I have a 2nd model hand ejector in .455 Webley that I bought with a .030" cylinder gap. It appears someone filed the barrel for some unknown reason.
I can get a new "Smith & Wesson Model 1950 barrel with front sight in 45 ACP. 5 1/2 inch" NOS in the kraft paper wrap cheap. Will this fit the threads and frame size/width of the 2nd model? I know that I will probably have to trim the barrel on a lathe to fit the cylinder gap and possibly re-cut the forcing cone. Also trim a little metal below the barrel to accommodate the larger ejector rod button. Most of my gunsmithing experience is on rifles but I have done some jobs like re-barrel my M1A copy with a short chambered heavy barrel. I intend to make the clamping blocks for the pistol frame and the barrel to turn off the old and install the new.

270 totheend

Have you considered doing a barrel set- back with the original barrel?
You'll have to remove it, chuck in a lathe and turn off .030" from the shoulder. Of course, you'll need to touch up the forcing cone, bevel the outside edge as per the original, and do something about the ejector rod and/or the lock under the barrel.
At least you can keep the original barrel and avoid refinish work.

PS: This is the sort of job routinely performed on model 29s, 19s, etc that have seen excessive forcing cone erosion.

Best Wishes,
Jim

Welcome to the Forum.

I would also set back the original barrel. The 1950 barrel threads will fit the older frame, if necessary.

PM sent.

__________________
John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Welcome to the forum.

I agree, keep your barrel:

1. One complete turn of the barrel is .0278" which is perfect to close the gap and you can still remove a couple of thousandths to square the end of the barrel where it was filed.

2. You don't have to worry about the forcing cone because forcing cones on HE barrels did not exist until the engineering order of August 14, 1922.

3. Yes, the barrel threads are the same, but the 1950 barrel has the wrong bore size if your gun is still chambered for the 455.

Although Pre war Smith barrels for 45 Colt chamberings were so few and had the same bores as their .455 cartridge chamberings as follows: groove diameter--.457' to .458"; bore diameter--.447" to .448" inch; this does not pertain to the 1917 45 ACP barrels or post war and current Smith .45 Cal barrels which have: groove--.451", bore--.445".

4. Shortening the extractor rod and center pin are simple and here's the way it's done:
take the same .0278" off the front end of the ctr pin, off the shoulder just forward of the threads on the extractor rod that screw into the extractor star, and off the rear tip of the extractor rod.

That's what I'd do and you'd still have a barrel with matching serial # to the gun.

__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819

Thanks Hondo44, the idea of keeping the original barrel is very appealing and keeping it in .455 was always my intention.

Thanks
270 totheend

"It appears someone filed the barrel for some unknown reason. "

What does that mean? I'd also think setting the original barrel back is the way to go. If you are not familiar with the procedure, and do not have the necessary equipment for barrel removal and installation, you might be better off paying someone who knows how to do it. It involves more to do it than it seems.

"It appears someone filed the barrel for some unknown reason. "
"What does that mean?"

It means just what it says! A previous owner of this old war horse decided for some forgotten reason to file the rear face of the barrel ahead of the cylinder. Rough file marks and a 0.030" cylinder gap result.
As to setting the barrel back I am not about to put a bar through the frame, locking onto the barrel with vise-grips and goin' at er. I know I have to remove the barrel pin, build proper blocks for clamping the front of the frame and for turning the barrel. Machining (read lathe) the contact face of the barrel for proper indexing, and clean up the rear face of the barrel, shorten the ejector rod and center pin and reassemble.
I have shot this pistol with the large cylinder gap without ill affect but still want to set the barrel back. I thought that I would notice more "blast" due to the gap but didn't. I hand turned some .45 Long Colt brass rims down to .040" thickness and trimmed them for length. Using some unsized .454" 255 gr RN (old 454485 Lyman mould for my .45 LC) and Unique, it shoots only fair groups probably due to the small bullet/large gap/needs more reload experimenting. The barrel is in great shape but I haven't slugged the bore yet and I will probably have to find a larger dia mould. I will also be making a simple die for reducing the case rims by squeezing them in a hydraulic press.

270 totheend

I'd be leery of swaging the case rims in a press. Even given sufficient pressure, you'll have a difficult time controlling how the metal flows, and you could just as likely reduce the primer pockets' diameter as well as the rim thickness. Proper .455 brass with Boxer pockets is available from a couple of sources.

Larry