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July 14, 2017
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Looking for a little help. I took my new to me 715 out today and all I had for ammo was Tula steel case 38 and 357mag. I hope all my issues are due to the ammo but maybe you can tell me.
Started off with around 3 cylinders of 38 special to check function and get the sights close. Everything was fine, I was able to do everything as expected.
Then I shot a cylinder of 357 and the problems started. The first cylinder shot ok but I couldn't press the ejector rod to get the cases out. I had to use a hard surface tool to pop them out. The second and third cylinders got worse. Every few double action shots the gun was locked up. I couldn't open they cylinder, I couldn't pull the hammer, I couldn't pull the trigger. I had to finagle with the cylinder and it'd skip a round and work again. I still had to use a hard surface to push the ejector rod to get the cases out too. After a couple of these I just stopped until I can get it figured out.
All the springs are factory stock, the barrel gap was set to .006 with an automotive feeler gauge set. The cylinder wasn't very dirty up front. Without ammo in it the gun works great, cylinder turns fine, locks up fine, etc.
Any ideas what would cause Tula 357 to give me so many problems? I'm gonna get some brass cased stuff to check too.
Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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If the 38s worked fine but the 357s caused the problems then I would bet that your problems are a result of previous owner shooting, probably exclusively, 38s in the gun. What happens is that since the 38s are shorter they leave a buildup of powder residue inside cylinder which causes the 357 cases to stick and also causes them not to seat all the way in thus they interfere with the cylinder turning and are hard to remove.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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I think your problem may have come from the Tula .38 Special. The shorter case length along with the possibility that Tula might be a little "dirty" may well be causing your problem with chambering .357 Mag. This may also be due in part to ammunition previously fired that may have also left residue at the ".38" spot that is causing problems. I have had this problem with some used 357's, it was always a residue left from .38 ammunition.
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
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Dans Club
February 22, 2009
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x1, what snake-eye said... get the carbon cleaned out all the way to the throat and try it again....
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
July 14, 2017
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Thanks I'll try to really scour the cylinder. I was afraid something was wrong with the internal linkages.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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CarlsonCustoms said
Thanks I'll try to really scour the cylinder. I was afraid something was wrong with the internal linkages.
When I do this I chuck a .38 cal bore brush into my drill, run it VERY wet with bore cleaner, slow revolutions, and again, run everything WET. Gets a little messy, but it works.
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
September 10, 2010
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I would try some quality brass cased ammo before I blame the gun. Steel cases aren't going to slide as smooth as brass and almost all Russian steel cased ammo have steel jacketed bullets with a thin copper coating that won't prevent steel contact on the rifling. Try a magnet on the bullet itself. Steels fine with a chrome lined barrel but I don't want steel on steel in my good DW barrels. Also check the primers and back of cases to see if there are clearance issues, you will see some scraping from hitting the frame. I've seen that happen, it doesn't take much contact to bind the cylinder.
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August 28, 2009
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What is the relationship between a potential dirty chamber and the whole gun locking up?
Never mind - I got it....the cases aren't seating in all the way..
July 14, 2017
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Ok so I have an update. I did chuck up a brass brush in a slow drill and really cleaned the cylinders with solvent. I took it out today with Armscor .357 158 brass cased. The gun extracted cases just fine and didn't lock up at all, but there's a new problem.
I was sighting it in single action and everything was fine. I decided to try to do some double action and on most of the double action pulls the primers didn't ignite. They were dinged but not fired. If the same cartridges were hit single action they were no problem. I have all factory springs (brand new too) so I'm not sure where to look first.
Also when sighting in at 25 yards I'm shooting high and I've run out of elevation on the rear sight. Is there a way to adjust the blade independent of the body? Is that what the small Allen screw is on the top right of the rear sight? If I shot at 50yards or more the sights seem to be pretty much on, but I'd prefer to sight in POA/POI at 25 and just hold a little higher at distance.
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Dans Club
February 22, 2009
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Back off the grip screw a turn or two and see what happens. If that fixes it, then get a washer to keep the screw in place. See this: grip screws. Possibly there is gunk in the firing pin spring or even a broken/ worn firing pin. It could also be excessive endshake and/or hard primers. Eliminate one at a time....
You can get front sights, if you are out of adjustment, from EWK.
Looks like just a bit more work and you're there. Hopefully the grip screw works.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
December 19, 2014
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I suggest you post some pics of your 715 as you shouldn't be out of elevation screw adjustment in either direction at that range if the barrel/sight is an appropriate match for the gun.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Another opportunity to look at when you have DA misfires, but not in SA:
The firing pin "channel" can get loaded up with powder residue, oil, and crud that DA does not generate the spring energy/function that you will get in SA.
Take a look HERE and even if you don't do the whole procedure, read the parts that apply to firing pin, firing pin spring...
A buildup of residue in this area can result in misfires in DA that do not occur in SA. Single Action may possibly generate a very small additional energy level in firing pin action that Double Action cannot match.
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
October 1, 2012
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Carlson, Everyone has given you very sound advice on solving the problem, I would suggest that you also change the springs in the gun. They do fatigue, especially the hand spring, and take a partial "set" over the years. If original they are 40 years old. Springs are inexpensive and probably the best thing you can do to insure 100% reliability of your firearm. After a lengthy discussion on this with Bob , the DW gunsmith, I change springs on every vintage revolver I work on. Good Luck
The rear sight blade cannot be raised independently of the rear sight body
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HUGELK
October 26, 2008
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I would check for endshake if you have excess endshake it would increase your headspace which would cause reliability issues. It also would allow the cylinder to move forward taking up some of the force transferred from the hammer (since you state you have new springs). It would also be smart to check headspace.
There are two types of endshake, cylinder endshake and crane endshake(the smith guys would say yoke). To check which you have assuming you have endshake of some sort:
With your thumb push the crane back firmly and hold it there. Then try to move the cylinder back and forth if it doesn't move or moves very little (my standard is 0 to .003) you have crane endshake. In all my years of working on Dan's I have seen exactly one with enough cylinder endshake to warrant fixing (stretching the collar). That gun was a 357 supermag that had been shot a lot and rebuilt several times, mine btw.
To fix crane endshake replace the crane lock, EWK offers them for 5.95
To fit the small frames: Check the thickness to make sure it is thicker than your original. Then file or sand one side to the thickness required to get it in the frame obviously completely disassembled (thinking mainly of the spring and cylinder bolt not affecting anything). The flat side should be facing the front of the gun for tight lockup with as much surface area as possible. I usually will leave it just tight enough that the crane is slightly stiff moving usually have to tap the crane lock in lightly with a small piece of copper, which loosens to an almost perfect no play fit after 50-100 rounds.
As to the washers that many companies offer I don't and won't use them as they are spring steel and would cause more wear than if I just left it flopping loose. I view them at best as a band-aid or a shortcut gunsmiths use to get out of fixing it the right way. That's my .02
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