Was thinking about changing the look of my 38-3, which has that "black" dull finish. Thinking about a stainless steel cylinder replacement to give it a 2 tone look. Is it drop in....needs to be fitted...or you may luck out? Or....could I have the finish stripped off easy enough and just use the same one? The cylinder IS stainless, right?

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Sure you did

No doubt stripping the black would be easier. As to whether the cylinder is stainless, opinions vary.

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NRA Benefactor

I have swapped two. One was a drop in, one wasn't.

I've substituted the cylinder from a Model 442 that had been modified for moon clips by TK Custom into a Model 642 without any problems at all. I recently substituted a nickeled cylinder from a Model 38 (unknown dash number) into my (blued) Model 38 (no dash) to achieve that stainless steel cylinder look found on the MSP (Michigan State Police) Bodyguard. I also substituted the narrow, serrated trigger for the wider, smooth surfaced trigger from the donor gun, and finally replaced the hammer on my Model 60-7 with the hammer from the donor Model 38. All parts in these modifications were simple drop-ins and have worked flawlessly. The Model 38 parts were purchased from a fellow forum member whose pistol developed a crack in the frame. He sold me all of the parts except the frame for a good price, and I had a good time with the project.

Best of luck,

Dave

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If you buy a new replacement cylinder assembly from Brownell's or another supplier it will not be a simple drop in operation. The ratchet will need to be fitted. You do that with a file slowly on each lug of the ratchet. You could also use the existing and fitted extractor which would most likely make it a no filing job. However, if you fit the new ratchet, you will be able to swap back and forth easier.

Apparently it is common to believe that blued S&W cylinders are stainless steel. In the past I have come accross several 36's that had the blue sanded off the cylinder. All had some amount of rust on the cylinder. Recently I was handed a 581 that was in perfect condition, except for the cylinder, which had been sanded to remove the blue. Lots of rust on that one too. Pass the word, if the cylinder is finished with bluing it more than likely is carbon steel.

KAC,

Good point. Blued cylinders are carbon steel. I bought one and run it on my 686 competition gun, looks sharp, it is blued and carbon steel. Some of the black coated cylinders on newer revolvers, like the Night Guards, are stainless.

As long as you stay in the "family" it is a drop in. As in like...I have swapped my 640 SS cylinder and yoke assembly with my 38-2 blued assembly. I think the -3 was upgraded to +p....not sure of that but I think so. Anyway....measure the length of your cylinder. I know Tyrod has done this because we talked about it on another thread before...matter of fact, 2-or-3 of us here participated in that thread. The 38-2 has a shorter cylinder than the guns updated to the j-mag configuration. Measure your -3 cylinder length and see. I believe the early (-1 and-2) is 1.535 in length, which may be too short for your -3. If your -3 cylinder is longer....you will need to "come by" one in that length.

I found a 1.535 (shorter) SS cylinder and yoke off GB at a considerably less cost than new from Smith or Midway, etc. I don't have it in my hands yet, but I am sure they will work....you just have to get the right length. I am after the same look that Double-O was looking for and I have already proven my 640 will interchange with my 38-2. The B/G gap was within .001 between them and the end-shake was practically nill either way.