Quote:
Originally Posted by Plinker38
I'm new to the forum, so forgive me if I don't know proper protocol. I recently picked up a 686 no dash with 4inch barrel that genuinely has a canted barrel. I own quite a few S&W revolvers that are great in every way and never noticed the barrel on this one having a 2-3 degree can't to the left. I took it to one of the best S&W gunsmiths in the US and he agreed that it is definitely canted to the left. We both think that when it was in the fixture for the machining operation to machine the frame to accept the barrel that there was probably a metal chip/chips from the previous frame not cleaned off the fixture properly that resulted in my frame being at an angle in the fixture, thus resulting in the barrel being at an angle. I never caught it our noticed it when I bought it. The dealer I bought it from has not been the most cooperative, so my question is this. Does anyone think I should call S&W about this even though I am not the original owner? I would appreciate any of your thoughts and opinions on this. Thanks!
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I have seen a few like that over the years. I know of a M29-2 right now that has the barrel off to the right and down by a couple of degrees. The evidence shows that it was made this way originally. Most likely a chip got between the frame and mill fixture when this operation was done.
The barrel hole in the frame is clearly off center to a properly timed cylinder chamber, just eyeballing with the barrel off. With the barrel on, there was no way to get a range rod to even think about crossing the cylinder gap. The frame is not bent or twisted. The threads in the frame are clean and sharp, not stripped or cross threaded.
I would contact S&W and see what they say about it.