2 piece barrels

[BoulderTroll]

This project got moved to the back burner while I wait for my tap to come in but here's a couple pics.

Frame with barrel removed. two little tabs to keep the shroud aligned out in front. Threads not looking too healthy...

...and the threads on the barrel...

Thanks for the photos! So to attach your next barrel, will you have to remove those two tabs? And next question, since the threads in the frame are ruined, will you have to tap it to a larger diameter thread pattern? Forgive my ignorance, this kind of thing is all way above my pay grade.

 

[snw19_357]

If I was going to use a standard one piece barrel, yes, but for this one I will use the shroud and made a new barrel sleeve. Sleeve is not threaded yet because I want to clean up the frame first.

I hope there's enough thread left that I can chase and clean them up. Pic looks worse than they are. I had a take off 586 barrel and was able to thread it on partially. Stopped at first resistance to not damage the 586 barrel.
Won't be able to go to next higher diameter because S&W made the portion of the frame between the barrel and yoke super thin. It's only .050" INCLUDING the threads...

 

[BoulderTroll]

If I was going to use a standard one piece barrel, yes, but for this one I will use the shroud and made a new barrel sleeve. Sleeve is not threaded yet because I want to clean up the frame first.

I hope there's enough thread left that I can chase and clean them up. Pic looks worse than they are. I had a take off 586 barrel and was able to thread it on partially. Stopped at first resistance to not damage the 586 barrel.
Won't be able to go to next higher diameter because S&W made the portion of the frame between the barrel and yoke super thin. It's only .050" INCLUDING the threads...

Whatever you do, please keep adding photos as the project continues. I am in awe of custom stuff like this.

 

[tomhenry]

This thread makes my heart hurt. I have a modest collection of P&R Smiths and am stunned at how far they've fallen. I've heard of two piece barrels on S&W but thought it was an internet rumor.

I'll never own a Smith with a lock and I'll never own a revolver with a two piece barrel except for my Dan Wesson 715s.

OP, best of luck in your endeavor. You're a better man than I.

 

[bobsguns]

Oh, how about getting the brass rod out that snapped off flush with the muzzle...

Use an ez-out or run a screw down in it & pull it out.

 

[bobsguns]

This thread makes my heart hurt. I have a modest collection of P&R Smiths and am stunned at how far they've fallen. I've heard of two piece barrels on S&W but thought it was an internet rumor.

I'll never own a Smith with a lock and I'll never own a revolver with a two piece barrel except for my Dan Wesson 715s.

OP, best of luck in your endeavor. You're a better man than I.

I have a two-piece bbl & it shoots just fine.

While I agree the lock is BS, I've installed the lock delete kits on my few that had them. My view is, don't like something? Take it off.

 

[BoulderTroll]

I'll never own a Smith with a lock and I'll never own a revolver with a two piece barrel except for my Dan Wesson 715s.

Keep in mind, the $5,400 Korth revolvers have 2-piece barrels. Why would you be willing to own other brands with that feature but not a S&W? I certainly don't think they're a bad design, I just have two personal reasons for not being a fan. First is that I nearly always prefer the aesthetics of a thinner barrel profile.

The second reason is probably meritless, but I can't get it out of my mind: I hate rust with a passion. I always keep my firearms (and knives too for that matter) well-oiled and wiped down, and I don't like having a fairly large portion of the firearm that I have no direct access to for oiling and rust prevention. I understand that the barrel sleeve is stainless, and it is tightly held by the shroud, so the likelihood of getting rust between them is probably slim to none, but it still just sets my rust-prevention OCD on edge knowing that I will never be able to get in between the two parts to make sure.

 

[JohnHL]

Those threads look HORRIBLE!!

And I don't see any way you could have boogered those threads unscrewing the barrel.

Must have been cross threaded during an earlier assembly.

No wonder it was so difficult to disassemble.

John

 

[stansdds]

Those threads look HORRIBLE!!

And I don't see any way you could have boogered those threads unscrewing the barrel.

Must have been cross threaded during an earlier assembly.

No wonder it was so difficult to disassemble.

John

Cross-threading is nature's Loctite.

