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Very upset model 40 357max
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irondiab
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November 10, 2013 - 6:29 pm
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I bought a DW40hv 8" 357 maximum it was in exc. condition. I read on multiple sites that you can safely shoot 38spec. And 357 mags from this pistol, so I put 6 rounds of 158gr 38spc through it and afterwards I noticed it wore the bluing completely off the front end of the cylinder. It's only about a 16th of an inch but it's noticeable and really upsets me. This was the best looking gun I've ever seen before I shot it. It also looks like it slightly cut into the upper frame strap. Images is to shoot it now in fear of damaging it any further. I'll check the tolerance of the forcing cone as soon as I find out what the specs are, I can't see daylight through it and didn't expect it to be a problem, hind sights 20/20 I guess. Has anyone had this issue??? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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rwsem
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November 10, 2013 - 7:22 pm
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All that is normal.  The flame cutting didn't occur from that trip to the range- it occurs gradually over many firings and stops.  There's no danger. 

As to the bluing- if it's the very face of the cylinder, that's going to happen if you shoot it.  If it's on the side of the cylinder, my guess is it could be carbon buildup rather than bluing loss.

Your gap should be set at .002"+ on the Supermags.

Don't be discouraged- you haven't torn up the gun.  However, if you reload, I suggest stoking the cylinder with 357 maximum rounds or keep a close eye on the buildup inside the cylinder from shooting the shorter brass.  Finally, accuracy won't be as good shooting 38s and 357s.

Regards, Ron

Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....

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SCORPIO
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November 10, 2013 - 7:41 pm
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+1 to what rwsem posted, the flame cutting on the top strap occured over a period of time prior to you getting the gun.  I'd advise to only shoot 357max rounds to keep from carbon fouling the chambers from the shorter 38 and 357 cartridges, accuracy will be better too since the bullet won't have to jump such a long gap to the forcing cone.  Shoot that model 40 and enjoy. 

Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

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pistolero
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November 10, 2013 - 8:38 pm
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Have had flame cuts on a Ruger but so far none of the Dans, and that after a couple thousand rounds.  I thought I saw flame cuts a couple of time but it always turned out to be carbon buildup on the topstrap with a slight gap at the end of the bbl.  so far unscrewing the bbl and scrubbing the topstrap with solvent and a brass brush or brass scraper has shown virgin steel underneath!

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Ole Dog
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November 10, 2013 - 8:49 pm
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I suspect some people touch up dans with cold blueing or even felt tip pens. Hopefully its just  carbon. If in fact it has flame cutting it has had a good deal of high powered rounds fired. Ditro what Ron said.

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irondiab
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November 10, 2013 - 10:41 pm
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Thanks very much for the quick replies! the area with the blueing issue is on the side of the cyl. And im pretty certain it's down to the metal :( the thing about the top strap and I understand the skeptical views but when I bought it that was the first thing I inspected for because of what I've read although I read that dan wessons didnt have that issue it was mainly the tigers with specific ammo, there is definitly a hairline across the strap it actually left a tiny piece of steel shaving peeled up on the outside to the right, very small but visible. I'll disassemble it and clean it up real good before I panic any further! Hopefully it's carbon like you all suspect. I'll try to post some good pics. Other that that Im thrilled to have it and 

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November 10, 2013 - 11:12 pm
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Ole Dog said
I suspect some people touch up dans with cold blueing or even felt tip pens. Hopefully its just  carbon. If in fact it has flame cutting it has had a good deal of high powered rounds fired. Ditro what Ron said.

There is a lot to be learned here. 

.38 Special cannot possibly create a flame cutting (or any other) problem with a .357 SM, except a carbon ring in the cylinder that makes chambering any other .38/357 cartridge difficult

.357 SM is so "over-engineered" that it would be pretty challenging to shoot anything in it that would be an issue, unless it was a very foolish reload.

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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irondiab
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November 11, 2013 - 12:36 am
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image-5.jpgImage Enlarger

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Steve CT said
There is a lot to be learned here. 

