Colt Officers Model Special rifling issue

[HolyHotLoads]

Hello,

I recently bought a Colt O.M.S. off Gun Broker sight unseen. When I received the revolver I was excited to see it was in fantastic shape, better than I was hoping. That is until I gave it the "new pistol cleaning" and examined the bore. I noticed that two or three of the grooves about a quarter inch from the muzzle(about right where the front sight stops) have fairly deep scratches going perpendicular to grooves. These scratches or gouges are all stacked together. The weird part is is that there are no scratches on the corresponding lands, it's almost like someone put them there purposely. I cant figure out how this would happen during cleaning. I haven't done extensive load development for this revolver yet and it seems to shoot well with these scratches in the barrel,but every time I get a flier or two I can't
help but think about those damn scratches. So my questions are these- is there any reason to purposely put something like that on the grooves of a pistol? And, what's the best way to try and remove them? Small files? Should I leave it be? This revolver came with a very expensive pair of old school Bullseye shooting grips on it and was well taken care of over the years so part of me wonders if it's an old Bullseye shooting thing? Probably wishful thinking. I love the revolver regardless, every time I pull that trigger I cant help but smile. They new how to build them back then.

Thanks for your time.

Sorry, this should've been posted in the gunsmithing section. I dont know how to move it.

[bradshaw]

Dec 22, 2019 9:14:57 GMT -5 HolyHotLoads said:

Hello,

I recently bought a Colt O.M.S. off Gun Broker sight unseen. When I received the revolver I was excited to see it was in fantastic shape, better than I was hoping. That is until I gave it the "new pistol cleaning" and examined the bore. I noticed that two or three of the grooves about a quarter inch from the muzzle(about right where the front sight stops) have fairly deep scratches going perpendicular to grooves. These scratches or gouges are all stacked together. The weird part is is that there are no scratches on the corresponding lands, it's almost like someone put them there purposely. I cant figure out how this would happen during cleaning. I haven't done extensive load development for this revolver yet and it seems to shoot well with these scratches in the barrel,but every time I get a flier or two I can't
help but think about those damn scratches. So my questions are these- is there any reason to purposely put something like that on the grooves of a pistol? And, what's the best way to try and remove them? Small files? Should I leave it be? This revolver came with a very expensive pair of old school Bullseye shooting grips on it and was well taken care of over the years so part of me wonders if it's an old Bullseye shooting thing? Probably wishful thinking. I love the revolver regardless, every time I pull that trigger I cant help but smile. They new how to build them back then.

Thanks for your time.

Sorry, this should've been posted in the gunsmithing section. I dont know how to move it.

*****

billy357..... as you have dione, posting in Double Actions is appropriate. Without a graphic photo, sounds like a manufacturing defect, yet inexplicable to my mind. Don’t know how this old Colt barrel was made, whether from a drop forging or from bar stock. Either way, I would think the barrel was gun drilled, reamed, then rifling cut with with a broach. Don’t know whether a broach could chatter at one place and leave annular rings in the grooves----without marking the lands, which are represented by the bore.

When a reamer makes “scratches” in a barrel (annular, or perpendicular to the bore), the abrasion is remains on the lands but does not appear in the grooves. (Abrasion, or scoring, would have to be horribly deep to appear in cut grooves.)

I’ve watched the rifling process at Smith & Wesson, where the classic (old school) barrels started as drop forgings, drilled, reamed----and, in the case of some barrels, I am familiar with the M-29 .44 Mags, the bore MICRO HONED----submerged in a bath, with a broach pulled through the bore to cut grooves.

I will ask Jerry Moran, ace smith of the Colt Python, machinist for Fischer Body, IHMSA All-American silhouetter. May be able to ask one or two others, including Ben “Bear Man” Kilham, whom worked at Colt, although well after your revolver was made.

CAUTION: at all hazards, do not try to correct the disease with a file!

If possible post a photo.
David Bradshaw

[needsmostuff]

I'm no expert on this for sure but at this stage I see nothing to do about it.
It may bug you for sure , till you can forget about it. On the bright side it is something you can blame the fliers on , whether or not it's responsible.
Shoot some softer lead thru it. If it does not collect lead it's probably not affecting the bullet.
If it does collect lead perhaps some light fire lapping could help.

[HolyHotLoads]

Thanks guys. I cant seem to figure out how to post pictures. Am I allowed to being new here?

[45MAN]

I DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWER BUT I KNOW THAT THE COLT OM's IN 38 AND 22lr THAT I HAVE ARE VERY GOOD SHOOTERS. SHOOT YOURS AND SEE HOW SHE SHOOTS.

[awp101]

Dec 22, 2019 15:10:04 GMT -5 HolyHotLoads said:

Thanks guys. I cant seem to figure out how to post pictures. Am I allowed to being new here?

You'll need a photo host like Flickr or Imgur(?).