New to Revolvers: .357 casing sticking in cylinder.

[pietro beretta]

Someone can correct me if I am wrong. However, I'm fairly certain all LAX ammo IS remanufactured. I'm not aware that they make their own cases and or bullets. If I had to guess they are likely using the absolute cheapest components they can like most ammo companies that remanufacture.

That is my understanding too about Lax branded ammo, though I could be wrong. (My experience with their ammo has been generally pretty good. Their service, at least on one major screw up of theirs, not so much. YMMV.)

They do assemble/manufacture new ammo(as well as remanufactured,) they just don't make their own new components. The casing for these .357 are marked X-treme and the bullets are X-treme as well.

These ones were factory new or at least new components. As in, the ammo was not disassembled then remanufactured but instead assembled for the first time from new components.


Edit: clarification

 

[pietro beretta]

This, followed by are you man handling the ejector rod?If not you should be, if you are you will have no problems ejecting cases.
Best part of this advice as an experienced revolver shooter it will work for all calibers, just don't shake the guns shut like you see in the movies/tv it will damage the ejector rod over time.(leads to bad timing of the cylinder due to bent ejector rod)

The ejector rod wasn't moving. I ended up bending my nail back trying to pry up the rim of a couple of casings

I would never flick close a revolver cylinder, I don't understand the need for people to feel tacticool or emulate a movie.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Jiggle the handle.







Lool

 

[whiskeybill]

Check the length of the fired cases. A finished revolver round will chamber nicely with a roll crimp, even if it's a bit too long for the cylinder chamber. Once it's fired, it sticks. It can happen with new unfired cases. If the cases stick, use a short section of cleaning rod, wood dowel or aluminum rod to knock the empties out from the front of the cylinder.

 

[DirectDrive]

LAX Reman troubles just posted on another forum...

Somewhere during the height of the ammo crisis I bought a box of 500 bulk ammo from remanufactured brass. I've used LAX reloads before and . . . another guy who is always at the Harrisburgs Sportman's show and whose name I can't remember . . but never had any issues with either. As a hand loader myself I know the risk of reman'd stuff but yesterday was the first time I've had problems. Bear in mind, I'd shot problem 200 rounds of this stuff so far without issue. In fact, it is pretty good accuracy wise. But . . . that doesn't help when it isn't right.

I was at the range doing a bit of practice with multiple targets and target acquisition in preparation for an upcoming event. I started with my 17. BANG! BANG! boop. Boop!? Hmm. Great. Primer only. No powder. Just enough oomph to move the bullet about 3/8" into the barrel. I didn't have a squibb rod so decided to switch to my 48. A smart man might have gone home and gotten different ammo. But, I'm not a smart man. Also, as mentioned, I hadn't had any problems with this stuff otherwise. What are the chances? Well . . it turns out . . pretty good! I worked my way through a few more targets and was down to the last couple rounds I was going to shoot when my 48 locked up altogether with a live round sort of chambered. Except it wasn't. You could tell it wasn't sized right and the chamber wasn't fully locked up. Nothing I tried could get it to eject or close all the way. I spent 45 minutes and finally gave up and headed to the local gun smith. So help me he took the gun, grabbed the slide and the round popped right out. Perhaps the car ride loosened it. Go figure. Since I was there, I also had him knock the stuck bullet front he barrel of the 17. In a happy coincidence, he had a box of 1000 large rifle primers which I've been unable to find. I bought the primers and he didn't charge me otherwise.

I had that box of reman'd ammo for quite a while. I don't have it in the original box as it was damaged in shipping so I don't remember whose it was. I spent about an hour going through old e-mails trying to find order info because I definitely bought it on-line but didn't come up with it. I also grabbed a handful of the remainder and ran them through a case gauge. So far none of the rest are quite as bad as the round that stuck in the 48, but quite a few don't quite seat int he case gauge. I wonder how many more don't have powder? Or worse, light powder that lodges the bullet farther down the barrel . . a much more dangerous situation if you don't pick up the squibb sound. I likely won't be shooting any more of them. Here is a pic of the poorly sized round as well as the box label I saved in case anyone recognizes it.

From now on, either my own loads, or factory new for me.

 

[DirectDrive]

This is LAX Reman (I think OP had "new" LAX ammo)
Posted 5 hours ago, although you don't have to look too far to find other complaints about that ammo company's products.

