N frame Smith top band fire cutting

PoFF

PoFF

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Quebec
After shooting something like 800 rounds of full house .44 magnum loaded with H110 (minimum loads, not 'hot' loads) and 200 commercial loads in my beloved 629, I noticed while cleaning that the top frame band was beginning to be 'cut', probably by the flame escaping from the cylinder gap. I've got the following questions :

1. Is it unsafe and/or going to get unsafe with further use?
2. Should I be worried about that?
3. Is there something wrong with my gun and/or loads that may cause that?
4. Is there a way to fix a frame what develops a deep 'cut'?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.
 
I have run lots of magnum revolvers to death on the range. Flame cutting was never the cause of death. The frames will fail elsewhere first. Usually it is the trigger pins that shear off.
 
You may get some flame cutting but it will not go very deep and usually stops getting deeper after a certain point--is mostly cosmetic in .41, .44 and .357 mags--it was however a serious problem with the .357 supermag cartridge--that and forcing cone erosion were the leading causes in killing it.

FWIW, 44Bore
 
Lee Enfield said:
Try switching to hard cast. Most of the flame cutting I've seen was with jacketed bullets.

D
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That's because full power magnum loads require jacketed bullets, and they are the culprit.
 
1. Is it unsafe and/or going to get unsafe with further use?
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It goes so far then stops, unless you are using maximun loads.

2. Should I be worried about that?
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not realy

3. Is there something wrong with my gun and/or loads that may cause that?
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not realy, it's what they do.

4. Is there a way to fix a frame what develops a deep 'cut'?
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Yes but you might as well buy another gun. Elmer Keith threw his away after 1500 rounds....(ouch) :shock:
 
All my smiths have flame cutting and most have over 50,000 rnds through them and that is and was the least of my problems. A lot of other things will fail first, like forcing cones and trigger parts. All are still working good. :D :D
 
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