How To Clean Powder Burns Off Of A Titanium Cylinder
"Infinite age" materials such as titanium, special alloys and polymers, have fabricated their entry into the firearms field, including the very traditionalist field of revolvers, but may require special attending, sometimes very special, in social club to non to cause problems. In that location have been two reasons justifying the use of new materials: the first is purely economical, or rather to manufacture at a lower costs, and the second reason is the attempt to offer the client something more, at least in the field of ergonomics. With regard to handguns, with this term we practice not only mean the convenience of use, with more "natural" and ergonomical shapes, but also those corollary aspects, such as lighter and smaller guns, that make information technology easier to carry and conceal.
The manual warns the user against using loads with bullets weighing less that 120 grains. We overlooked it... and a very expensive paperweight is the result. Always, and nosotros mean it, Ever read the transmission before use!
Weapons have ever been made of steel, and only after the 2nd earth war do we see "light alloys", branded as having a short life and nigh considered an insult to common sense. Only at least they were metallic. There was a "plastic" revolution in the 1980s, over again amongst recriminations and apocalyptic prophecies of the end of the handgun globe. Nosotros already know how this finished: all defense or service weapons currently utilize synthetic materials for essential components such as the receiver.
Afterwards all, if the frame of an automatic handgun does not have to acquit enormous stress during shooting, the contrary is true for the revolver; the chemical element is delegated to support all the pressure and forces that are given off. Despite this, since the 1950s, there were versions with light blend frames of weapons chambered for the .38 Special, a solution that could significantly lower the weight, and give snub nose revolvers for personnel defense a very desirable appearance.
VIDEO: an interesting description from one of our readers
In the race for the lightest possible gun, at that place had been an effort to utilise aluminum blend for fifty-fifty the cylinder, but with little success, and for decades the "light" versions of small revolvers take used barrels and cylinders made strictly of steel. Of course, research did not end, and technology has brought into play new materials such as titanium and Scandium lite alloys, cheers to which Smith&Wesson has achieved a number of small revolvers congenital on the "J" frames chambered for the .357 Magnum, weighting merely over 300 grams.
The warning is rolled on the side of the revolverʼs barrel shroud, just information technology doesnʼt explain why or afterward how many rounds the harm happens. In our case, information technology happened after the offset round...
These start personal defence handguns were later on joined by other highly specialized versions, such equally big revolvers in the .44 Magnum caliber (329PD) that, cheers to their light weight, are intended for those who must travel into areas inhabited by wild and dangerous animals.
How was information technology possible to drastically cut down the weight and keep the choice of using high power armament open? Of course, past integrating diverse "scientific discipline fiction" materials into a single weapon: Scandium light blend for the frame and the coating of the barrel, titanium for the cylinder and some pocket-sized parts, an extremely thin tube lined with stainless steel for the barrel.
This "revolution" has spawned from ii types of bug, one, which can exist easily understood, and a much more insidious and subconscious one, relative to the attending required by the new materials.
The starting time trouble is that lightweight weapons that shoot a projectile with dandy energy volition give rise to high recoil and muzzle climb, which, in the revolvers mentioned, tin be unbearable.
Fortunately, in many cases less powerful cartridges can exist used, leaving "serious" shooting simply for "serious" occasions: If you are attacked by a bear or a malicious two-legged animal, the scraping of a finger or a numb mitt are insignificant collateral damage.
Merely a second reason why a weapon that is likewise calorie-free can cause issues is, as mentioned higher up, that if you practice not follow the manufacturer'southward specific instructions, you may be holding a weapon that becomes only a useless paperweight after a few shots!
The mighty sparks from the Titanium burning off the cylinder. Nuff said
Donʼt believe that the weak bespeak is the Scandium scientific discipline fiction alloy that, with a few atoms of this rare fabric dispersed in the molecular structure, becomes as strong as steel. The weak bespeak of the chain is none other than the titanium cylinder.
