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December 26, 2010
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I'm looking at a SM that has a little flame etching. By little, I mean it appears less than the width of the barrel and does not go all the way across the top strap. The barrel end is in great shape and the rifling looks good.
From what little I've read, flame etching isn't a serious condition although some think it is. It supposedly can be minimized with pencil lead before firing or as one person suggested, gluing an old razor blade onto the strap. I've also read that flame etching is caused by too light a bullet (less than 185 grain) with a slow burning powder.
So is my understanding of flame etching correct? Or is this a gun I should avoid if I'm looking for a shooter? Thanks.l
February 20, 2008
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Etching or burning across the strap is used as an indication if the gun has been shot...so if you see one for sale NIB Unfired and there is etching, you know know what you are dealing with.
I do not reload so you mention ob slow burning powder might vary the etching. The only times I have seen etching a problem is when there is too much spacing between the cylinder and the forcing cone. I'm sure other will chime in with more.
If you're going to drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Flame etching does not mean you should avoid the gun. According to DW, the etching will only proceed to a certain point and then stop because there is not enough power to etch deeper, and it by no means compromises the integrity of the weapon.
-Mike
December 26, 2010
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I can see I will get no help saving my money here. 
I'm just confirming what I suspect, that some flame etching is not a "run from the gun" condition.
FWIW, I'm the high bidder for right now. I'll be surprised if someone doesn't pass my max. I'm trying to figure out how much I want to raise my max bid. (I'm sure nobody here is going to 
to raise. 
)
From additional reading I've done, I'm more concerned about the ammo I intend to feed it. I was planning on doing most of my practicing with 38's and 357 magnums, making the switch to SM as it got closer to season and my abilities improve. I found in the archives where it is a bad idea to put 38's and 357 magnums through a SM. Supposedly too many of them affect the cylinder's ability to handle supermags.
Risking encouragement to spend money, I am wondering if I could get a second, new cylinder and save that one for the supermags?
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Here's a few thoughts:
1) You thought someone here would TALK YOU OUT OF BUYING THIS GUN? JUST TO SAVE YOU SOME MONEY? (I know using all caps in a post is strong language, but who ever talked anyone out of buying a gun on this Forum?)
2) Extreme flame cutting could be a problem, but SuperMags are pretty stout.
3) The only practical issue with shooting .357/.38 would be building a carbon ring in the chamber. Diligent scrubbing should keep that problem at bay, just keep up on it.
Good Luck
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
February 11, 2010
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I'm sure someone here has one that dosn't but all the SuperMags
I have seen have had a light etch line on the upper frame just like
the picture member Photohause posted.
-Blacktop
December 26, 2010
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The etching on this one is less than pictured above. The only question now is how much to raise my bid.
Oh, I'm a little surprised that only one person here used strong language about my " desire" to be dissuaded.
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January 24, 2009
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One constant thing I've read about the DW model 40/740 SuperMags is that they will all develop a certain amount of flame etching on the top strap. However, as the flame cuts the metal, it also hardens the metal & the harder the metal gets, the less it will flame etch.
In other words, the frame will normally etch up to a certain point, then will stop...no matter how may rounds are fired after that. I guess one could say it builds up a callous on that spot.
Now for some personal opinion...I try to never run ammo through a gun that it wasn't specifically designed for. If the gun is a .38, that's what I feed it. If it's a .357 Magnum, that's what I feed it. If it's a Maxi, well then, that's what I feed it. I'm not very comfortable with running shorter rounds through a gun that's designed for long rounds...IE...if a bullet has to jump a big gap before it enters the barrel, I should be shooting something else. With only a couple rare tries for experimental purposes (BANG-bang-BANG-bang-BANG comparison stuff), I only shoot the round the gun was designed for.
February 11, 2010
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The last three I've seen that were etched were two different 375 super
mags and a 445 SM , all three had the same line.