.38 Special cannot possibly create a flame cutting (or any other) problem with a .357 SM, except a carbon ring in the cylinder that makes chambering any other .38/357 cartridge difficult

.357 SM is so "over-engineered" that it would be pretty challenging to shoot anything in it that would be an issue, unless it was a very foolish reload.

I'm not imagining any of these anomalies I can assure you, I shot factory loads out of it and only 6 rounds. The first pic is prior to shooting, the rest post being fired.

 

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Ole Dog
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November 11, 2013 - 1:30 am
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Nice clear pictures, nice gun, great grips. There is no way shooting .38 spc. or .357 mag had anything to do with either issue. If you looked closely before shooting with an eye out for flame cutting than I would suspect a cosmetic job on both areas. Still a very fine gun.Barney going on(plum color) which seems quite common on mod. 40.

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November 11, 2013 - 7:04 am
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I can clearly see the line on the top strap in the 'before' pic, which I have seen on all the supermags I've looked at that have been fired much. Iits normal and not anything you did and its certainly not a problem or anything to worry about.   On these guns the cutting became self limiting in most cases and went no deeper than a few thousandths of an inch.  I'd imagine someone touched up the line and the other bluing issue with some bottle blue prior to selling and when you fired and then cleaned the gun it was removed.  Again, sort of normal wear and tear and not a real problem. 

BTW nice pics of a nice gun.

Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

My father

If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.

My grandfather

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irondiab
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rwsem
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November 11, 2013 - 8:32 am
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Using your fingernail, scrape along the cylinder from rear to front.  If you feel a raised edge at the discoloration, it is carbon/ lead build up.  This looks exactly like your picture.  I use a Birchwood Casey lead remover cloth to clean lightly when that occurs on my revolvers.

If you close the barrel gap, that should reduce the amount of buildup.

Regards, Ron

Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....

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SMKYTXN
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November 11, 2013 - 9:58 am
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rwsem said
Using your fingernail, scrape along the cylinder from rear to front.  If you feel a raised edge at the discoloration, it is carbon/ lead build up.  This looks exactly like your picture.  I use a Birchwood Casey lead remover cloth to clean lightly when that occurs on my revolvers.

If you close the barrel gap, that should reduce the amount of buildup.

Regards, Ron

 

What he^ said. That looks like lead build up sitting on top of the cylinder.

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taildragger
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November 11, 2013 - 8:34 pm
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  Be careful with a lead remover cloth on blueing. They are better suited for stainless.

 

Steve

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SHOOTIST357
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November 12, 2013 - 5:46 am
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Everybody has it nailed down for you already-- the flame cutting is normal on a SM, it will stop on its own--all the ones I have owned had it in one stage or another.

Go out and shoot it till you're tired and enjoy it !

SHOOT

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HARTLOCK
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November 12, 2013 - 11:17 am
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Irondiab, I bought one of those in 1990 from Elgin Gates son, Robert, for

IHMSA competition.  I have shot it in said competition for 23 years now, and

mine doesnt look much worse than yours.  It is self-limiting, like others have

said.  Ruger panicked, I think, and pulled their version from the market.  If you

have a Ruger in .357 Maximum, do not ever send it back to factory for service,

because you won't get it back!  They keep all of em that are sent in!

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irondiab
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November 15, 2013 - 4:07 pm
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how much do you think it affects the value? I guess it really doesn't matter because I bought it for what I felt was a good price and don't intend on selling But you never know. I will say that it has the smoothest D/A pull and the S/A is just as crisp and light as my PC s&w 1911! I bought the dw to deer hunt with.

I gave $400.00 cash for the pistol, a scope, a box of empty casings and 20 live rounds of 357 max. Not too bad huh?

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Steve
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November 15, 2013 - 4:25 pm
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At $400 you grabbed the brass ring on this one. Do not ever worry about  very minor flame cutting on a SuperMag, it's there because the previous owner did the right thing with this gun-He shot it!

My son got an incredible deal on a Model 40 with extra barrels, grips, bullets, a bunch (and I mean a LOT) of brass, etc. several months ago.

He's gotten interested in IHMSA shooting because of this, which is what this gun was really made to do.

http://dwcollectors.org/archives/99

 

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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