Ventilated Ribbed Barrels on S&W Revolvers

RKmesa

RKmesa

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As we all know, ventilated ribbed barrels are something seen on Colts and shotguns, but rarely on S&Ws. One of the primary exceptions to this are the King-modified Super Target guns. To a base S&W revolver, King added a ventilated barrel rib with built in reflector sight and most S&Ws so modified were also given a King cockeyed hammer and some tuning to make the trigger smooth and light. Here is one example of a pre-war 38-44 Outdoorsman that was given the King Super Target treatment, with the cockeyed hammer and in these photos it is stocked with Roper thumbrest target stocks.





In the 1970's shooters were still looking for that magic touch. King was long gone, but other creative smiths were at work modifying S&Ws to give them an advantage in competition. At this time, they were still tuning the action of S&W's, but if you wanted a ribbed barrel, it was a Colt Python barrel attached to a S&W frame (usually a K-frame) - the end result often referred to as a "Smython" or "Smolt". Contrary to the common combinations of the time, this "Smython" was built on an N-Frame 28-2. It currently sports a target trigger, target hammer and Keith Brown ropers. Kind of fun to compare the prewar KST with the postwar Smython...





Please post photos of your KSTs or Smythons for the rest of us to enjoy.:D:)

Thanks for letting me share,
 
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Iadwm said:
How about cutting slots in the rib of Ss GP 100? Fake snake lol !
Click to expand...

HOW?

The vast majority of smiths back in the day had few if any power tools. To us today cutting slots in a rib is an easy mill job. In 1946 how many smiths had access to a mill?
 
I have 2 K frames with vented ribs
6" using a 2" 15-3 frame.
lxtnow0.jpg

a 4" made using a 10-7 frame. I has since took a blue salt bath.
NOZSQas.jpg
 
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RKmesa said:
Contrary to the common combinations of the time, this "Smython" was built on an N-Frame 28-2. It currently sports a target trigger, target hammer and Keith Brown ropers. Kind of fun to compare the prewar KST with the postwar Smython...





Please post photos of your KSTs or Smythons for the rest of us to enjoy.:D:)

Thanks for letting me share,
Click to expand...

Beautiful guns.

I have a question. I looked at putting my nickle python barrel on an N frame. The thread sizes never bothered me as I believe I could deal with that with no problem. But, measurements showed I would not have enough barrel extension the go through an N frame and close up with a N frame 357 cylinder. But the length meant either trimming the face of the frame any yoke face about .15 or turning the shoulder of the barrel back a fair bit until it would reach the cylinder and of course time.

Would you be so kind as to measure front to back on the frame of the 28-2 Smolt where the barrel threads though it. I am curious as to which approach they took on it. Shorten frame or lengthen barrel extension.
 
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steelslaver said:
...Would you be so kind as to measure front to back on the frame of the 28-2 Smolt where the barrel threads though it. I am curious as to which approach they took on it. Shorten frame or lengthen barrel extension.
Click to expand...

The frame width (front to back) where the barrel passes through is just a hair under 3/4" (which is the same as my other post war N-Frame .357s). So I'm guessing that the smith may have shaved the shoulder of the barrel. He also sleeved the smaller diameter Colt threads to fit the larger N-Frame female barrel opening.



... I should have added above that the barrel was also MagnaPorted...

 
Thank you.

I would have turned the barrel shoulder back too. Except for machining for adjustable sights I try to stay away from modifying frames. Making a .670-36 0D and .5634 -32 thread ID adapter would be the way to go on mounting barrel. The older Python barrels with the 2 pin sight used the .5634-32 threads and the newer one pin front sight barrels used .562-36 the same as Smith L frames

Both of mine had the .562-36 threads and I just took a bit of the top of them and ran a K frame .540-36 die over them. Set them up to time right, filed slot for pin, and flat on bottom to clear gas ring. Sicking them on a K frame you have to trim barrel extension a bit to clear cylinder, but that is good because you can dial in the B/C gap. Also, have to open up the cut in barrel shroud to clear a Smith ejector rod as Colt are thin there. I put a ball detent in both yokes for front lock up.

Both shoot well but neither is actually better than my model 14 when fired from a Ransom rest. Just more interesting.

