I own a pair of S&W 500's. One with the factory fixed comp and the other with the interchangeable comps- 8 3/8". I have decided to shorten the barrel on the fixed comp gun to either 5" or 6" ( undecided currently ).
I will be changing the mounting system to an external barrel nut.

Does anyone have an honest idea or calculated guess what the S&W factory torque used to install the factory barrel?

I have two options of barrel removal.

#1 Use my bandsaw and cut the barrel and shroud off - Easy
#2 Cast cerrosafe in the barrel with a rod to loosen and measure torque.

I am leaning to the band saw....

I am doing the conversion work myself ( toolmaker and gun plumber).
I have owned Dan Wesson revolvers in the past and there barrel change system worked well. S&W has a patent on their mounting system and its great for them but kind of ****** for the rest of us outside S&W.

If anyone knows or has a clue and does not want to post it fee free to PM me and anything shared will be kept private if so wished.

__________________
NRA Certified Instructor & RSO

If the factory is not forthcoming with the information, contact the guru of the .500 S&W, John Ross, author of Unintended Consequences.

You can contact him here:

John Ross Concealed Carry Training and Author Unintended Consequences Henry Bowman Missouri

John can also help you with disassembly issues. Do NOT cut off your barrel and shroud until you talk to John.

Also, carefully look at and talk to John about his run of special S&W 500 Magnums with 5 inch barrels and external barrel nuts. There are still some available and there are pictures on his site. His guns solve the problem you mention, I think.

Here is his special 500:

Attached Images

Ross, John - S&W 500 Mag with 5 inch barrel.jpg (52.7 KB, 66 views)

Since the S&W design is intended to be non-user serviceable I doubt the factory would answer any technical questions about the mounting system they patented.

Looking over the S&W patent drawings it takes the Dan Wesson barrel mounting concept to a new level of factory control which I am not a fan of.

Its easier to make something shorter than longer so no reason to buy another 500 revolver but thanks for the suggestion.

__________________
NRA Certified Instructor & RSO

I can almost guarantee you there is no torque value on any of these revolvers. The process of screwing a barrel on and getting just the right amount of draw is still hand done at the factory and I am pretty sure the reason you still see screw ups from time to time from over-torquing resulting in restricted forcing cones, to front sight alignment issues etc. Unless they have a special fixture and machine for holding the frame and installing the barrel I think this is still hand done.

Think about all the different barrel types and configurations and how many holding fixtures you would need. Then just a run of barrels with the shoulder and shank are a couple thousandth's off and that torque settiing goes right out the window.

addendum: I think I may have shot before looking here. This is a gun I am not familiar with and therefore the barrel installation sequence and mechanics MAY be different than conventional N frames. You mentioned a ' Nut ' and that has me scratching my head.

So like I told the U.S. Navy once when they ask for a ' Torque Value ' for wood screws — too many variables ain't possible.

Regards

The "X" frame 460 & 500 use a keyed barrel shroud to frame to index and align the barrel shroud and sight. The barrel is tightened down on it then cylinder gap adjusted if needed is my understanding of how its done.

Completely different system than the conventional revolvers.

__________________
NRA Certified Instructor & RSO

Okay thanks for the clarification I suppose. What I am understanding though, and what you are telling me, is that this barrel is made up to the frame differently the other S&W revolvers. I kind of suspected that my remarks above were going wide and over the berm so in hindsight I should have deleted the post. Different animal and nothing I am familiar with but good luck in your search

Regards