I just purchased an unfired 327 PC from 2007 and just noticed that it does not have a blast shield above the forcing cone. I could not find any photos of earlier guns to compare to. Is it safe to shoot the revolver?

Also on another note there is a stamp of "100" on the swing out arm. It is not the serial of the gun nor the model number. What does that mean? Thank you!

A .357 without a blast shield does not sound correct to me at all. I looked at a Night Guard and it had one. Not sure what the difference would be. I would call S&W about it.

some pics

I called SW and the rep was not able to verify this specific configuration based on serial number. Its going back to SW to get checked out. Could this be an early model, maybe prototype? The frame is certainly not user modified where the blast shield is supposed to be. It looks like it came from factory without a blast shield recess cut into the frame. Here's another photo of "NIB" 327 PC.

Blast shield? That is a new one on me...What is a blast shield?

It's a little piece of metal placed above the forcing cone to eliminate flame cutting of the frame during firing.

See the flame cutting in the second pic just before the barrel on the frame? It's a little clip that goes right there to prevent that.

To the OP, if it was indeed a prototype gun, I hope you didn't send a big $$$ gun back to S&W. I have no idea if a prototype gun would be worth $$$, maybe to S&W, maybe to collectors???

IIRC, it means that the crane and frame are a matched pair and original to one another. That same number should also be stamped on the frame under the grips...as on this 617...that needs cleaned

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I looked at numerous pics of that model and they all had the shield.

Redhawk- Here's a pic of one with the shield. It's the little piece of metal above the barrel/cylinder gap.

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This gun looks so cool.

Jesse: You are not alone in thinking that gun looks cool. I am in the other camp who wonders whether that nub on the front of it is really a barrel? It looks deformed! But it's all a matter of personal preference, so all's well.

I absolutely love snub nosed revolvers, but IMO that barrel is too short. Whether it is effective or not (and arguably it loses quite a bit of the potential velocity by going that short) it looks weird with the barrel that short, and I don't see how it could be any more concealable than one with a 2 1/2" barrel. But to each their own I guess.

+1. When you think about it the butt of the gun, to a degree, is the hardest part to conceal.

It's what the Imperial Storm Troopers use to protect the Death Star. Duh........

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I think looking different looks cool. 625-10

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Warren

Do you guys think I should send this in to SW or keep it as curiosity? I searched all over, even around the posts pre 2007 of supposedly this gun was built but could not find an example that looks like this. This is definitely not modified as it is lacking the recessed shield cut in the top strap

I would hang on to it untill someone with a lot more knowledge than I can let you know if you have a very rare prototype. someone might pay nicely for that some day.

Good luck

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Warren

No blast shield on my 327pc either but my barrel is shaped differently inside the frame. It is stepped.

My 340 PD does not have one; the 340 M & P does.

If the cylinder is not stainless steel then they will not put the shield in because the cylinder will get damaged by the light magnum bullets as well as the frame, so there is no purpose.

Is it stamped "120 gr or heavier only"?

The 110 grain magnum bullets leave the cylinder so fast that the powder is still burning and damages the frame and alloy cylinder. So you have to use the heavier bullets.

Blast shields, bullet weight restrictions, cast bullet restrictions... is it all worth it? Is this what passes for progress these days?

Regarding the 2" barrel on an N Frame, I too used to think they looked ridiculous. Then I went and had one installed on one of my 625s. The end result is awesome. The 2" barrel allows the gun to be carried in places where even my 3" barrel won't fit. If you find yourself staring down the barrel of somebody else's gun, that 2" barrel will come out of your holster much quicker, with far less margin for error. My stainless frame and cylinder mean I can shoot any bullet I want, at any velocity.

Your revolver is nice and I think it would make the most sense with heavy bullets, but I don't know if that's possible with or without the blast shield. If that were mine, I'd hold on to it and do a bit more research before I sent it back.

Dave Sinko

I had not noticed the blast shield before, interesting.

The frame is definitely scandium with titanium cylinder as it is considerably lighter than my steel N frames. There are no bullet weight restrictions stamped and the barrel is marked "357 MAG".

Cold you guys kindly post photos of scandiums PDs with no shield so I could compare them? I do not see any way to insert a blast shield in there without having to major barrel or frame modifications...the top of the forcing cone is at the same level of the top of the cylinder and theres only a hair space left between them and the top strap of the frame. I have seen scandiums with "stepped" cone and shield, and straight cone with shield. This case is straight cone with no shield, like the stainless versions


Also do you guys with no blast shield and scandium frame experience excessive flame cutting?

The 3rd image you posted looks interesting. Is that a reflection, or has flame cutting already begun?

That is flame cutting...no longer a scruff mark. This gun is new unfired and the person selling this is reputable. Well it is definitely fired by the cutting but not by him. Could a single factory round cause this?

