Strange tooling marks on 66-1 6 inch barrel

[FatAndy]

I recently a purchased a 66-1 with 6 inch barrel on GunBroker. It is in very good condition, with near flawless target grips. The only obvious problem is that there are strange flaws, that I believe to be tooling marks, on the frame where it meets the barrel. Because they seem to extend under the barrel, I suspect they are the product of a manufacturing mistake, or that it was rebarreled. The marks do not extend onto the barrel itself. There is an especially annoying divot that I tried to capture in the second picture. I would appreciate any input the forum has to offer.

Thanks in advance!

[Fox Creek]

Golly, gee, whiz...it looks like someone put the angle grinder to the gun.Not good and not factory. Maybe bad gunsmithing barrel replacement?

[dfariswheel]

I'd vote for a Bubba job barrel replacement.
The burrs of metal between the frame and barrel and the poor fit of the barrel to the frame indicates a re-barrel job.
The chewed up frame was probably done with whatever expedient tools they used to grip the barrel or frame.

Unless the frame has other damage it could be restored by S&W to factory condition.

[Flint Ridge]

I'd agree. Be curious as to how the forcing cone looks and what the cylinder gap is as well as if it is true/square/flat.

[keith44spl]

Bangor Puma Years....?

[GF]

Originally Posted by keith44spl

Bangor Puma Years....?

Beat me to it.

GF

[dant]

I would 'hope' it is the sign of a bubba rebarrel job, BUT it could be a Monday morning job, a Friday afternoon job, OR they hired a "new guy" and left him alone and this was his FIRST and ONLY job........

[FatAndy]

The barrel to frame fit is fine. I cannot get a fingernail between the barrel shroud and frame.

The barrel-cylinder gap is .006. The forcing cone is fine - identical to my other K-Frames with less wear.

The wear on the barrel and the rest of the revolver are identical. Additionally, the side plate screws look like they haven't been touched since this revolver left the factory. I'd be surprised if a Bubba would attempt a barrel replacement but not remove with the sideplate, but who knows.

I also found this thread, which shows a revolver with a similar problem:
Burr between barrel and frame

I'm beginning to think that this gun simply slipped QC. It's a 66-1, so definitely made during the Bangor Punta period.

FWIW, I have a very powerful camera that magnifies considerably, so the first image makes the flaw look far worse than what it is. The flaw barely registers when looking at the gun normally.

[bgrafsr]

You do not have to remove the sideplate from the frame before removing the barrel, but you do have to remove the front sideplate screw and cylinder before doing so. It looks like metal shavings on the rear of the barrel shoulder, that were not removed before the barrel was installed. The frame could be cleaned up a bit so its appearance looked better.

[TAROMAN]

Ah, that looks familiar!
My 6" 66-1 has the same "feature", though not as pronounced as yours:

Notice the gaposis on the yoke, too.
Despite this, its a great shooter, and besides this "feature' doesn't look too bad, either:

Having tried to machine stainless, I put it down to early difficulties working with this material.

[FatAndy]

Originally Posted by TAROMAN

Ah, that looks familiar!
My 6" 66-1 has the same "feature", though not as pronounced as yours:

Its a great shooter, and besides this "feature' doesn't look too bad, either:

Having tried to machine stainless, I put it down to early difficulties working with this material.

That makes me feel better. Mine dates to 1980 as well. Wonder if they were made on the same day. Serial number is 70K5XXX.

[TAROMAN]

Its 67K3XXX. Close, maybe Friday guns made during hunting season?

[dant]

Looks like the "new guy" built at least TWO before he got it "right"or was fired...............yessir machining stainless is a "b!t@#"........

[bgrafsr]

Taroman:

Is your yoke aligned correctly? With a gap like that, I would say it needs to be aligned to bring it to the frame when it closes.

[TAROMAN]

Originally Posted by bgrafsr

Taroman:

Is your yoke aligned correctly? With a gap like that, I would say it needs to be aligned to bring it to the frame when it closes.

Surprisingly, it is.
Checks out fine with both my Range Rod and Brownell's Yoke alignment tool.
I got the gun pretty cheap, figuring to send it in to S&W if it was a problem, which it apparently is not. Just sloppy parts fitment.
One other thing, is that this revolver has a really slick action.
First time opening it revealed a jeweled action, first one I'd ever seen:

[old bear]

The damage to the frame looks like "chatter" marks from an end mill. Any tool makers out there want to offer a second option?

[lebomm]

Since someone has asked for a toolmaker, I can confirm that the marks on the frame's forward edge are chatter marks, likely caused in the learning process of working stainless. That was S&W's biggest bugaboo to overcome when deciding to offer stainless revolvers. It's a cosmetic issue. Of greater concern to me is the galling between barrel shoulder and frame. It bespeaks excessive pressure to seat the barrel to the frame, and is a warning of the potential for failure of the barrel shank or threads.

JMHO
Larry

[Frank46]

Not to disparage the OP's revolver but looks like some metal chips lodged between the barrel and frame?. Or could be some burrs on the threads?. No offense meant. Frank

[-db-]

Stainless is tougher to machine than typical carbon steels but it's not as if it, or the machining thereof, was new technology requiring "learning" as late as the 1980s, and therefore that which we see in the photos should somehow be excused (if the factory is responsible in these cases and not "Bubba", previous owner of the pieces). After all, S&W has been making stainless revolvers since the '60s and would have had such "learning process" mistakes ironed out long before 66-1s showed up on the scene.

[saemetric]

Originally Posted by TAROMAN

Surprisingly, it is.
Checks out fine with both my Range Rod and Brownell's Yoke alignment tool.
I got the gun pretty cheap, figuring to send it in to S&W if it was a problem, which it apparently is not. Just sloppy parts fitment.
One other thing, is that this revolver has a really slick action.
First time opening it revealed a jeweled action, first one I'd ever seen:

Now I see it,way at the top in the shadow of original pic. Thanks

[TAROMAN]

Originally Posted by saemetric

If thats a 66-1, where is the firing pin?

Last time I checked, it was right where it belongs: