Originally Posted by S&WIowegan

Whatever you think or hear on this forum, don't send your gun back to S&W. They no longer have any replacement cylinders and they won't send your gun back to you because it might be unsafe. Either keep it and shoot with mild .44 Special loads or sell it as is. That's way better than S&W scrapping it.

Your problem with calling S&W and getting various answers is a well-known situation. S&W almost went under during the Clinton years and most of the bright, motivated, experienced workers left. They are booming now and hiring whomever they can get. Some of the people on the phone will flat tell you wrong either because they don't know the answer or don't give a damn.