We all call back of this metal as the cutting edge of forcefulness and lightness, the use of which has opened new frontiers in many fields. The disquisitional components of aircraft, artificial medical prostheses, endosseous implants, and with regard to weapons, breech shields, pins and strikers are all fabricated of titanium. But in none of these cases must the metal withstand the stress of loftier-pressure gas and high temperature, every bit well as the "rain" of droppings that causes the firing of a cartridge in the gap betwixt the barrel and cylinder of a revolver. Does information technology seem impossible that titanium tin wear out? Nosotros are not the ones who say so: it is clearly stated in the Smith&Wesson manual. Or rather, the letters are articulate, simply sometimes we don't read them, and their meaning is non clear and do not shed much calorie-free on the whole story.
And afterward only 34 rounds of a .357 Magnum loaded with a 110 gr. bullet, this is what happens to the front end part of the cylinder
In its lightweight alloy revolvers, Smith&Wesson has inserted a steel plate to delay the harm acquired by "flame cutting", in other words the frame erosion washed by gas and particles escaping from the cylinder gap. How is information technology possible to Not call back this will not happen to the cylinder as well?
The manual of this lightweight revolver in .357 states: "Alert: Exercise Not Use Magnum Loadings With Bullet Weights Of Less Than 120 Gr. This Will Reduce The Possibility Of Premature Cylinder Erosion".
So, fifty-fifty Smith&Wesson states that there is a risk of erosion in titanium cylinders if light bullets are used, but what does it really hateful? How "early" is early? And, later on how many rounds does this happen: hundreds, thousands, five thousand?
And, what does this wear of the cylinder entail? Does it oxidize, does information technology scratch, does it cook similar ice foam under a hot lord's day? Can the weapon even so be used or, given its lightness, tin it not even be used as a paperweight?
In fact, we notice various kinds of alloys with different concrete and chemical characteristics under the generic proper noun of titanium. The resistance of these various kinds of alloys is similar to the all-time steels, with a weight of less than one-half. All are highly resistant to corrosion, or does non rust or dethrone over time, although they may form surface layers when combined with the atmosphere (alpha layer).
But these alloys that exercise not corrode are much less resistant to erosion than steel, since they take a more than "porous" structure, and upon shooting, the high temperature gases that carry fragments at very loftier speed, stand for a phenomenal erosive amanuensis, able to pitter-patter into the open construction of the material and literally ablate small particles.
To eliminate these problems, the technicians have perfected systems to make the front end surface of the cylinder less porous and more resistant. The most popular system involves the "filling" of the interstices of the alloy with carbon atoms.
Nosotros tin can discover strong erosion even on the side walls of the cylinder
But, complex technologies are needed to ensure that the carbon penetrates below the surface and attaches to the metallic. All the same, very little, fifty-fifty simple cleaning, is needed to remove it: don't dare use abrasive paste to remove the carbonious burnt propellant deposits, some ammonia-based solvents are as well banned and, evidently, metallic brushes should also be avoided.
Simply, if these normal maintenance practices are considered to be "aggressions", what nearly the stress induced past the firing of a cartridge, which we know, in the long run, tin erode even the best steel (i.e the Flame Cutting problem of revolvers frame)? If you are anxious to know more than, youʼre lucky: although in spite of ourselves, we are able to offer a physical contribution to the knowledge of the erosion phenomena of titanium.
Enter now, the South&W 340 PD revolver, the maximum expression of the Centennial family unit, chambered in .357 Magnum and weighing just 320 grams, cheers to its Scandium light alloy frame and the titanium cylinder: needless to say, its lightness tempted the states and we bought a sample years ago.
The use of lightweight not Magnum loads such equally the .38 Special, should be able non to cause any damage
The revolver is very portable, concealable, very intriguing and is a perfect case of the "take me often with you lot and shoot me seldom" category. Seldom, not e'er: you demand to train with your weapons one time in a while, particularly those that you carry every day. In the five years of "cohabitation", we have shot more than than five hundred rounds, all .38 Special loads, of which a minimal office with the +P loading. The reason is obvious: shooting something more powerful than a Wad Cutter target load in a weapon that weighs three hundred grams is not a pleasant experience.
