Another Great Idea Quashed

[Pizza Bob]

I've committed to buy a very nice Model 617-5 with a 4" barrel. The impetus for this purchase was that I wanted to convert it to, what is essentially, a Model 616 - a .327 Fed Mag.

Presented this to a well regarded gunsmith and got shot down. The reason? How do you make a rimfire gun into centerfire gun? I understand that all firing pins are now the same - whether RF or CF, but the FP channel in the RF guns is located higher in the frame so as to strike the edge of the cartridge.

Just a little bummed out - I really wanted a .32 shooter, but at least I now have a nice .22 K-frame. I have a 16-4 and a pre-17, but they are both safe queens.

I know somebody on here has done a conversion, but I believe that they started with a CF frame and then used a bored RF cylinder.

Just thought I'd post - Misery loves company.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[hkcavalier]

Well...there's always .32 rimfire

If it were mine, I'd have the lug milled off, then it and the cylinder treated in black nitride for a reverse pinto look. Something unique.

 

[Paul105]

IRRC (no guarntees) it was done on a K Frame .22 Jet (can't remember the model no.) May have been member Superman.

FWIW,

Paul

 

[steelslaver]

Get a K frame center fire frame. Buy a 6 shot K frame 22 cylinder. Have the cylinder reamed. Get a piece of .312 barrel. Turn it to .540, the OD of a K frame shank. Thread it at 36 to the inch. Thread it into the frame so it is up against the cylinder. Cut the barrel extension off original barrel. Drill and tape it for .540 36 so it will turn on to the piece you threaded in to frame.

Lock it on with permanent thread locker. You could also make the "sleeve" and "liner" shrink fit or silver solder. Avoid just lining the barrel as it would be thin at forcing cone. By doing it this way you get a 1 piece forcing cone and threaded portion. The old barrel just becomes a sleeve past the frame.

Shrink fit. Drii the old barrel piece about .0005 smaller than new barrel piece which only has threads where it goes in frame. Place barrel while in frame in acetone and dry ice. This will take it to minus 100f and shrink it slightly. Warm sleeve portion to about 350f in oven, this make it slightly larger. Quickly slide sleeve onto barrel and it to frame. Sleeve will shrink and never ever come off. They install bearings and gears this way.

Silver solder, simply make the sliver just slip on barrel. Heat barrel and "tin" with silver solder. (light coat of solder) Tin inside of sleeve. Heat it up and melt solder in it and smooth it out with old brass brush that will slip inside. Then heat both pieces up and slide together. Thats how they reline barrels except now many use accra glass instead of silver solder,

 

[steelslaver]

Or you can do like I did, buy a 16-4 and ream a spare 22 cylinder to 327. I also bought a 32-20 and made a 32 S&W long cylinder for it.

You could get a 32-20 cheap and just ream a K 22 cylinder to 327 and mill the frame for adjustable sights too.

 

[Pizza Bob]

Yeah....that's easy for you to say. LOL. Please note, my board name has Pizza in it - nothing about steel.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[Bastogne71]

It was fellow member Green Frog that built a model 616 in 327 magnum. You can read his saga by doing a search for “project 616”.

There are many of us that have been waiting years in vain for S&W to provide a K frame in 327 magnum.

 

[steelslaver]

I would like to see J&K frame 327s. I am a big bore guy, but a Scandium J frame 327 would be nice. Small, light, 6 shots. The S&W 327s that do exist are demanding crazy money.

Except for the older I and J frames anything in 32 caliber is spendy. Best bang for the buck right now is find a J frame 32 S&W long and ream it to H&R.

 

[malph]

I would like to see J&K frame 327s. I am a big bore guy, but a Scandium J frame 327 would be nice. Small, light, 6 shots. The S&W 327s that do exist are demanding crazy money.

Except for the older I and J frames anything in 32 caliber is spendy. Best bang for the buck right now is find a J frame 32 S&W long and ream it to H&R.

I like your idea. I thought the 327 had merit. Still do. It would be great chambered in a lightweight J frame.

Lots of ammo flexibility. An addition round in a small light package and enough ballistic potential that producing decent defensive rounds should be very doable.

 

[cgt4570]

My .327 is on a pre-Model 15 centerfire frame with K22 cylinder and an 8-3/8" barrel from a 16-4.

 

[Eddietruett]

Why wouldn’t you just get a 32 Magnum and ream the cylinder deeper to accept the longer case? There has been many model 10’s reamed to 357 mag through the years

 

[mtgianni]

The price of the 16-4 32 mag is often much more than a conversion of another K frame.
6 on GB now, lowest started at a penny and is at $999 with 7 days to go, highest started at $3295 with no bids. I am excluding the one at $15,999 which I believe is a mistake.

 

[Tom K]

I've committed to buy a very nice Model 617-5 with a 4" barrel. The impetus for this purchase was that I wanted to convert it to, what is essentially, a Model 616 - a .327 Fed Mag.

Presented this to a well regarded gunsmith and got shot down. The reason? How do you make a rimfire gun into centerfire gun? I understand that all firing pins are now the same - whether RF or CF, but the FP channel in the RF guns is located higher in the frame so as to strike the edge of the cartridge.
....

Andy Horvath can do it. http://smith-wessonforum.com/139369025-post20.html

This is the complete thread: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-smithing/496838-k32-build.html?highlight=horvath+rimfire+centerfire

You'll have to call or write to Andy, he doesn't do email or have a website. Early in the day is the best time to call.

Diagonal Road Gun Shop
14131 Diagonal Rd
La Grange, OH 44050
440-458-4369

Here's the 8-3/8" .327 he did for me. I did start off with a Model 14 frame (so no firing pin issues), a Model 16-4 cylinder and a Model 17 barrel that I had rebored.

 

[Jim Watson]

Seems to be a shortage of Gunsmiths.
Conversion of rim to centerfire is a lot harder to arrange than it used to be.
Rebores are scarce, too.

 

[Pizza Bob]

Thanks guys. I've written the gunsmith that I'd like to do the conversion (nothing against Andy, but this very competent gunsmith is within driving distance and this project is getting more expensive by the minute - so any savings helps) and will see what he says.

The sticking point may be the differences between the older K-22 floating FP set-up and that used currently. The older rimfire guns used a pin, through the frame, above the sideplate to retain the FP - this would have been the type of gun converted by Andy. The new arrangement uses an internal retainer - nothing visible externally. The question is: What are the internal differences and do they preclude conversion?

As Roseanne Rosannadanna always said, "It's always something."

Adios,

Pizza Bob