64-6 with no rifling

D49641M

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Cant find my old thread so i'm starting over. Every one thought the barrel was heavily fowled with lead. So I tried the Kana Kroil soak. No rifling. I tried "the dip" vinegar and hydrogen peroxide mix I use to remove lead from my .22 suppressor. No rifling. Along with aggressive scrubbing with bore brushes I am convinced there is no lead in the bore. I was going to buy a Lewis Lead Remover but see no reason to now. Under magnification it shows uninterrupted light tool marks on the circumference and linear striations from being fired. It pin gauges GO.346/NO-GO.347 so its not bored out. I have a nice picture showing the bore but I just couldn't get it on this message. I could email anyone the picture.
Duane Moore
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The original poster wrote his Model 64 is a dash 6. Model 64 production went from dash 5 to dash 6 during 1998. Starting about 1997 electro-chemical-machineing (ECM) superseded broach cutting rifling in S&W's production revolvers. Basically, instead of cutting metal to create grooves S&W erodes away metal with electricity. When the result appears the most like broach cut rifling the grooves and lands have rounded corners. Often S&W's modern rifling appears to be polygonal. I'd bet that what's in your Model 64 barrel.

Some members here dispute that the modern rifling works well with cast bullets but most members are happy with how their modern barrels shoot cast. There are no complaints about it with jacketed bullets.

As is often the case with collectors & accumulators less examination of the gun and more range time with will likely make a happy owner.
 
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It sounds to me like the barrel missed the rifling process altogether. Any time you are making thousands of something, this type of thing can happen. I have some 64 barrels if you need one, but I would send it back to Smith and let them do the labor and provide a barrel. This is obviously an oversight on their part.
 
You guys are great ! To k22fan. Very interesting on the processes S&W uses to rifle a barrel. I thought it might be polygonal also but a quick check with a small hole gauge proved it to be round. Still waiting for the return label from S&W. Ill let you guys know how they handle this. If its such a oddball do you think its worth $1000 ! Joke. Joke. Thanks again for the responses.
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Starting about 1997 electro-chemical-discharge (ECD) or electro-chemical-machineing (ECM) superseded broach cutting rifling in S&W's production revolvers. I am not expert enough to even name the process correctly, but generally, instead of cutting metal to create grooves S&W erodes away metal with electricity. When the result appears the most like broach cut rifling the grooves and lands have rounded corners. Often S&W's modern rifling appears to be polygonal. I'd bet that what's in your Model 64 barrel.

Some members here dispute that the modern rifling works well with cast bullets but most members are happy with how their modern barrels shoot cast. There are no complaints about it with jacketed bullets.

As is often the case with collectors & accumulators less examination of the gun and more range time with will likely make a happy owner.

It appears that S&W has refined their ECM rifling since it was introduced. At least three different iterations that I've noticed. The newer barrels look almost like the old cut rifling.
 

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