Cutting nice vents in say a L frame rib would take some time and care, even with a mill and you would still need to square up the start and finish of each with a file, Just plunging all the way though the 3/4" wide rib with a 3/16" mill and then traveling 7/8" without breaking the mill is not going to work out very well. You would have to make multiple passes at each location. You could do it, but it would take some time and care. Even with a CNC it would probably take more time to program than just to go ahead and do a one or 2 barrels.

Doing it by drilling a line of holes, then turning them into a slot with files would be a real labor of love.
 
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BAM-BAM said:
Nice guns guys!

When the L-frame came out I use to dream of a 586 4" Smolt..... the best of all worlds. K-frame grip, L frame w/o the flat spot to crack; and a Colt Python barrel.
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Or,,,, mill the vents into the "L" frame barrel. Plenty of steel there. Not like the late-model, tapered 686 barrel. I know I've seen one having been completed in an old post. Gotta look that up.http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=348395&d=1531156088

The "Smolts" & "Cougers" were popular in my area with the PPC crowd in the late 1970's. They met requirements for the service matches since they did not have a bull barrel. Short action of the S&W and weight of Python. When I obtained my first 586, my 4" & 6" Pythons got some rest. Hindsight,,, probably should have kept those Colts too,,,
 
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I think the vent ribs look neat on any revolver. Why on The Snake and not
on any production S&Ws? How much shooting do you have to do at one session to create a noticeable mirage? Guys were using S&Ws during range shoots, right? Or just a neat marketing ploy?
 
I am still looking for a well executed, 2.5" Smolt. :D
I have a 2.5" 19-4 that I've thought about sacrificing, but... :eek:
 
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Hello David, dont understand the point about Dan. Yes he did offer VRs
on his line of revolvers, so did Rossi. Im just asking, what is the purpose of the VR? Just to look cool?
 
Does anyone remember the advertisements in the gun magazines by the Polychoke company for ventilated ribs that were made for Ruger Blackhawks ? I guess they were epoxied on. I found this photo on the internet. Not something I would ever have done but for those who thought it was a good idea ........
 

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CHARLIE699 said:
Or,,,, mill the vents into the "L" frame barrel. Plenty of steel there. Not like the late-model, tapered 686 barrel. I know I've seen one having been completed in an old post. Gotta look that up.http://smith-wessonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=348395&d=1531156088

The "Smolts" & "Cougers" were popular in my area with the PPC crowd in the late 1970's. They met requirements for the service matches since they did not have a bull barrel. Short action of the S&W and weight of Python. When I obtained my first 586, my 4" & 6" Pythons got some rest. Hindsight,,, probably should have kept those Colts too,,,
Click to expand...

I never thought about milling the slots into a 686. . . .

That work appears expertly done.

I tend, however, to go in the opposite direction. When S&W introduced the L-frame, I wanted S&W to make a 686 with a barrel contour like the 19/66 - many refer to it by the clumsy term "half-lug."

As the 586/686 were designed for full-time use of magnum loads, it seemed to me that S&W should have discontinued the K-frame magnums and simply given buyers the choice of the full underlug L-frame or the lighter underlug L-frame styled to look like the Models 19/66.

Doesn't really matter now as the new two-piece barrel 19/66 does away with the problem flat spot at the 6 o'clock position on the barrel shank, thereby making the current 19/66 what they should have been "back in the day."
 
gmborkovic said:
Hello David, dont understand the point about Dan. Yes he did offer VRs
on his line of revolvers, so did Rossi. Im just asking, what is the purpose of the VR? Just to look cool?
Click to expand...


Supposedly, the vents help cool the barrel, same as a vent rib on a shotgun. I really doubt that claim. Otherwise, a cool factor.

I prefer the solid rib of the S&Ws. And I agree that a half lug L frame should have been a standard option. I've never owned one, due to the extra weight.
 
Muley Gil said:
…I prefer the solid rib of the S&Ws. And I agree that a half lug L frame should have been a standard option. I've never owned one, due to the extra weight...
Click to expand...

Gil,

I owned and competed with two L frames, a 6” and a 4”. I even qualified with the 4” and carried it on duty for maybe a month before I went to the lighter Model 19. Way to much weight considering the cartridge it fires.

Kevin
 
While it doesn’t have a rib. This OMM HB and a model 15 are the beginnings of my 32cal smolt. I’m on the lookout for 2 model 17 cylinders. One for 327fed or 32h&r and one for a 32-20.
 

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