Remanufactured bulk ammo - Lesson learned

www.glocktalk.com

 

[whiskeybill]

A few years ago a friend had come across some homemade ammo that someone obviously sold at gun shows in the distant past. It was all 30-30, in plain brown 20 round boxes. They were stamped "All USA Components". My friend gave me all ten boxes as I had a 30-30. I saw that the brass was all head stamped "DWM", and that brought a chuckle. I hadn't seen that in over 30 years. Anyway, no matter how good looking those rounds were, the usual bells rang out, and I pulled all the bullets and dumped the powder. The bullets were all 150 Gr round nose, probably old Hornadys'. I reloaded all of them myself, and aside from a few cases showing small splits at the shoulders after shooting (it was very old but unfired brass) everything was ok. I have never trusted "Reman" ammunition, never bought it. it is a rare occasion that I buy any factory loads. Many of these small pop-up manufacturers are just trying to make a buck in a tight ammunition market, and that's all they are in it for. Buyer beware. I had never heard of "LAX" until reading this thread.

 

[pietro beretta]

Hi Everybody, I am baaaaaaaaaaaack!

Went to the range today...besides learning "real" trigger control for double action - which hey, I got 'em all in the 9 ring or better at 25 feet... ...

I figured something out at the range today with the help of my local LGS.

I was telling the clerk about the issue with the Colt, he went through everything listed here on the forums. Unfortunately he did not have any .357 in stock but he wanted to try something. He put some solvent through the cylinders , ran patches through and mopped it with a clean bore mop, he specifically did not lube up the cylinders, tried that out and what do you know. No sticking.

I always clean my guns like I am going to store them, I wipe everything down with a clean lubed patch and wipe off. I do bore cleaner/solvent, brush, patches till clean, then run a lubed patch through the barrel, and in the case of the revolver, the cylinders as well. Apparently the lube was causing the sticking?

 

[RVTECH]

the cylinders as well. Apparently the lube was causing the sticking?

What kind of lube were you using in the cylinder?

 

[Certaindeaf]

Hi Everybody, I am baaaaaaaaaaaack!

Went to the range today...besides learning "real" trigger control for double action - which hey, I got 'em all in the 9 ring or better at 25 feet... ...

I figured something out at the range today with the help of my local LGS.

I was telling the clerk about the issue with the Colt, he went through everything listed here on the forums. Unfortunately he did not have any .357 in stock but he wanted to try something. He put some solvent through the cylinders , ran patches through and mopped it with a clean bore mop, he specifically did not lube up the cylinders, tried that out and what do you know. No sticking.

I always clean my guns like I am going to store them, I wipe everything down with a clean lubed patch and wipe off. I do bore cleaner/solvent, brush, patches till clean, then run a lubed patch through the barrel, and in the case of the revolver, the cylinders as well. Apparently the lube was causing the sticking?

Hoppes #9 followed with a dry patch or so through the cylinders leaves enough protection for rust but still is dry enough for easy extraction. The rounds should be able to rattle freely in the closed gun.
The area under the star should be bone dry though.

 

[drstrangelove]

Cylinders should be oiled for storage, but dry for shooting. The brass sticks in the chamber momentarily to reduce brass retropulsion frame battering. The oil might have been contributing to either a sticky varnish building up or a capillary seal. Very interesting.

 

[pietro beretta]

What kind of lube were you using in the cylinder?

With the cost of inflation, figured the can underneath the grill 'ought to do

MPro7 Lube

 

[Tony617]

I use hoppes oil and always lube the cylinders after I am done cleaning my .357 magnum revolver. I don't shoot my revolver that much but pull it out of my gun safe and check the cylinders and barrel to see if needs a bit of oil or not.

 

[whiskeybill]

"Oiling" firearms is way overstated IMHO. Most oils have solvents to keep them in a viscous state, and when left to the atmosphere, the solvents dry out leaving a sticky film. This also attracts dust that builds up over time. Sure, there are some instances where you need to "oil" a firearm (Slide rails for example), but it doesn't take much at all. My firearms are generally stored in a safe in the un-heated garage. I keep a good sized dessicant pack in the safe and have had no issues with rust on my stored firearms. One rifle I hadn't even touched in over ten years was rust free. After cleaning and applying oils to a firearm, a good going over with a solvent such as Hoppes #9 and wipe dry is all that is needed. As my old DI was fond of saying, "Clean, Dry and Serviceable". That's just my protocol. Firearms manufacturers also lightly lube all firearms for shipping from the factory, and most, if not all, state in the provided manuals that they should be cleaned (barrels and chambers at minimum) before firing.

 

[Flymph]

I've had Tula 38spl stick in my cylinder from the wax on the case melting. I don't shoot steel cased ammo in my Ruger SP01 anymore for that reason. Works fine in the 50's CDS tho. Looks like you're shooting brass tho...

Edit: guess I should have read the update. I think a light oil with CLP or even MPro-7 would be fine. However too much gunk will definitely make things stick in your cylinder.

 

[Knobgoblin]

With the cost of inflation, figured the can underneath the grill 'ought to do

MPro7 Lube

Blackstone makes cosmoline, not lube.

Your joke was excellent, and nobody noticed it.

