I have a Model 28. N-frame .357 6 shot.
Anyone have an idea how much weight could be saved by going to a Titanium cylinder? I need to reduce the gun weight by about 4 oz to make it IDPA legal.

I dropped S&W an email, no response yet.
Comments? Thanks

I don't have either cylinder at hand to measure, but with rubber stocks, I think your on to a winning combination.

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NRA Benefactor Member

I think the difference was 3 1/2 oz. on a 625. I don't believe there are any N-frame 6 shot 38/357 Ti cylinders.

You're right. I just heard from S&W. No cylinder available. (argh!)

I don't think fluting the cylinder will remove enough weight. I don't really want to shorten the barrel. This is such a solid shooter I hate to trade it in. Can't afford a new one. If I was a little girl, I'd go to my bed & cry! Dang it!!

What about drilling some holes in the grip frame? These would be under the stocks and not visible unless removed.

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James Redfield
LM #497

It is your revolver and you can do as you like but I hate to think about modifications to that nice old Smith. What model 28 is it. No dash, dash2? What kind of shape is it in?

If you have a friend who's a machinist and will will do this because he finds it amusing (for free in other words) You might be able to lighten it enough by both reducng the cylinder diameter in front of the cylinder stop notches and contouring. Look at a Ruger LCR. There's alot of material in a 28 cylinder that can be removed but unless you have a competent machininst who's a friend you could probably buy a used 67 cheaper.

Somebody get a rope!!

I agree it's a pretty pointless exercise on a 28 but can see where it might be worth doing on other match/competion guns.

It's a 28-3. Real nice condition. I bought it used, had a trigger job done & installed some Hogue wood grips. Still have the original grips. I've put about 2000-2500 rounds thru it.

I think I would rather trade in the ol' Smith 10-7, retired Hong Kong PD.

See, I was planning on buying a 617. This dillema puts a fly in the ointment...

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A 617 is kind of a "must have".

bruceflinch,
Before you do anything radical, why not call IDPA HQ and ask them? If it's stock you should be able to shoot it as is.

Bill Mahnke #1915 (IDPA A10336)

There's a specific weight limit. Would anyone complain because you're shooting a basically non competitive but overweight gun, particularly in a revolver class? Not likely. Go shoot, don't say anything and have fun.

Catalog weight for a 4" M28 was 41.75oz in 1969, which issue of Shooter's Bible is the only thing I have at hand that shows the 4" weight.
IDPA SSR maximum is 42.
So you are ok unless your gun is porked up over what they used to be.

Even if it were, nobody would care at a club match, but more and more sanctioned matches are weighing guns.

It was weighed at the Cal-State IDPA Championships last weekend. The wifes digital postage scale said 42.4 oz. This is w/ the wood grips which are 2.5 oz lighter than the original grips! The Match's scale called it 44.2 oz. They wouldn't allow it so I shot my Para 9mm, instead. 42 oz. is the revolver weight limit for IDPA.

Now I have a 686-6 with a scope & a 6" barrel. The local gunsmith quoted $375 to put a 4" barrel on it. I think I'm going to take it to the gunshow this weekend & see if I can find a good trade. (and a 617!!)

I've thought about shooting IDPA a few times. The only gun I had at the time that might be "legal" (I have a 2 1/2" 66-5 now) was a 4" 629. It weighs 42.5 oz on my postal scale with my Herrett's wood grips so it's illegal. The more I read the IDPA rules the more Bill Wilson's logic eludes me.

That's too bad. Your wife's postal scale is probably right and the gun is .65 oz over the catalog weight. Not unlikely with a gun with so many complex contours built over many years.
The match scale was probably wrong, which is a problem in trying to police the weight limit. First time I had a gun weighed, it was on a kitchen scale with masking tape on the dial marked at the different Divisions' maximum weights. Pretty crude, and that at the Nationals.