I thought they proofed every other chamber?

If the flame cut is from only 4 rounds then this might be my last scandium frame not familiar with sw proofing methods but now that you mention it, theres left over stuff in every other cylinder

I am a gun shooter -- not somebody who hangs on to collectibles for the sake of collecting. So if I had bought that gun with the intention to shoot it - I would send it back to S&W and if they wanted to send me a gun that actually made it out of the prototype stage, I'd be happy as a clam.

How valuable could a prototype be if it's unshootable? Not as valuable as a working gun -- to me.

Sort of off topic, but... Why is a blast shield not required on the new S&W Governor pistol? It uses a scandium alloy frame too. Is it because the chambering is not for a "Magnum" load?

My 327 mas made in 2010 I believe and the barrel is stepped. There is no blast shield but it looks like the frame is made for it.

that is strange! so they made the cut out into the frame but did not include the shield or the shield mount? do you have any flame cuts?

There are about 50 rounds through and there is a tiny line of lead/carbon that scrapes off but doesn't look like a cut. I did find pictures of 327s with barrels like mine that do have a blast shield.

Have you gotten any more info from your calls to S&W?

I, too, would like an answer to this one, because my Governor (.410, .45 Colt, .45 ACP) does not have a blast shield, but my 325 Nightguard (.45 ACP, .45 AR) does have one.

I checked my other scandium frames and my 310 and 325 have the shield but gov does not.

The tech that I spoke with stated that mine should have a shield installed. I am however going to call back again to get a second opinion. Is there any way to speak with some one from the performance center?

If the cylinder is titanium there will be no blast shield. To shield the frame and sacrifice the cylinder makes no sense. So S & W says you need to use bullets of 120 gr. or more to avoid damage to either the frame or the cylinder.

I currently have 11 S&W revolvers in my safe and none of them have a gas shield, or a cut in the frame to accommodate one.

Of course, the only magnum caliber I have in S&W guns are two .32 H&R Mags.

Is this gas shield a new thing, or have I just been unlucky? All my S&W revolvers except one (a 642) are pre-lock guns.

I would send that 327Sc to S&W and had them add a shield or replace the gun.

My 327Sc and my 340PD both have a flame shield and they both have titanium cylinders and aluminum alloy frames (with scandium mixed in). My 342Ti and my 296 do not have the shield.





The 625-10 that I owned before the frame cracked also had a flame shield and it was not a magnum (.45 ACP).



Here's an interesting thread on flame cutting of a 329: http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/210392-s-w-m329-pd-gas-shield-erosion-w-ramshot-enforcer.html

Another interesting thread on why you want to pay attention to the minimum bullet weight warning using .357 magnums in a titanium cylinder.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/94437-disappointed-340-scandium.html

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Redhawk: If your guns have steel frames -- you need not worry. The gas/blast shields are for these new fancy extra light scandium alloy frame guns.

This has been very interesting and you're never too old to learn. I don't own anything with a blast-shield in it either, but none of them require it...I guess.

I'll stick with SS, or alloy guns in the smaller calibers thank you. That just looks like a fender-skirt or a mud-flap. Sorry to be a basher, but everybody has an opinion....different strokes for different folks. If you have to wedge a piece of sheet-metal above the barrel to prevent it from cutting the frame into....don't think I want it.

My 340PD and the 386Sc Mountain Lite I did have both are scandium frame, titanium cylinder guns and both have blast shields.

I have 2 327s. One is the Night Guard the other is the R8. Both have the blast shield. I also have the 315 Night Guard and it does not have the blast shield nor is the frame cut for one. I see no flame cutting with the 315. I guess they figure 38s will not damage the scandium frame but that a 357 will.

329pd is a TI/SC gun and has the shield.

Since were talking flame-cut. I have to tell this story about my "Bubba" neighbor. He gets his hands on a 686 pre drilled-n-tapped for scope mounts. So, Bubba gets out his drill and drills another hole just above the B/G in front of the front sight screw and slaps on his scope mounts.

Several rounds later he discovers all sorts of funny things going on, one of which was his front mount was loose. Upon further investigation, he discovered the blast had blown his front scope mount screw away and the flames were shooting out the top of his gun. He quietly reinstalled the stock front sight and swapped the gun for a Taurus model 1911. The guy that swapped him the Taurus probably thinks he really took advantage of him. Somewhere out there a guy has a gun with a hole right through the top of the frame directly over the B/G that may be growing in size every time it is fired.

And people wonder why we folks that purchase guns on a regular basis want to look them over very carefully.

Where'd the barrel go?

Since my 327 did not have the shield, I decided to call S&W and sure enough it is supposed to have one. The guy said they had to remove the barrel to install so I would have to send it in.