Anyone know what stainless alloy model 66 frames were made from?

[Apec]

A friend wants to do a reweld project on a demilled frame. Does anyone know what kind of stainless alloy these were made from?

I believe he's attempting this on a 66 no dash or 66-1 parts kit.

If not, does anyone know if the frames are magnetic?

Thanks.

[Dieseltech56]

I always suspected 416. Good machineability but poor weldability. I thought about one of these projects myself but I can’t spend the money on something that likely won’t work

[wood714]

Every S&W stainless revolver I have is magnetic. No clue what type stainless they are thou.

[flagman1776]

Places that deal with scrap & salvaged material often have a machine which can tell what a sample is made of. I know that a piece of scrap propeller shafting that I turned into a small cannon barrel was made of some bronze alloy that gave my welder fits and he did have it scanned.

[steelslaver]

Most Stainless frames are a martensitic stainless and will attract a magnet. I also suspect 416

This is from the AWS (American welding society) web site

Type 416 Martensitic stainless steel is a free-machining grade that is weldable providing the process, or filler metal, does not supply hydrogen that can react with the sulfur or selenium in the base metal to produce porosity. Due to the amount of sulfur that enters the weld due to dilution, the filler metal selection should provide weld metal that can tolerate these elements without hot cracking. An E312 series stainless steel is one of the better choices. A nickel-alloy filler metal cannot be used due to the formation of low melting nickel eutectics, which cause hot cracking. Personally, I would recommend the 312 series over the 420 or the 309.

I am a serious metal guy, a pipe fitter fair stick welder, I have a brother that is a certified welding inspector, have friends that are great welders and I think welding a steel (but never aluminum) frame back together successfully could be done. Be very difficult to keep it perfectly aligned due to weld distortion and weld shrink. Plus, then you would need to remachine the interior surfaces and clean up the outside ones.Be a labor of love because even at $15 an hour your going to have way more time in it than its worth. Frames are not that hard to come by.

[41 Roadmaster]

Steelslaver gives great advise. If you want to proceed send or post a picture. You will need to find a person with a high frequency heliarc machine. If you can find a welder with that type machine I'll get you a weld procedure.

[Apec]

Good advice, I will relay that to him. I personally don't know too much about his equipment, other than the fact he's a homebuilder who does AKs and HK roller lock weapons.

[Dieseltech56]

I have a dynasty 200dx but only 308,309 and 316 filler rod. If you guys think there’s a process for using 312 I’m all ears.

I can’t see any way to get the barrel threaded portion of the frame back in line with the rest of the frame. Even if you held the 2 pieces tightly in place before welding you would still have some distortion. This would mean the frame would need to be tweaked aka bent back into shape afterwards. If these welds are brittle or have changed the properties of the base metal too much this can’t happen.

[steelslaver]

I have been thinking about this and even called my brother the CWI and ran it by him.

We agree, you would need to preheat the pieces to about 500f then tig it using the 312 filler and then after it slow cooled do a post weld heat treat treat to stress relieve it. You really wouldn't know how much distortion you had until after the stress relief. I have done hardness tests on some frames, including stainless ones and the are all pretty soft. In the range of mild steel in fact, but, hardness doesn't tell the whole story. Something like this, grain structure is very important.

Is it possible? Yes. but, let me add this. Right now a used model 66 can be had for less than $700. Complete and functioning. Even if I jigged up a demilled frame and had a friend who is an excellent welder with great equipment weld it back together, I would spend hours first running it though my PID controlled heat treat oven, then machining (I have a mill) and fitting to get it running. Then I would have gun that was only worth the value of its parts. A K frame is running near the edge for full blown magnums in the first place. . Even though I think welding is the greatest thing since sliced cheese, I wouldn't really think a welded K frame 357 mag was a good idea. Just not worth it. I am sure I could even con some of the Xray boys into doing a shot on it.

Don't need a cheap welded model 66 any where near enough to do it and I have access to everything I would need.

[Donald Paul]

If you would like to have a nice non-firing 'wall-hanger', have at it.
Otherwise, you're putting life and limb in harms way.
Don't we already have enough to worry about?
Just be safe.
- D.P.