Burn marks on cylinder S&W 386 - how to remove?

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ZBoater

New member
I shot my S&W 386 for the first time today - it was a lot of fun!!! I shot both 38 Special +p and .357 magnum, and everything they say about the .357 magnum kick is true! I shot 7 consecutive rapid fire shots of .357, I my teeth were rattling!

Anyway, I came back home to clean the gun and noticed burn marks on the outside of the cylinder, right on the outside front edge - there is one mark right next to each of the 7 holes where the bullets come out. I tried powder solvent which removed all the black stuff EXCEPT these marks.

Any recommendations on what to try? I'm used to cleaning blued and polymer autos, so I am a bit out of my element here.

Thanks.
 
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npcolin

New member
I use a spray on stuff called "Pro 7" Gun cleaner and it working great for me. Just spray some on and let it sit for a minute and then wipe it clean with a cloth. I use it to clean all my guns, including my Smithy. :)
 
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dairycreek

New member
ZBoater:

I have had my 386 for a couple of years now and everything you said was right on. While it is a fun gun to shoot I have never found it pleasant to shoot. As you now know recoil and torque will take its toll with the 386 - particularly if you shoot hot 357 loads. A friend of mine made a suggestion which, for me, just turned the 386 into a ***** cat. At his suggestion I purchased and installed the Hogue grips made for the S&W 500 on the 386.

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They fit perfectly and do they ever make a difference! I said that they turned the 386 into a *****cat - maybe not a *****cat - but a much more pleasureable gun to shoot.
 
Z

ZBoater

New member
That is a nice looking grip - do you know how different it is from the one that comes standard on the 386 these days? I know its called Hogue Bantham, and here is a pic of it. The one one your pic looks a little bit longer on the back end. I find the grip on the 386 could use a little bit more meat, so I will definitely look into the S&W 500 grip. Thanks for the tip!
 

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dairycreek

New member
ZBoater

The 500 grip is much larger, much more padding, and fills my hands much better than does the bantam that came on my gun. When I shot my 386 with the factory grips there was not only recoil but a substantial amount of torque. The hotter the ammo the more the gun twisted in my hand. I am not at all sensitive to recoil but I must admit that the jumping and the twisting at the same time - just didn't like that at all. The 500 grip really tames the 386. FWIW.
 
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wixedmords

New member
Buy a Lead Away cloth and test it on one little spot. It is the tool for the job, just a question of what it will do to titanium.

But, I doubt it will hurt titanium because the titanium isn't a coating.
 
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JoeHatley

New member
ZBoater,

On your Sc/Ti gun, you need to be conservative when cleaning. Both the frame and cylinder are "clear coated" and anything abrasive will eat through the protective coating pretty quick.

I use Hoppe's #9 and a nylon brush on the outside. Anything that doesn't come off in the first couple of minutes, gets left.

Good Luck...

Joe
 
Z

ZBoater

New member
Lead Away did the trick. I had a Lead Away cloth I bought a couple of months ago still new in the package and decided to give it a try. Took out 95% of the marks. There is still a tiny, tiny little left, barely noticeable.

dairycreek: I received the new Hogue grip today. I haven't shot it yet, but it is definitely beefier and feels really good in the hand. I will try it later this week to see how that .357 recoil feels.

Thanks to all for your input!
 
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JoeHatley

New member
The Lead Away cloth will clean very well, but if you continue to use it, the finish will clean away also.

Good Luck...

Joe
 
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Doggieman

New member
I scrub mine well and don't worry about the marks that won't come off easily. Looks like you actually shoot your gun.
 
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