My stepfather has just passed and left me a model 15 with a python 357 barrel. I'm told it was done by Bill Davis, in the late '70's. My problem is when I put a .357 mag load in the cylinder the end of the round petrudes from the back end about a 1/16th of an inch. I thought a .357 load in a .38 cylinder should petrude through the front. I know a lot of .38 rounds have been fired from this pistol, and there is a carbon line on the inside of the cylinder about an 1/8th of an inch from the front of the cylinder. Could this be the reson why .357 loads wont fit in this pistol?

Thanks in advance- Steve.

A model 15 is a .38 Special. One can not chamber a longer .357 Magnum in a shorter .38 Special chamber. Your chamber is doing it's job, to help prevent the destruction of your Model 15. Disregard the caliber designation on a barrel not built for your revolver.

Hard to say it any better than surfgun just did, but I would have used UPPERCASE and a lot of EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!

Surfgun; As the model 15 is a K frame and this has a 357 barrel can I put a .357 cylinder on this pistol and SAFELY shoot in . I would like to use it as a side arm while hunting

Definitely NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Model 15 is a 38 special revolver....the barrel is marked 357 of course, as it is from a revolver that was originally chambered for both 38 and 357. The barrel doesn't matter, the frame and cylinder of the revolver matter....
Shoot 38's in it to your hearts content. It won't fire 357 rounds, which as you noted are too long for the cylinders. Enjoy it as it with the 38's....

Thanks for the info. A .38 it is.

Please!

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N.R.A. BENEFACTOR Member

I'm a new member just joined tonight. I will post a pic. as soon as I figure out how!

Go to Photobucket and sign up for a free account. Follow their directions for uploading pics, then post 'em here.



Happiness ensues!


Oh, and welcome...

Welcome aboard and please post pics as we have had a few people saking for pics of a SMOLT.

Your 38 K frame looks the same as the Magnum frame but K Magnum frames were heat treated at the factory to add additional strength because of the excessive pressures generated by Magnum loads.

Hope these help.

Very nice. You can find heavier loaded .38 Specials that approach .357 performance that are safe to use in your Smolt; Buffalo Bore is commonly recommended. Enjoy!

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Just curious, why would one have that done?

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Marty 4513TSW 13-1 642 60-10

Now that is a Pinto I have never seen before. I bet its fun shooting 38s out of it, though.

The original reason(s) for making a "Smolt" is the "wow" factor in owning something unusual or unique.

Shooters may tell you that the Colt barrel has a more accurate twist or that it gives better balance and handling. But let's face it: why else would someone go to the expense and trouble of making a non-factory hybrid gun?

I'm told that Bill Davis made more than than a few of these.The colt barrel has a 4 1/4" twist nd the S&W barrel is 4 1/8 twist so they joined the best of both pistols. I'm told bulls eye shooters in the late 70's early 80's had them custom made. AS FOR WHY?iIt's a sweet shooting nice looking, different handgun that not everyone else has. Soooo. WHY NOT!

The SMOLT predated the M686. People wanted a S&W frame and action with a full lug barrel to control recoil.

The advent of the 686 did away with the need for a custom proposition.

S&W has not had a big problem copying other manufacturer's ideas when they appear to have been successful. Examples such as the 1911, the ASP conversion, the Python's barrel and the Taurus Judge are legion.

Then again, lots of people have copied S&W too.

I like that answer! I'd like to have one because they are unususual, different. But I do wonder why the top of the bbl, the rib -- that useless but oh so sexy vented Python rib -- was not smoothed down to be flush with the top of the frame...

Neat gun. I'd also research Bill Davis, were I you. Piece of shooters' Americana you have there!

Welcome to the forum. You have inherited a very unique revolver. They were quite the item in their day and definitely a custom built proposition. Please play it safe and enjoy it as a top notch 38 Special target revolver.

A freinds dad used to have a Coltson revolver. A 1917 Colt frame to which a section of Thompson SMG barrel fitted to it.

My Davis built Smolt is on an N frame and the rib on the barrel fits perfectly with the top of the frame.

You call them Smolts, I call them Smythons. Both my 3" and 6" python barrels are on S&W model 19-5s. Whoever did the conversions on my guns slicked up the actions to the point that they are better than my stock Pythons and almost as good as my Colt Custom Shop Python. I also have a Couger (Python barrel on a Ruger Security Six). The Couger does not have as smooth of an action as the Smythons (Smolts), however, the grip and frame size of the Security Six fits my hand the better than the Smiths or the Colts.

Mark

Aren't those Bill Davis grips on that Smolt?

I also call them Smythons. I used the term Smolt because that's how the thread was titled. I've got a color brochure from Davis and he calls them Smolts, but that sounds like a small fish to me.

Whatever you call them they are beautiful guns! I especially like the Pinto look of the OP....nice!

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Tom
"Panem et Circenses"

Slight threadjack, but since this is a Davis hybrid thread...

Here are three that Davis built for my father. There were good friends, and shot PPC together.



Top is a Model 13 mated to a 581 barrel. Why? No idea...it was a birthday gift to my Dad. Bill probably built it out of parts he had laying around.

Middle is his "Cougar." Ruger Security-Six frame mated to a Python barrel.

Bottom is his "Rattler." Ruger Speed-Six frame with a Colt King Cobra barrel.

All three have unbelievable trigger jobs on them.

I've seen it explained that the rib is there for stiffness & the vents are for weight reduction.

I have no idea whatsoever if that is true or not.

The vented bbl is a takeoff on the King aftermarket vented rib for target shooting. So the original idea with vented bbls as add ons was to add weight to the bbl for target shooting. You could do the same thing by just making a bull or heavy bbl, and mostly that was what was done for production guns, but it looks nowhere near as cool.

See page 402 of Wilson's The Book of Colt Firearms for a prototype.

The most entertaining explanation I have read of the Python vented bbl is that it was for heat dissipation.

Huh?

WADR...

Colt 1-14"

S&W 1-18.75"

I know it's an old thread, but thought I may find an answer to my question.

I've always wanted to build a smolt, but didn't like the step from the bbl to the top strap of a K frame. Would using an L frame be a better match??

Probably...but the 580/680 series guns put the Colt underlug on the barrel right from the factory . Perhaps mill out the vents in the rib and call it good!

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

My friend had a SMOLT.

His was a S&W M15 with a COLT Diamondback .38 Special marked barrel. That way there would be no confusion as to caliber that it took. He built his for the "cool factor" and the COLT's barrel added weight, over that of the regular S&W barrel weight. Dreams of target shooting and PPC I guess.

Those customized aftermarket fat barrel revolvers for PPC were just starting back then.

Aloha, Mark

Dr. Lou, just replace the rear sight with one from a 2 1/2 in. Model 19. The sight body is longer, and goes all the way to the end of the frame. (on a K frame) It will butt right up to the rib of the Python barrel. No gap. ;-)

Since Bill Davis was mentioned.

This is my Bill Davis (made for PPC). Made after the S&W L frame came out and the S&W M10s were on the way out. More weight = Better. Rrrright.

S&W 581





Aloha, Mark

That’s correct, thanks for the reminder

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213th FBINA