CS40 Conversion To 10MM

[tlawler]

Barrel re-marking

Has anyone had their barrels re-marked after caliber conversion? My idea for removing the old marking is to have it milled down to a flat on the barrel, then professionally laser etched in the same spot. What other options are there? On the M2, the "40 S&W" stamp is small and not deeply struck, so the milling would not be very invasive, plus the barrel is very thick so I don't think it would compromise the integrity of the chamber.

 

[BMCM]

I've looked everywhere for a set of go/no go gauges in 10mm, but there are none to be found. Pacific Tool and Machine make them and have a 6 to 8 week lead time. I don't know of any other manufacturers. Midway, Brownells and Numrich are all out of stock.

I got my tooling direct from Dave Manson of Manson Precision Reamers. They usually have all this stuff in stock. Whatever you decide you should always source your gauges from the same company who made the reamer. ie if you use a Clymer Reamer you must use Clymer gauges. Likewise for Foster, PacTool or Manson of course.

Cheers
Bill

 

[tlawler]

I got my tooling direct from Dave Manson of Manson Precision Reamers. They usually have all this stuff in stock. Whatever you decide you should always source your gauges from the same company who made the reamer. ie if you use a Clymer Reamer you must use Clymer gauges. Likewise for Foster, PacTool or Manson of course.

Cheers
Bill

Hi Bill!
Thanks for weighing in with that. My reamer is a PacTool, so I'd have to wait for their long lead time. I'm happy with the way the M2 turned out, but I'm still hoping you can help me out with the CS40, as I'm a little apprehensive about messing it up.

 

[armorer951]

remarking caliber designations

I sent my barrel to Tony South at Micro Precision Welding and had the caliber marking filled in. After I received the barrel back, I profiled the hood back to it's original shape. Seemed a better idea than removing the stamping by filing, from a structural integrity standpoint. I haven't had the hood remarked as yet.

Before and after images below.

Tony does great work, and can also restore worn working/contact surfaces on obsolete parts by building up the worn areas so they can be refit and returned to service.

 

[BMCM]

That looks great! I gonna have them do that on my "1014" along with some ding repair on the PC4506 that's out of my wheelhouse.
I'm thinking of Colorado Gun Writes for laseretching the new caliber marking.

Cheers
Bill

 

[JohnHL]

I sent my barrel to Tony South at Micro Precision Welding and had the caliber marking filled in. After I received the barrel back, I profiled the hood back to it's original shape. Seemed a better idea than removing the stamping by filing, from a structural integrity standpoint. I haven't had the hood remarked as yet.

Before and after images below.

Tony does great work, and can also restore worn working/contact surfaces on obsolete parts by building up the worn areas so they can be refit and returned to service.

I had Tony do the same for me on a couple of barrels I rechambered to 357 Sig.

Just like armorer951, I recontoured them and had a local laser engraver remark them with the correct caliber designation.

Looks very professional.

John

 

[tlawler]

I sent my barrel to Tony South at Micro Precision Welding and had the caliber marking filled in. After I received the barrel back, I profiled the hood back to it's original shape. Seemed a better idea than removing the stamping by filing, from a structural integrity standpoint. I haven't had the hood remarked as yet.

Before and after images below.

Tony does great work, and can also restore worn working/contact surfaces on obsolete parts by building up the worn areas so they can be refit and returned to service.

How did you profile it down to original shape? Did you turn it in a lathe or mill it down? I'm not sure of the terminology.

 

[armorer951]

I used a #1 double-cut Swiss pattern 6 inch pillar file, carefully following the contour of the barrel hood....followed by 600, 1200 wet/dry paper and finished with crocus cloth. Paper was cut to approx 1" wide strips and held under a similar width very fancy wooden stick.....a.k.a..... a paint stir stick.

 

[tlawler]

I used a #1 double-cut Swiss pattern 6 inch pillar file, carefully following the contour of the barrel hood....followed by 600, 1200 wet/dry paper and finished with crocus cloth. Paper was cut to approx 1" wide strips and held under a similar width very fancy wooden stick.....a.k.a. a paint stir stick.

Very nice work. Looks like it was machined.

 

[tlawler]

Slightly off topic, but with all of the discussion about the aluminum frames of the 4013/4014/4053/4054/CS40 being battered by converting them to 10mm, I was wondering if any of the 3rd gen .40 cal. pistols of the proper configuration(single stack, built on .45 frame, mag with spacer that can be removed, etc.)were built all steel or all stainless?

