Is shooting .38 special ammo through a .357 s&w model 60 a problem?

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I've heard that this can be a problem, but can't find anything specific about it online. I put I put about 100 .38 rounds through it over the weekend. It's the 2 1/8 inch barrel. Thanks!
 
The one problem you might run into is gunk from the .38spl building up on the business end of the cylinder, where the longer .357mag rounds would cover. It could cause the brass from the .357s to stick. Clean between switching between the two if you are doing a lot of shooting
 
The one problem you might run into is gunk from the .38spl building up on the business end of the cylinder, where the longer .357mag rounds would cover. It could cause the brass from the .357s to stick. Clean between switching between the two if you are doing a lot of shooting

And remember that the "gunk" is actually carbon residue, so a wet patch will not be enough. A chamber brush will be necessary after wetting the chamber with solvent.

I actually do this with a steel chamber brush from Brownells chucked in a power drill.
 
The "gunk" problem occurs mostly with lead bullets. Jacketed or plated bullets don't seem to cause the same mess. Either way it's easy to clean out.
 
The "gunk" problem occurs mostly with lead bullets. Jacketed or plated bullets don't seem to cause the same mess. Either way it's easy to clean out.

It's carbon residue so it will build up the same. I have never found lead in any of my chambers and that is all I shoot for practice and matches in both my wheelguns and my semi autos.
 
Oops... my mistake, Jose. I misread the post and was thinking about the build-up on the outside of the cylinder.
If you are talking about the build up on the cylinder face, that's a mixture of carbon, lead, and bullet lube.

The sooty stuff on the outside of revolvers being shot with lead is 99% bullet lubricant smoke.
 
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