Dennis Miller award to you, sir.

 

[greydog111]

Hello y'all,

I just purchased my first revolver. I picked up the Colt King Cobra target. I wanted the Python but the KC fit my hand better.

I am having some trouble with the .357 shell casings sticking in the cylinder. So much so the ejector rod won't budge without some major force.

The ammo is from LAX ammo, new: 125 grain FP, it's pretty light for .357 @1150 fps.

Is it the ammo, or could it be the firearm? Looking for some advice and/or suggestions from people that have experience with wheel guns.

View attachment 1174106View attachment 1174107

Soak the cylinder chambers with Ballistol for a couple hours! Carbon ring buildup from 38 spl shooting.

 

[greydog111]

I've had Tula 38spl stick in my cylinder from the wax on the case melting. I don't shoot steel cased ammo in my Ruger SP01 anymore for that reason. Works fine in the 50's CDS tho. Looks like you're shooting brass tho...

Edit: guess I should have read the update. I think a light oil with CLP or even MPro-7 would be fine. However too much gunk will definitely make things stick in your cylinder.

Tula=junk ammo!

 

[greydog111]

LAX Reman troubles just posted on another forum...

Somewhere during the height of the ammo crisis I bought a box of 500 bulk ammo from remanufactured brass. I've used LAX reloads before and . . . another guy who is always at the Harrisburgs Sportman's show and whose name I can't remember . . but never had any issues with either. As a hand loader myself I know the risk of reman'd stuff but yesterday was the first time I've had problems. Bear in mind, I'd shot problem 200 rounds of this stuff so far without issue. In fact, it is pretty good accuracy wise. But . . . that doesn't help when it isn't right.

I was at the range doing a bit of practice with multiple targets and target acquisition in preparation for an upcoming event. I started with my 17. BANG! BANG! boop. Boop!? Hmm. Great. Primer only. No powder. Just enough oomph to move the bullet about 3/8" into the barrel. I didn't have a squibb rod so decided to switch to my 48. A smart man might have gone home and gotten different ammo. But, I'm not a smart man. Also, as mentioned, I hadn't had any problems with this stuff otherwise. What are the chances? Well . . it turns out . . pretty good! I worked my way through a few more targets and was down to the last couple rounds I was going to shoot when my 48 locked up altogether with a live round sort of chambered. Except it wasn't. You could tell it wasn't sized right and the chamber wasn't fully locked up. Nothing I tried could get it to eject or close all the way. I spent 45 minutes and finally gave up and headed to the local gun smith. So help me he took the gun, grabbed the slide and the round popped right out. Perhaps the car ride loosened it. Go figure. Since I was there, I also had him knock the stuck bullet front he barrel of the 17. In a happy coincidence, he had a box of 1000 large rifle primers which I've been unable to find. I bought the primers and he didn't charge me otherwise.

I had that box of reman'd ammo for quite a while. I don't have it in the original box as it was damaged in shipping so I don't remember whose it was. I spent about an hour going through old e-mails trying to find order info because I definitely bought it on-line but didn't come up with it. I also grabbed a handful of the remainder and ran them through a case gauge. So far none of the rest are quite as bad as the round that stuck in the 48, but quite a few don't quite seat int he case gauge. I wonder how many more don't have powder? Or worse, light powder that lodges the bullet farther down the barrel . . a much more dangerous situation if you don't pick up the squibb sound. I likely won't be shooting any more of them. Here is a pic of the poorly sized round as well as the box label I saved in case anyone recognizes it.

From now on, either my own loads, or factory new for me.

View attachment 1176724
View attachment 1176725

Buy a 357 magnum OAL gage. Cheap from Dillon Precision! Randomly check length of rounds!

 

[OldTengu]

Hi Everybody, I am baaaaaaaaaaaack!

Went to the range today...besides learning "real" trigger control for double action - which hey, I got 'em all in the 9 ring or better at 25 feet... ...

I figured something out at the range today with the help of my local LGS.

I was telling the clerk about the issue with the Colt, he went through everything listed here on the forums. Unfortunately he did not have any .357 in stock but he wanted to try something. He put some solvent through the cylinders , ran patches through and mopped it with a clean bore mop, he specifically did not lube up the cylinders, tried that out and what do you know. No sticking.

I always clean my guns like I am going to store them, I wipe everything down with a clean lubed patch and wipe off. I do bore cleaner/solvent, brush, patches till clean, then run a lubed patch through the barrel, and in the case of the revolver, the cylinders as well. Apparently the lube was causing the sticking?

I was going to say this, as it happened to me.
Super hot Buffalo Bore .357 Heavy with lubed chambers equals some very stuck cases.
When the lube gets hot between the casing and chamber wall it gets real sticky. I had to use pliers on the case heads to get them out.