.357 barrel on 38/44 gun, will it work?

[notsofast]

Hello, will a pinned 357 n frame barrel work on a 38/44 heavy duty? N frame barrel: 357 bore, rifling and forcing cone for a n frame, will it work on the n frame 38 ? Thanks

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

It should IF the threads are the same. Would have to be fitted ie "clocked & cyl gap.

 

[notsofast]

It should IF the threads are the same. Would have to be fitted ie "clocked & cyl gap.

That's what I thought, thanks

 

[shawn mccarver]

The part that concerns me is whether the 38/44 has proper steel and heat treating to handle Magnum loads. I would exercise extreme caution.

 

[stansdds]

Plenty of S&W 38-44's had their cylinders reamed for then new 357 Magnum cartridge, I don't think there were reports of them blowing up or being otherwise damaged so long as loads were not exceeding safe pressure levels. If the OP is looking to turn a 38-44 into a 357 Magnum, I'd counsel against doing such. Given that many 38-44's were modified back in the day, that means each unmolested 38-44 is worth more to a collector. One might find that selling a 38-44 and buying a Model 27, which is still in production, or a Model 28 is financially more practical.

 

[Engine49guy]

The barrel threads are the same and the forcing cone length is as well,
The 38/44 cylinder is shorter at the rear because it isn't recessed but that won't affect the fit at the front.
If anything the .357 barrel is even stronger but I doubt the 38/44 barrel is inferior in strength.

 

[murphydog]

I think the ".38" barrel on a .357 will be fine; I don't think barrels for Magnum revolvers are heat-treated or made of special steels from regular ones.

 

[AKtinman]

A few of the post-war Transitional 38/44 Outdoorsman revolvers were fitted with Registered Magnum barrels.

One issue with what you are contemplating is the mis-match between the HD frame and the rib on the .357 barrel, but that would be cosmetic.

 

[notsofast]

I wouldn't do the barrel install to shoot magnums, the gun would be shot using 38 spcls. rounds. The 38/44 is in need of a barrel and a magnum barrel is available to me. Just wanted to know if this mod is feasible. Thanks all

 

[Engine49guy]

If your 38/44 is a pre war variant without a raised barrel rib the two won't mate cosmetically, if it's a post war gun with raised rib will look perfect.
I fit a post war 38/44 with a pre war RM 4" barrel, looks and works great and the barrel forcing cone to cylinder gap was perfect.

 

[Nedroe]

Never Has .........

bothered this one.


Ned

 

[stansdds]

bothered this one.


Ned

That is pleasing to my eyes. I kind of think S&W missed the mark with the Model 28, got it right with the Model 58. S&W wanted a lower cost N-frame 357 Magnum for law enforcement officers. Maybe instead of a Model 27 with less fitting and finishing, they should have used the fixed sight N-frame as the basis for the Model 28.

 

[2152hq]

Hello, will a pinned 357 n frame barrel work on a 38/44 heavy duty? N frame barrel: 357 bore, rifling and forcing cone for a n frame, will it work on the n frame 38 ? Thanks

The bbl transplant will go fine,
The revolver being a HD/fixed site frame will have a space in top where the 357 bbl rib ends and the fixed site N frame is contour shaped downward.

The rib on the 357 bbl can be removed and produce a fixed site style bbl that will nicely match at the frame/bbl juncture.
You will need to leave a bit of the old rib in place to then be used as the new fixed front site base.
A separate front site blade is then made and attached/pinned into a slot made in that new base.
Simple!

Or maybe look for a HD bbl.

Numrich still has some of the post war 'in the white' 38 outdoorsman bbls available.
They will require final filing, fit and finish. But the ones I have used are new bore and have all roll markings (38spcl).
Removing the rib as above the same idea to fit to a plain frame HD.

They used to have HD unfinished bbs as well,,but those days are gone I guess.

Barrel, .38 S&W Spec, 6-1/2", Ribbed, New, Unused (Marked .38 Spec) | Gun

 

[Engine49guy]

I totally missed your gun is a 38/44 HD.
They of course do not have a raised rib.

I was thinking it was either a pre war 38/44 Outdoorsman or a post war Pre Model 23

 

[Nedroe]

Yep. Pre War HD with a 3.5 in Pre 27 barrel.


This gun


Ned