Hey everyone,

I'm replacing the barrel and cylinder on an old Victory model that was butchered 50 years ago by Cogswell & Harrison. The barrel is a new 3" for a 10-8 direct from S&W. (Note - they have these in stock right now.) The cylinder is NOS courtesy gunbroker. It is for a Model 10 and I don't know the 10-# variation number but it has LH threads and 2 locating pins and the gas ring on the cylinder (not the yoke) so I think it's recent production, e.g. 10-7 or later. Whatever it is, it is post-1961 because it has the LH threads.

So the question is -- will this safely handle +P loads? My thought is that it will, and that the strain imparted by the bullet passing from the cylinder to the forcing cone is within the limits of a Victory frame. Obviously the way to check would be to increase the pressure of the loads and watch the gap and endshake. Does anyone have any comments or input?

(Before someone goes off on the destruction of a Victory model ... this one was destroyed a long time ago by Cogswell and Harrison, not me. The 38 S&W cylinder was bored out a little longer so 38 Special rounds will drop in, but of course the bore diameter is wrong, and the chamber diameter is too large. They also lobbed off the last 1.5" of the 5" barrel and put a ridiculous looking, way-too-big ramp on it. It has zero collector value and is not even decent for shooting and I paid $105 with the intention of turning it into a project.)

"As I recall" (note the qualifier) S&W specifically did not recommend the use of +P ammo in any medium (K) frame revolver made before the 1950's due to the steel and heat treating used before then.

This is one of those "at your own risk" things.

I agree with dfariswheel.

The pre-model number M&P guns are reputed to use a mild automotive quality steel in the barrel and frame forgings and thus considered unsuitable for +P ammunition by S&W. Add to this the known shortage of quality steel during rushed WWII production, and it adds up to a "do it at your own risk" project.

The replacement cylinder and barrel may be made from better quality materials in the post-1957 era, but the frame material is still questionable.

The cylinder and barrel should be new enough production that they are +p approved, but the frame is iffy. It may stretch. Fail? Probably not but you takes your chances.