Would be a fun piece to shoot. The cost would be huge to have the some 8 chambers, but would still be fun to shoot. Not just the .223, but other centerfire rounds as well. Of course you would have to put a 10" barrel with a scope. Perhaps even a bipod mount would be needed.

Historically attempts to chamber revolvers for rounds with substantial neckdown have not worked. When fired in a revolver cylinder the case expands and the neck area moves forward which causes the case rim area to sets back hard against the frame. This can lock the cylinder from rotating and prevent easy opening.

There is some discussion of this difficulty on the BFR revolver manufacturer's web site in the custom shop section as I recall. The long cylinder BFR has a cylinder even longer than the S&W X frame guns, over 3" as I recall.

Also the 223, like most modern necked rifle cartridges, is a rimless design. This requires the use of some form of moon clips for use with a simultaneous ejecting double action revolver. No problem for rod ejection single action guns however.

Ruger built the Hawkeye single shot for the 256 Magnum due to not being able to get it to work in a revolver.

S&W had setback problems with the 22 Jet cartridge locking up cylinders on the revolvers chambered for it.

So far as I know the most successful necked cartridge for a revolver was the 22 Harvey K Chuck, a wildcat cartridge and custom conversion done to K22s back in the 1950s. Seems to me I read that even this one required load pressures be reduced from what could be done in a rifle to control set back of cases in the cylinder.

This subject was covered not that long ago. Most people pointed out the numerous problems associated with trying to build such a revolver. S&W is not going to do it. Not at all practical.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5101039...261088962#5261088962

Why not have the end of the cylinder necked it like a chamber to prevent expanding case necks? Plus use some moon clips. Personally I think it would be neat to shoot and hunt with but not very marketable for a lot of people.