Are these raised grooves inside barrel compensator normal?

[Muffin Man]

Hi all,

I have a model 19 carry comp, and I found these raised grooves or something under the compensator part of the gun. The barrel before the compensator looks smooth. Would anyone know if this is normal for a compensator?

I got this gun new, and I only have about 150 rounds through it.

Thanks,
Aaron

 

[Tinkertech]

I believe that those grooves are for the S&W barrel removal tool.

 

[Yendor357]

That’s called rifling.

 

[65Whelen]

I don't think they are rifling. What is the diameter? I suspect it's larger than the barrel and it rifling. I would agree it's probably something to do with assembly.

 

[stansdds]

Sure looks like rifling to me, but that's really odd to have rifling on the end wall/baffle of a compensator. Makes me think this barrel skipped a machining step.

 

[Protocall_Design]

That looks way too deep to me for rifling. I think it's wrench lugs.

 

[Yendor357]

Go watch the YouTube video on how Colt revolvers are made. At about 11 min, 30 seconds, The barrels on Colt revolvers are put on by a guy using a 3 foot long bar. There’s no way that little bit of rifling is going to hold up to the amount of torque that those barrels are put on with. If you disagree, put your frame in a vice and unscrew that barrel.

On the other hand, I also question why S&W left the rifling on that portion of the barrel.

 

[Tinkertech]

I believe it's to hold the shroud nut on. Like Dan Wesson does. Special tool is used for installing and removal of this nut.

Then the barrel tool is then used to engage the full length of the rifling to remove and install the barrel.

This tool is maybe all in one, nut and barrel, not completely sure.

Since S&W won't sell them to anyone so not too many people have actually seen or used one.

Probably only the factory knows for sure.

I've only seen drawings.

 

[Muffin Man]

Thank you all for your thoughts. I ended up sending it in to smith. I’m mainly concerned at how chunks of metal have been ripped off. I’m hoping it isn’t a big deal and they can fix it.

 

[JRD]

Your gun was made that way and all the Model 19 Carry Comp guns are the same way. What looks like rifling that you are questioning is for the wrench that tightens that nut. The diameter of that feature is larger than bullet, so the bullet will never touch it. It just happens to look like rifling so I can understand why some people get confused. To the posters on this thread who said it was an assembly feature, you are correct.

S&W will send your gun back saying it's supposed to be that way. Nothing was ripped off. Those features were precisely machined off when the nut was made and then were used as driving surfaces when the nut was torqued on.
When you get it back, just shoot your gun and enjoy it.