling. It is a quirk of those old S&W's, you have to alternate...every other cylinder with right hand then left hand j-words....boolits, on the other hand, work just fine....

Wait, don't forget up and down bullets too! if you just shoot left and right bullets, the left and right of the barrel will be taken care of, but u
need to alternate up and down bullets too, so you get the top and bottom of the barrel clean too!




Call up the major mold manufacturers and tell them you need up and down, left and right hand bullets. Ask them if they can do a 4 cavity mold, with one cavity for each direction, so that way every time u fill the mold, u get one of each bullet


Kidding..... don't do that.... not nice.... And don't listen to 44man if he says you should call LBT with that request.... I think him and Veral are good friends????

(seriously, I'm just joking.... to everyone involved... just tryin to make joke)

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

OK, I think I just figured out the deal with the gun.
It was used in the Movie "Wanted"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGZQi3ODB-U

[bhn22]

It's probably some residual foaming bore cleaner, or something similar.

[runfiverun]

I think it was just shot gangsta style,then put away without being cleaned.
the unburned powder just fell to the bottom of the barrel, no biggie.

[btroj]

Gangsta style? That a big thing in Soda Springs?