 

[JohnHL]

Cross-threading is nature's Loctite.

Because the front sight is on the shroud which is located by tabs on the frame, I would guess the barrel is torqued to a specification.

Whether that is done by hand or by a "torque limited" power driver of some sort, I don't know.

I also don't know if it happened during factory assembly or at some time subsequent.

If it did happen during factory assembly, here is the scenario likely envisioned by the many (not me) who believe S&W QC has taken a back seat to production:

S&W assembler to supervisor:

"I've reached the torque limit and the barrel is still protruding from the shroud by a good 1/2 inch.
Should I take it apart?"

Supervisor:

"No, it's cross threaded.
We've got a fix for that!"

Supervisor comes back with a 1" industrial impact wrench.

"Hold my beer and watch this!"

John

 

[WR Moore]

There's another thread on here somewhere that shows an apparent different muzzle area for the barrel itself. This one has a lobed recess forward of the crown where the installation tool apparently fits.

 

[McClean]

I'll take some tomorrow.


It would be nice so I could still have the .357 barrel and cylinder but the plan is to make a .22 barrel and cylinder for it.

Found this pic of a 'special insertion tool but S&W support says, "Unfortunately, we do not have a tool to remove Barrels.", which I find hard to believe.

They tore up my 43C barrel and shroud using that tool. That illustration doesn’t show the drive lugs. It makes sense they have a proprietary drive design to prevent unauthorized barrel replacement. But, they don’t need to lie about it.

The more I read and hear about the QC problems at S&W the more I think the people working there don’t own or actually shoot guns. I would be mortified if my job was simply assemble the same style revolver every day and I did so poorly enough they regularly came back to the factory. The design is literally over 100 years old and Smith and Weston should have had an apprenticeship type program in place to make sure the knowledge to properly assemble and fit was passed down.

 

[-BTM-]

Looks like 1/4 NPT

 

[shawn mccarver]

Anyone have any tips or tricks on how to remove the two piece barrel from a S&W? I’m ‘trying’ to remove the barrel from a 2.75# (sic) Model 66-8 but accept for diameter/caliber they should be the same.

Oh, how about getting the brass rod out that snapped off flush with the muzzle...

S&W used to sell the wrench that engaged the rifling, but I do not believe they sell those any longer.

 

[snw19_357]

Now I remember why I forget about ebay... Tap finally came in.

Good news is that the frame cleaned up very well. I was afraid it was going to be turned into a jig for fitting KRB stocks.


Frame, shroud, a new .357 barrel and its .22 barrel (not threaded yet).



I don't know if it's supposed to be like this, I guess I forgot to cross thread it, but I am able to install and remove the barrel. Brass rod now works quite well as a tool!

 

[-BTM-]

Nice! What’s the plan for the cylinder?

 

[snw19_357]

7 shot 5.7x28mm.

 

[steelslaver]

Although I don't have any current plans to remove a 2 piece barrel, I have another plan on how to do so. I ordered a 5/16 left hand thread tap and die set. If I make brass tapered pieces for the forcing cone and another for the muzzle both with 5/16 left hand threads and make a 5/16 left hand thread rod. Put a small slot across the forcing cone piece, similar to how the tools used for cutting forcing cone and adjusting the gap are removed. I can either put a hex head on the muzzle piece or another slot. I can then tighten the tool way up and because it is left hand thread it will not loosen when I turn it to the left and should be able to loosen the barrel. Once loose I can keep turning until the piece on forcing cone is against the frame. Then remove the tool by locking it up and turning to the right. At that point I should be able to keep turning the liner by hand.

 

[snw19_357]

Well I found where that picture of the special install tool came from. It's straight out of the 'current' revolvers manual, and says they're available from S&W so I will be calling them and throwing that in their face.

 

[KeNost]

The barrel tools are used both for assembly and disassembly. S&W are gatekeeping the tools and only give them out to people that are authorised by S&W, to my knowledge these tools are not sold or given to anyone in the US (perhaps they have changed the policy the last few years) and there are only a few service stations outside the US that have the tools. They are rarely made and it can be several years between production. They are also very expensive, ranging from 300-400$ for one tool