Unwanted ejecta

[Hugnot]

While watching wifey shoot her Taurus Tracker .38SPL/.357Mag from 5 feet from the left, up 2 feet, & back 2 feet, I felt something sting into my face just below my lower right lip. 24 hours later the area remained sore & reddened.

I sterilized the area with isopropyl alcohol, , took a sterilized razor blade and opened the area & peered into it with a 10X magnifying mirror. I saw a tiny black spec which I extracted with sterilized tweezers. It was about .075 inch deep. Looking at the object thru a 10X Hastings Triplet showed it to be a tiny chunk of copper about .025 " long & .010 wide with a pointy end. Photos below:



My best guess is that the tiny bad flying object came from the ports at the end of the Taurus' barrel. The object was bigger than the gap between cylinder & barrel. She was shooting our favorite range load - 125 Berry FP plated bullet, 3.8 gr. Titegroup, .38SPL. Note the copper wash in the upper side of the barrel ports. Guessing that a part of the bullet base got stripped off & blown thru port. No signs of timing problems with barrrel end/cone like copper & lead at that spot.

Always wear safety glasses.

Stay safe!

 

[epags]

Time to have the timing checked.

 

[epags]

Speaking from experience as a range officer, a shooter was complaining he was getting two holes in the paper when he had only shot once (a 22LR pistol). I stood slightly behind his pistol's ejector and when he fired I felt several stings in my shoulder. I determined his pistol was trying to go into auto mode and had him stop and suggested he take it to a gunsmith.
Got home and noted a bit of blood on my tee shirt. Thought nothing to serious..just a scratch from some of the brass from his pistol. Next morning, I noted a red spot on my shoulder, gave it a squeeze and out popped a piece of brass.
Long story short, glad I wear polycarbonate shooting glasses and that my spouse never found out about it. LOL

 

[Big Trouble]

Time to have the timing checked.

I am with epags. Had same exact gun for my wife. At the range a saw shrapnel flying to the left. Bullets were shaving just a touch. Cylinder was out of time.

 

[Hugnot]

Timing appears to be OK but I will get a 2nd opinion. Cylinders always line up with barrel, single or double action with any manipulation of hammer or trigger & firing pin only able to extend when cylinder lines up with barrel.

Don't see any signs of copper bullet coating shaving on left side - Berry copper plated bullets. Gap between cylinder & barrel is between .005 - .006. Tiny black specs appear to be powder debris blown out from cylinder/barrel gap.

I like my 1911 more than a revolver.

 

[ShtrRdy]

We'll have to start calling you "doc".

 

[Hugnot]

I am retired and every day is a holiday.

 

[epags]

View attachment 357116

My best guess is that the tiny bad flying object came from the ports at the end of the Taurus' barrel. The object was bigger than the gap between cylinder & barrel. She was shooting our favorite range load - 125 Berry FP plated bullet, 3.8 gr. Titegroup, .38SPL. Note the copper wash in the upper side of the barrel ports. Guessing that a part of the bullet base got stripped off & blown thru port. No signs of timing problems with barrrel end/cone like copper & lead at that spot.

I just found out that it is important to read the OP's full statement. I missed the 'port' comment and therefore withdraw my comment about a timing problem.
Your photo is blurry when I try to enlarge it. Can you run a borescope in at the ported area of the barrel to see how they look from inside.

 

[Big Trouble]

Obviously, I read through too quickly as well. Apologies Hugnot.