I picked up this poor circa - 1960 Model 12 Airweight at a local gun show today. It was being sold as a parts gun due to a cracked frame, but the price was cheap enough that I am happy with it as a paperweight or for parts if it comes to that. It has heavy holster wear, but it locks up tight and has spot-on timing, so it doesn't appear to have been shot much, but the crack is pretty significant.

I have a Model 36 that I occasionally shoot, but this is the first K frame snubnose I've had, and I really like the grip size, weight and balance compared to the J frame. I might have to get another one to shoot!

I'm not sure what I will do with this one. After researching the cracked frame issue, I may consider loading up some light target loads and putting a couple of cylinders through it. If it survives, I might keep it as a truck gun. Or I might just keep fondling it as-is.

I have wondered if anyone has tried heliarc or TIG welding the frame a man that I trade with locally got sold one at a gun show. That is the route I would try even before shooting it if you can find someone willing to do it.

The type of aluminum used in gun frames have very poor weldability.

I spent a few hours researching the topic this afternoon and I think I'm pretty clear on the options for this gun. I don't consider welding one of them at this point.

The 6000 series is the highest on the chart that I have personally welded. Do you know where the alloy in the S&W frames falls? We have 4000-6000 in the fire service (structural and non) that is welded with TIG and Pulsed MIG almost everyday. It may be just a matter of weld process to get it done. I would almost guess that the barrel could be left in place as a backing to prevent burn-through.

Has anyone done this on AL frames? I have seen the SS and mild steel many times...

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On the Oak Savannah

Not worth the effort to attempt welding, as even if successful, you cannot trust it. As-is, it would probably hold together indefinitely with very light handloads, and even if something failed, it wouldn't be catastrophic to the shooter - the barrel would just blow off, and generally go somewhere downrange. You would probably have some warning beforehand if you examined it every cylinder full while shooting. Or you could shoot primer-only wax bullets. I know the frame cracking at the barrel is supposedly common with the Mod 12, and I have seen a few cracked frames in the same place as this one. That's why I will never buy one, even if it looks OK. But on the other hand, I don't remember hearing of one actually coming apart during firing. Has anyone?

You raise a good point about whether it will actually come apart. There are dozens of threads about Airweights with cracked frames, and none of them mentions a blown up gun. I'm certainly NOT suggesting it's a good idea to shoot one with a cracked frame, but it seems like there would be more evidence of catastrophic failures, as it seems to be a pretty common situation and I'm sure many people have fired them without even knowing the frame was cracked.

Update: So maybe it's not a paperweight after all. I put 18 rounds through it today with no signs of imminent failure. Grouped consistently and appears no worse for wear than when I started. Not bad for 150 bucks.

I vote for a paperweight. It would suck trying to type with 7 fingers and 2 thumbs. Life is too short.

Rarely does a catastrophic failure event with a revolver result in injury to the shooter, other than possibly causing messy pants. It could happen, but in this case, I don't believe that the explosion af a cylinder, or anything of that nature, is very probable.

If your going to shoot it "as is", would it hurt to JB Weld the crack with the barrel in place? Could make it a little stronger.

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Get off my lawn!

I have no experience with Al-framed centerfire revolvers, but over 50 years as a shooter and 35 years as a machinist and toolmaker. My choice would be definitely NOT to shoot that revolver.. IMHO, cannibalized parts would be the best use for it.

Larry

If it were mine I would JB weld it or use some kind of high strength
Loctite and shoot it with light lead bullet plinking loads. As noted
above if the barrel is going to depart it should be apparent before it
actually goes.

I would shoot it until the barrel fell off.
My guess it that it wont fall off in your lifetime.
Applying an adhesive to the outside of a crack will do exactly nothing.
I'm totally amazed that a gun show dealer sold it with full disclosure.
He was not your stereotypical gun show vendor, that's for sure.

If it were mine, I'd consider using it as an indoor winter gun, where one loads the lightweight plastic slugs which get fired using only a primer. I forget what they are called exactly, but I think the velocity is only something like 200-300 fps, designed for a short range, in your own basement indoor shooting.

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Geoff. Since 1960.

I have one of the Model 38 Airweight Bodyguards with the same crack...still shooting it with standard velocity reloads...

Bob

Good idea. Will make a great training gun and a way to introduce new shooters. Speer still has the plastic bullets and cases. The velocity is about 500 fps so be careful.

I suspect the crack might come from different expansion rates of the metals. The aluminum might expand slower than the steel of the barrel. The steel barrel would probably get hotter faster than the frame.

Thanks for all the suggestions and concern. Even if I never shoot it again, I definitely won't be parting it out. Now I know this will really start a debate, but I will probably keep it as a hideaway or "truck" gun, as I am willing to take the odds that it will not blow up the next time I need to fire it, if ever. I have another K frame snub nose to practice with.

So long as lighter loads such as the 148 grain wadcutter target loads are used, I don't believe there is any significant risk of gun failure.

I purchased a pre 12 at a gun show. Hairline crack I didn't notice. Never fired the gun. Tried to get a refund from the dealer a few weeks after the purchase and the crack was noticed. Tuff luck. Never again will I even look at a pre 12 or a model marked 12.

