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stuck brass


hopalong

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I have recently aquired a Smith & Wesson 646, 4 inch L frame, .40 S&W only, titanium cylinder.

I was playing with it at the range this afternoon and noticed that after I shoot all 6 shots quickly the brass will not eject until you give them a little time to cool (a second or so)

I intend to shoot this gun some in IDPA and ICORE and that is not allowable at all, the brass should easily come out and like my 625 maybe just open the cylinder and turn it up and they fall out on their own.

What do I need to do? would polishing the cylinder holes with flitz stop this problem?

All help and info greatly appreciated as I really like this little gun.

Sam Keen

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Hopalong,

I have a 646 that I have only shot a box of 170 pf reloads through, but I didn't notice any probs ejecting brass. I may be wrong, I think that titanium is a very stable metal and I don't think it has a expanding problem when it gets hot.

The only time I have had problems with brass not ejecting properly (not in the 646) was when I was shooting hot loads in a dirty cylinder.

Hope you figure it out.

dj

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  • 3 weeks later...

Sam - Don't be afraid to whack that ejector rod. I do it even though my loads don't stick...well, aside from the max loaded .357 Mags. ;). If yours had a steel cylinder, I'd recommend that you get the chambers polished, but I'm not sure that's a good idea with titanium.

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Hopalong, Not to put it or you down but, the problem you discribe is the reason people don't use the 646 in compitition. The titanium heats up and you know, the cases get stuck.for matches I would use your 625. The only thing I would do is try to find a little slower burning powder,it might keep the heat down a little.

good luck, John

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Thanks for the info guys/gals

I have not got to play with the 646 much at all, I am planning on using it in IDPA and ICORE matches and maybe as a concealed gun.

I have polished the cylinders with Flitz and a dremmel tool, look much better but have not shot it yet, I do like the idea of nickel brass as I also have a fairly good supply of it, will try that too.

I will get back tou you with the results, as The TN IDPA state match is in 3 weeks and I want to be confident in the gun, otherwise the "other shootin iron" (trusty 610) will have to make the trip.

Sam

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Hopalong, Not to put it or you down but, the problem you discribe is the reason people don't use the 646 in compitition. The titanium heats up and you know, the cases get stuck.for matches I would use your 625. The only thing I would do is try to find a little slower burning powder,it might keep the heat down a little.

good luck, John

Hey John!

I shoot my 646 in competition all the time, and I'm seeing more and more of the newer non-PC models around. For example, there were several of us shooting them at the MO State IDPA Championship a month ago. I won the SSR expert division with my 646, so it can be done!

My gun has been great, and now that the solid moonclips are finally available, I think it's the perfect IDPA revolver--for me, anyway. Of course, a 4-inch 625 would be great for that task as well.

Mike

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sam,

I just re-read your original post and finally noticed that you are using titegroup as your powder. One thing I have noticed with tg is that it is a "hotter" burning powder. My gun barrel gets hotter and stays hotter longer.

That being said, the brass may be expanding from the heat of the titegroup and until the heat is given up to the titanium cylinder they tend to stick.

This isn't dig on Titegroup, it's all that I use. But it does burn hotter.

FWIW

dj

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Northern,

PC models are a upgraded version of a so called "mass produced" gun. For instance, a model 625 PC (.45) will a have a different stlyle barrel, slighty improved action job, chamfered charge holes and a few other variations that a regular non-Performance Center has. And of course, a higher price tag too!!

So, a non-PC is just a plain-jane gun, no bells & whistles.

Dan

( good luck with the grip )

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A few thoughts on this one...

My 646 had this problem in its infancy. I found that factory ammo, nickel brass, new brass, once fired brass, and a full length sizing die all made it go away. You might also check your moonclips to make sure they are flat and that there is not a bent one in the mix. Stay away from AMERC, S&B, and really used brass. They tend to stop even autos dead in their tracks sometimes.

I also ran a soft brush, and a cotton bore mop through each hole in the cylinder on the end of a pistol rod chucked up in my drill. Be careful not to let the cylinder spin, and make sure your passes are straight.

Good luck.

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Carmoney,

Have not got to play with it, went to MO last weekend, MS this weekend, TN IDPA next weekend, ARK 3-gun the weekend after that, then 1 weekend off then MS IDPA.

Looks Like it will be a while before I can play with it. <_<

HOPALONG

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Hopalong--

Better to be shooting than just sitting around polishing your rod, right? ;)

Young Sam and I have sorta switched over to 1911s on a semi-temporary basis--the inaugural Iowa Single Stack match is this Saturday down in Osceola. Now that he's learned to do a speed reload with a .45, he understands the "extra challenge" he's been saddled with since his old man started him out on a wheelgun. Good for him in the long run, though.....

Mike

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  • 3 months later...

I've bumped this to top again, because I have the same problem with my new wheelgun I'm intend to use for the World Shoot. And of course, I don't want any stuck brass there :S

Sam, did you try the Flitz method?

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Spook,

Funny thing you bumped this thread....

Finished Flitzing the 646 and the clyinder bores are really shinny now, have shot it in 1 IDPA match (about 100 rounds) and used lead just to see if it would stick...

the last one stuck at the end of the match and the gun was pretty dirty, must have been some of the tite group loads for the Browning Hi-power. (Contrary to popular belief, Titegroup and Lead is DIRTY)

Have not shot "clean" stuff through it to see how long it takes to stick, if it does at all as the loads I have that are clean are really clean.

Before I did the Flitz job the brass would stick after shooting it maybe 15-20 shots so it definately did help.

I did not use nickle brass either, but that does make sense.

hope it helps Spook...

USE the old Faithfull and just have the other as a Backup...

SAM

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Sam, thanks for the fast reply :)

I will try out a couple of things. I noticed my .45 load got a little dirtier, because I changed it a little. So, I'll change that back first.

And I will polish my chambers. Good to hear it helps (at least a bit)

Plus I think I'll have my smith measure the differences between the chanbers of the two guns. If my new gun has tighter chambers, I'll have my smith widen them up.

I hope I don't have to switch back to ol' faithful. That gun is so worn out, I doubt it will make it to the World Shoot without some serious repairs. Besides, the new gun gets me about 10 PF more with the same load. And the new gun has a trigger that is sweeeet :wub:B)

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