 

[JohnHL]

Slightly off topic, but with all of the discussion about the aluminum frames of the 4013/4014/4053/4054/CS40 being battered by converting them to 10mm, I was wondering if any of the 3rd gen .40 cal. pistols of the proper configuration(single stack, built on .45 frame, mag with spacer that can be removed, etc.)were built all steel or all stainless?

Unfortunately, no.

CS40, 4013, and 4014 are the only 40s built on the 45 frame.

However, 4013/4 slides will fit on a 4516 frame and my 4516 magazines have fed and functioned with 10mm ammo so....

John

 

[Taj]

This conversion has peaked my interest. How about converting a 4006tsw to shoot 10mm?

IF anyone is interested in trying that conversion, I happen to have about a 100 brand new factory 4006 TSW barrels, I will let go of at a great price. They are from an old LE inventory I bought back a few years ago.

 

[JohnHL]

IF anyone is interested in trying that conversion, I happen to have about a 100 brand new factory 4006 TSW barrels, I will let go of at a great price. They are from an old LE inventory I bought back a few years ago.

The 4006/4006TSW action is not long enough to accommodate the 10mm cartridge.

It would be a cool conversion if it was.

John

 

[BLUEDOT37]

...I was wondering if any of the 3rd gen .40 cal. pistols of the proper configuration(single stack, built on .45 frame, mag with spacer that can be removed, etc.)were built all steel or all stainless?

The ONLY S&W compact 40 3rd Gen (3.5" bbl.) that was all stainless steel was the 4056TSW pre-rail (~1100 made), but sadly it's on the medium frame.

.

4013TSW & 4056TSW (pre-rail)

(-01)

.

 

[tlawler]

However, 4013/4 slides will fit on a 4516 frame and my 4516 magazines have fed and functioned with 10mm ammo so..

Just out of curiosity, would a CS40 slide fit a 4516 frame?

 

[BLUEDOT37]

If it would I suspect the slide would not extend beyond the 4516 frame's dust shield. The 4516 dust shield is .216" longer than the 4013's.

When I installed my 4013(R3) slide on my 4516-1's frame the slide extended past the end of the dust shield only slightly. The 1/2" shorter CS40 slide would probably not.

.

.

 

[JohnHL]

Just out of curiosity, would a CS40 slide fit a 4516 frame?

Yes.
The CS40/45 slides will fit and function on the 4516 frame.

As BLUEDOT37 pointed out, the slide will be about 1/4" shorter than the dustcover, looking a little strange.

John

How does BLUEDOT37 post such wonderful pictures?

 

[tlawler]

Wanted to post an update and keep the thread alive. I posted this in a thread started by member TNZ71, who just bought a CS40 but doesn't plan on converting it to 10mm.

I just picked up some CS45 mags so I won't have to gut my 40 mags. They're going for a lot cheaper too! Less than $30 as opposed to $75plus. Still kind of on the fence about it, though. I ordered a 22# spring and I'm looking into which buffer I need. I'm hoping the 3rd gen S&W buffer made by Buffer Technologies will be the right one. Right now, I'm still playing with my Mauser M2 10mm conversion. I figured out the .40 mag followers were binding and I couldn't get more than 8 rounds to feed properly, so I swapped in a follower from one of my EAA Witness 10mm mags and it took care of the problem...hand feeding anyway; I still need to get to the range and try it out live fire. I also learned it fits nicely in my Sig P239 Milt Sparks VM, so I might give it a try in the CCW rotation once I'm sure of proper function. It will probably end up being my truck gun once I convert a couple more mags and order more followers from EAA.

 

[armorer951]

I believe Buffer Tech discontinued the recoil buffers designed for these pistols. You may be able to make one using another design if they are needed. IMO, the biggest problem with the bushings is they can degrade and have an impact on reliability. (no pun intended)

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I just picked up some CS45 mags so I won't have to gut my 40 mags.
They're going for a lot cheaper too!
Still kind of on the fence about it, though.

Are you saying you want to use the CS45 mags in the CS40 for 10mm use?

The 45 mags are ~.040" thicker than the 40S&Ws aren't they?

I tried making 4013 mags work in a 4516 & they were too loose so I wouldn't think the 45 mag would even fit in the 40?

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