Welcome to Hunting Nut Grizz !!!

welcome griz i'm here to make your typing look better by comparison

Did some more cast load testing last night.

.38spl, 158gr LSWC, 4.0 gr W231, Magtech primer.
Shot 5 rounds. Still pretty smoky. Got really curious, frame was splattered again, not as much as before. Then I checked the side on which the cylinder swings out, clean. Light bulb comes on. Unloaded the gun, went outside, cocked it (GUN UNLOADED!!!), light down the barrel. Yep- outta time. Looking down the barrel one can clearly see a whole buncha chamber poking into the bore on the opposite side the bullet is getting shaved.
I never noticed this before using JHP or CPRN. So it looks like the gun is going back to Davidson's. Might try a lil slower (and cleaner, like 700X) powder too once I get this timing issue resolved.

I also tested a cast load in 44m.
240gr SCW, 10gr Unique, CCI primer, 50rds.
Nice, snappy load. Book says 1150 from an 8.75" bbl. Some smoke but no giatn reek of wax so I'll load a few a little lighter and a little hotter and re-check. 2.5" bbl @ 20y and it's as good as I can hold.

That is all.

Huzzah!

Got to really lookin' close like at the lil roller and...It's my daily carry and it gets exposed to junk and so I got to inspecting it with my 4x glasses and found some crud in the cylinder lock cut-out's and a teeny little burr on the lock arm. Seems to lock on time much better now that it's been (better) cleaned and the burr dressed.

Like the ol' saying goes: it aint the gun, it's the shooter. Glad I gave it a thorough going over before sending it back....oops.

On with the testing!

Nothing like a good cleaning and polishing.

Copy that. Little emberrassing though.

"Cause of issue/complaint...lint. Claim denied."

Poor thing get's a workout. Glad the force cone is ok.

I'll do the cleaning but.....polishing? Oh, right, forgot.

Hey Stovey...one of the most important items in my revolver cleaning kit was a toothbrush. I also carried the toothbrush tucked in behind my belt when shooting competition so that a quick scrub in between cylinders was easy.

After every couple of cylinders the star and its recess, and the indents for the cylinder lock, would receive a thorough scrubbing. I always found bits of unburned powder, carbon and other associated crap and corruption that would slow things down and cause little glitches.

At night, after a shooting session, I always removed the cylinder and cylinder yoke and thoroughly degreased (especially the channel for the yolk in the cylinder), cleaned and re-greased it. I used a very small quantity of Molybond grease on the bearing surfaces of the yoke...that way it doesn't hold heaps of crud.

Cheers, Vince

Copy that Vince, good tips. I use the ones that come in"stiff".
They actually work pretty well, esp on force cones and between the top strap and front strap where crud accumulates. I'm laying the lil maggy on magazines and such now, instead of the nightstand's blanket. Delinted my holster too.

Did some more testing yesterday (indoors).... w/ C&B cast bullets, no GC.

2" Taurus .357m, M-605:

158gr CLSWC/w231 3.5gr, Magtech primer, mixed brass: less smoke, almost no leading, 50rds. Still pretty smokey. This is a half-grain below the START recipe. Got a couple key-holes. (note-tried to go with 700X instead but the measure wouldn't meter it at the START load so.... I spooned it into one case but it didn't even being to fill it. Pass.)
Done with w231 in this pistol/bullet combo as I'm having no luck. Saving the w231 for the ACP as I got 1000 copper plated RN 230gr I'm loading up soon. I like copprt plated boolits!

158gr CLSWC/Unique 4.0gr, Magtech primer, mixed brass: mild smoke, snappy and fun. No lead. 25rds. Clean holes.

158gr CLSWC/Unique 4.5gr, Magtech primer, mixed brass: I think a little less smoke than the above. 25rds. Snappy and fun. Clean holes. I like this combo and it meters well and the case has less dead space. Going to do more tuning with the one.

Ruger Alaskan 44m:

240gr CLSWC/Unique 10.0gr, CCI 300 primer, mixed brass: reduced from 10.5gr, still very snappy and fun. Accurate too. Nice 3-shot clover leaf at 10y off-hand (surpised the beans outta me- I aint that good of a shot!) Kinda smoky, no lead to speak of. 50 rounds. Gonna play with this combo too and see if I can get to clean up some.

I'm still smelling wax/lube on all these. Not sure if the bbl lentgh has much to do with it. The leading is way, way down now though. Clean up was easy. Joy!

This is my first real go-rounds with the cast stuff. I've always used plated. Tried to save a few $ with the cast stuff. It's finally coming around....