-Blacktop
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January 24, 2009
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That's interesting. Although I can't confirm, I have a strong hunch that my .375 has digested many thousands of rounds on a IHMSA range, or just a plain 'ol range. However, I don't think it was neglected, it wasn't "run hard & put away wet"...maybe that is the difference.
I just looked again at my .375 & the etch line on the top strap almost seems as though it was drawn on by a pencil. I can catch it with my fingernail, but it's very faint. My 7445 has an even less obvious line in it, but I don't think it has seen nearly as many rounds as the .375.
Maybe Dean's experience can help settle this...
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
March 27, 2009
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All I can say is Great info here! Run your bid to what you can afford and don't stop till it comes home with you!!!! 
February 2, 2009
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My model 40 has been digesting heavy loads since 1992 and the etching is minimal. The advice I got from a DW gunsmith, shortly after I bought it(after reading as much as I could find on flame etching) was to keep the bullets heavy; 160+gr and etching will be self limiting. The guns were made to push heavier bullets on longer flatter trajectories for IHSMA competition, and they do that quite well and can take deer out to 150yds, at least mine has. Ruger stopped making their 357SM soon after the etching issue and damaged forcing cones from people pushing 125gr bullets over 2000fps. There are still Rugers shooting today and I've even seen one in competition.
February 11, 2010
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I need to find someone who thinks etching is a serious problem.
I see a bargin chip right there
-Blacktop
December 26, 2010
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DWA_Midwest said:
All I can say is Great info here! Run your bid to what you can afford and don't stop till it comes home with you!!!!
How can you do that to me? 
I'm debating between raising my max amount now or waiting until I get outbid. Yes is settling in.
Supporter
Moderators
January 24, 2009
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Depending on the overall condition of the gun, most good condition model 40 shooters seem to go for around the $7-800 range these days, from what I've noticed. Let us know how you make out...
December 26, 2010
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So far so good. Nobody but me has bid since I got high bid (Yes I raised my max. ) We'll see what happens. It's going to need a good cleaning and a new hammer and pick up a spare cylinder for it. Just waiting right now.
April 25, 2008
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Charger Fan said:
Maybe Dean's experience can help settle this...
Use 180-200 grain bullets, loaded to near top velocities, forget the etching, it will eventually stop. Go shoot the gun...a LOT!
If you want lighter loads, get a 15/715. After all, two Dan Wessons are better than one.
The Savantist
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Range Officer
Range Officers
May 2, 2009
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If anybody will ever have severe flame cutting it will be me 
... I run all kinds of loads / bullets at high velocities with little efffect on the frame. Yes, my SM has flame cutting, but it will stop at some point long before it weakens the frame.
SHOOT IT -- SHOOT IT -- SHOOT IT !!!
SHOOT
December 26, 2010
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SHOOTIST357 said:
SHOOT IT -- SHOOT IT -- SHOOT IT !!!
Uh, gee, I'm feeling no pressure. No, none at all.
So far I'm still high bid. In 36 hours I should know. If it holds then I can
,
.
DWF Supporters
June 20, 2010
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Has anybody seen any flame etching on a 44 Mag?
I ask as I have a 44 Mag that I typically shoot with factory loaded 240 grain JHP ammunition. I am pretty sure that there has not been any etching on the strap until I put some 340 grain +P+ through the revolver. I looked closer at the strap after this last shoot, as the load was so stout, it started to remove some of the bluing from the cylinder ends (my gap is at 0.006).
EDIT: Ran across this post and had to fix an error in my statement. Turns out no bluing was being removed using the ammo, the powder residue just looked like "steel" , d'oe... (However, the Flame Etching is real)
I am shooting the ammo with a 4" barrel and am guessing that I am getting about 1400 ft-lbs out of the setup, which is about what I wanted for use as a back country bear load (along with the hard cast bullet).
Anybody else seen this type of behavior in a 44 Mag with a heavy loading? I am thinking about backing down to a slightly less stout load, say 1100 ft-lbs or so. We don't have Grizzlies in CO, just Black Bears (but they can get pretty big).
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