Anyone know whether you can swap cylinders in one of the titanium cylinder guns, 340PD, 386SC, 329, etc, with a stainless or carbon steel one? Any conflict with other parts, hand, bolt, etc.?

Thanks!

You can do that, but most of the time the cylinder needs to be fitted to the gun. Unless you have the tools let someone do it for you.

Thanks.

I was planning on having someone better than me do it, I just didn't know if there was any issues in doing it.

Sent my 340pd back to the factory and had it replaced with a bright stainless cylinder. The titanium cyl was shot and was eroding badly. They claimed it was not under warranty and offered to replace with a stainless cyl for $115. It did however take about 3+ months to come back. They also kindly restored my internal lock for free in the process.

Which are you wanting switch out? I have been looking for a 7 shot .357 titanium L-frame cylinder for my 586 L-Comp, do you have one you're interested in getting rid of?

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

A few people here have put a steel 696 cylinder in a 296. It may work on a drop-in basis, or it may require fitting. I found that the new ratchet was going to require some fitting, but the old ratchet fit perfectly in the new cylinder and there were no alignment issues. Since the old ratchet and hand worked together, I didn't have to fit a new hand either (but I had bought one just in case).



I put a tritium Big Dot front sight on it as well.

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David Wilson

I recently acquired a 325PD which I thought was a bit too light weight. I also regularly compete shooting 625s in IPSC/USPSA. It has been observed that stainless 625 cylinders suffer from peening of the cylinder notches after hard use. So, My gunsmith and I put the titanium cylinder into the 625 and vice versa. Be sure and keep the cylinder rod/ratchet assembly with its original cylinder. Works like a charm!

Note: Both guns are modern vintage with similar parts. I couldn't have swithched a 625-3 cylinder into the 325.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

Thanks for all the replies, and it's good to see it's possible. I've got scads of S&W parts in my collection, but they're all going to be from earlier guns. I take it they won't work for replacing a titanium cylinder, I'd need a contemporary one? Is there something I need to look for to know whether a particular cylinder will fit or not? I know the older guns pretty well, but the newer guns are still a mystery to me.

I recently got a 396 Night Guard, and one of the things I really like is the stainless cylinder instead of the titanium one on the 396 Mountain Lite. It adds just enough weight to it to make it a better shooter. Now if I could just get a 3 or 4" barrel for it, it might be the perfect woods gun. It's too bad the barrel swap isn't as easy to do with the new guns, I've got barrels from older guns.

@WC145, if I switch the 386 cylinder, I'll probably keep the titanium one so I can swap it back should I want to in the future, but I'll let you know if I change my mind.