That a bad deal for sure. In my case, the condition was fully disclosed, I knew exactly what I was buying, and it was priced accordingly. I consider it a bonus that I was actually able to shoot it.

That's exactly the reason I have always avoided Model 12s. You have no idea if the frame will crack on the next shot, or if it will shoot forever with no problems. So why take the risk? I suspect that M12 frame cracking is more prevalent among those who use heavy handloads or +P loads, but have no way to know if that's correct.

What I would do is watch the various auction sites for a bare steel frame that I could pick up cheap. Then rebuild the gun on that frame. Then you can have a relable shooter at a reasonable price. Especially if you do the work yourself.
Consider it a learning project.

If that M12 was mine, I would box it up and send it to the factory. They have been known to offer a brand new revolver in trade for one that is damaged like that one is.

Green wicking Loctite would work it's way into and around the crack
and barrel and frame threads and provide an increased margin of
safety.

Paperweight? No way. One of my favorite .32-20s has a crack. I still shoot it.
ttp://s1287.photobucket.com/user/Mike_McLellan/media/K7A24852E13E33_1000079_zps1c794657.jpg.html][/URL]

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Why, I aughta.....

The parts are somewhat different but it might work.

Most aluminum gun frames are 7000 series aluminum. It is a heatreatable grade of aluminum and not weldable for structual purposes . even if you did manage to weld it it would produce an extremely weak weld. I also asked my brother who is a nationally certified welding inspector.. He concurred

I'm going to throw this out for consideration.
I have favorite guns I will NOT carry. I won't carry them because if I'm forced to use them they will go into the evidence locker till the case is cleared. I've seen guns in the evidence locker & wouldn't want mine treated that way. Hence I don't carry a favorite. This gun might be a prefect carry gun for that reason???????

It is cracked & that would bother me a bit, but maybe limited use of say wadcutters would be ok. As a carry gun that if it got taken for evidence it might shine.

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US RIDE FOR THE BRAND OR LEAVE

Paperweight........ the risk reward analysis is pretty low on that one!!!

bigwagon that type of failure is not uncommon and seems to be more frequent on Airweights. Personally I would retire the gun to paperweight / dry fire practice duty. It could hold together for a thousand rounds or maybe only one round, I wouldn't want to find out the hard way.

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"Shall not be infringed"

If it was a fissure in the cylinder from one of the chambers, I'd replace the cylinder. Or use the gun as a paperweight, as I'd never trust it. The risk of explosion would be too great.

But it looks like the crack has run it's course in the frame...it can't spread anywhere else, from what I can see. And the OP has said he's shot the gun without any issues. If the gun is paperweight status to some, then they wouldn't be offended if the OP forced some JB weld into the crack and the frame was clamped as tight as could be. I would shoot it occasionally with a couple of caveats:
1) I would only use standard loads or lighter
2) I would like for signs of worsening condition after each shooting session

Best wishes.

Remove the firing pin & don't fire it again. Safety first.

Just a heads up, JB weld is not an option as the yoke fits snug against the frame there and would result in not being able to close the cylinder,

Also the Model 12 is kinda unique as it has a slightly longer cylinder than the Model 10 (IIRC was to help prevent bullet jump from recoil) this means the forcing cone protrusion into the frame is shorter to mate with the longer cylinder (very similar to the Model 19-5 cylinder dimensions)

Lastly IIRC the Model 12 hammer and trigger are narrower than the Model 10's so parts from a Model 12 are for a Model 12.

If your damaged Model 12 was sent back to S&W for a safety inspection I doubt they would return it as that would be a liability,

Although there is no lifetime warranty on the Model 12 S&W might offer you a discount on a new revolver if they wont return your broken one .

If your going to send it in I would remove the grips as they are getting harder to come by.

Makes me recall the old JB Weld ads in the pre-internet days. Seems there was a 'testimonial' where the proper use of JB Weld was used to fix some enormous, powerful machine, saving some company millions of bucks.

Anyway, that M12 would make the basis for a great shadowbox display.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

Do you really want to bet your life or your loved one's life on a knowingly defective pistol because it was cheap and "looked good enough"? I like the suggestion to make it a basement fun gun with the rubber pellets propelled by primers. I do that myself during the winter. I HATE the idea of actually placing that gun in a life threatening situation. Right now the handgun is either a good wall hanger, or a "Cap Pistol" or it is a donor pistol for parts. Part it out and ebay the parts and you will get your money back. Please don't put that pistol in use where the 'for sure' failure could come at exactly the wrong time. .......... JMHO........

And the 19th round... ?

bigwagon

Sounds like it held up for your shooting.
I really do have mixed emotions about this.
I'm not sure I'd shoot it, I know I posted carry it & if you need to use it you give a basically broken gun to LE for their investigation????
Still there is a part of me that says don't chance it. If it gives out when you desperatly need a gun you are really bad off.
I think I'd just look at it & play with it......
Orrr you could get some of those Speer Plastic bullets that are primer powered & practice with it using those? They are fun & really punch a hole in a cardboard box.
But to use it with loaded ammo, reconsidering I wouldn't.
Good luck.

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