All the chambers in the Titanium cylinder take suffered extensive damage
Some time ago, but just for "journalistic" reasons, nosotros tried the thrill of 2 or three full power .357 Magnum cylinders: the trigger baby-sit of the 158-grain Winchester acquired a deep wound on our index finger, and that was the end of our leisure use of full power armament.
Manifestly nosotros were well aware of the vexing problem of recoil. And then, why did we purchase a .357 Magnum, which costs considerably more than a .38 Special? The argument we made was that if the weapon was created for the .357, it could withstand a long diet of weaker cartridges. In fact, upward to now, nosotros have not had any bug.
Upwardly until one Sunday, when nosotros decide to take pictures of the cage flash of a consummate series of Blackness Mamba cartridges in various calibers, and we chose the light Scandium instead of the super heavy Ruger SP101 for the .38 Special and the .357 Magnum loadings.
The revolver of our story, the Smith&Wesson 340 PD, in .357 Magnum
A alert mark on the right side of the 340 PD frame reminded us what was stated in the manual: "non less than 120-grain", but we thought that a handful of 110 grainers would not hurt the gun.
Mindful of by experiences, we protected our easily with a glove, loaded a pair of Black Mamba .357 Magnum rounds into the cylinder, ready the camera, a blinding flash accompanied the shot and the pictures showed a pour of sparks between the barrel and the cylinder.
The same thing for the 2nd shot, after which we switched to the milder .38 Special.
After we exited the tunnel, the usual curious people asked to examine "the beast" and so we let various people experience the thrill of the Scandium gun and shot a total of thirty-four .357 Magnum 110-grain rounds.
At the cease of the range session, the nasty surprise: the face of the titanium cylinder showed massive signs of erosion, with deep "wounds" betwixt one sleeping room and the other. And so much for the "Premature Erosion Cylinder" that the manufacturer warns virtually! Already with the offset shot, as luckily documented past our photos, the material was literally "blown away" from the surface and igniting; this explains the shower of sparks!
Fiocchi Black Mamba .357 Magnum revolver armament. Surely, itʼs not the loadingʼs fault if the Due south&Wʼs Titanium cylinder has been damaged beyond repair
A quick Net search showed that nosotros were not the get-go that had experienced this, only we have not found pictures that are as eloquent as the one we made and that illustrate this article. Fifty-fifty though it is obvious that the Internet mainly shows the opinions of those who take had problems, while those who take not had them are part of those who can be called the "silent majority", it is clear that the use of titanium in revolvers crave special attention.
We informed the manufacturer of this. The manufacturer explained that the reason why they do not recommend shooting .357 cartridges with bullets under 120-grain is considering the powders used are likewise fast called-for and have the possibility of eroding the confront of the titanium cylinder. Fortunately for us the light .38 loads are acceptable. The answer, of form, did not convince us: an electronic mail sent to Fiocchi gave united states information on the properties of the propellant used, not very dissimilar from that of other loads. Thus, the powerful Italian cartridges are not the root of the problem.
And so we've wasted an expensive revolver, and all because we did not follow the warnings listed in the transmission "by the book": If we happen to use weapons with a titanium cylinder in the future, nosotros promise to thoroughly read the original manual.
The final word is that the user of a firearm MUST Ever read the WHOLE transmission, even when said transmission contains very obvious warnings forth the lines of "do not aim the gun towards things that are not intended to be shot at", because in that part of the transmission is exactly where the alarm in regards to the employ of loads heavier than 120 grains is located.
To conclude, we would like to relay Smith&Wesson's reply to the states:
"Hi, the reason why nosotros recommend you lot don't shoot .357 magnums under 120 grain in that gun is because the quick burning powder that is associated with the lighter grain bullets presents the possibility of eroding the face of the titanium cylinder. This only applies to the .357 magnum round, below 120 grain is fine for the .38 special".
Manifestly, these convenient revolves accept a more than sufficient elapsing if we avoid using magnum loads and shooting 50 rounds a twelvemonth but, equally consumers, we would adopt more authentic information from the manufacturer or importer.
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Source: https://www.all4shooters.com/en/shooting/culture/titanium-cylinders/
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