Canted or over-clocked barrels.

[Jalopiejoe]

A few years ago there seemed to be a problem with S&W revolvers leaving the factory with canted barrels! I bought a 686+ in about 2013 that had one and returned it for repair but it was never quite right! Got rid of it!
Is this still a problem in recent years? I haven't heard any complaints recently! I hope they got better at QC!

 

[bigfatty]

It's still happening. Not as bad as it used to be, but it is.

 

[lihpster]

I'm picking up a new one on Wed. I'll let you know how it looks.

 

[Jalopiejoe]

I'm picking up a new one on Wed. I'll let you know how it looks.

I just bought a new 617 on GunBroker and nervous about what I will receive! Fingers crossed!

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

My Thunder Ranch .45acp had to go back to S&W to get the bbl turned a little more so it was true and a shorter front sight. Added some nice grips from Ken to complete it. Bought it used 6 years ago.

 

[K Frame Keith]

I had a Ruger SP101 like that. Had to crank the rear sight over to compensate. Got rid of it.

 

[smoothshooter]

YES, it is still a problem.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

My son bought a new 638 last year & it's under-clocked which makes the POI about 3-4" to the left of POA at 10 yds.

.

 

[BigBill]

I been thinking two piece barrels solved that.

Not sure if the barrel is canted but I’d wait to shoot it first to see if the rear site adjusts it a tad, if it’s that far off back it goes.

With cost cutting the QC is the first to go.

I hate anyone working on my guns.

 

[twodog max]

Canted barrels have always been a problem. Might be worse now but then again who can say for sure. I have older Smiths with the problem too. In these times dissatisfied buyers get on forum and air their grievances so could be just seems more prevalent.
Yep it happens even today just as it did in the great old days.

 

[rwsmith]

The problem is.....

Plus or minus 5 degrees is considered to be 'within spec'. If it's out 5 degrees they won't touch it. The last I saw this operation they put the gun in a vise and used a long wrench to tighten the barrel and 'eyeballed' the result. No such thing as an index mark.

The second and more serious problem was that they were drilling and tapping the hole for the barrel in the frame of the gun off axis. No amount of 'reclocking' would fix that. I believe that after a lot of complaints they fixed that

.

 

[Narragansett]

I'm picking up a new one on Wed. I'll let you know how it looks.

If it were canted, I would be leaving it wherever it is and not picking it up. I would also inspect the forcing cone, and bring feeler gauges to check the B/C gap. But that is just me

 

[Vilkus]

I noticed a fair amount of over or under clocked barrels from both Ruger and S&W back in the mid/late 70's. Nothing new.

 

[BigBill]

If it shoots to the right aim more to the left, it it shoots to the left aim more to the right.
My older brother would shoot one round at the range to see where it hit. Then adjust his poa to hit the x ring. He was my mentor and a really good shot.

 

[RevolverJim]

I see the "over clocked" problem mostly on L frames, usually they are timed right.

The N frames seem to have fewer problems with over clocking but more timing issues.......

When the bean counters are in control bad things happen.

 

[Protocall_Design]

All you have to do is make vise jaws that hold the barrel vertical, then get the grip frame 90 degrees to the table surface with a square. It takes about 30 seconds to get it perfect every time that way. No guessing or eyeballing the sights, it is mechanically exactly true. I've done it dozens of times.

 

[reddogs]

Curious how hard it is to turn the frame in a vise like that.

 

[Narragansett]

If it shoots to the right aim more to the left, it it shoots to the left aim more to the right.
My older brother would shoot one round at the range to see where it hit. Then adjust his poa to hit the x ring. He was my mentor and a really good shot.

Obviously, he had a handle on how to adjust to fix the problem. However, IMO, that is not a step that one should have to take with a handgun. It is however a mandatory step to be taken with a shotgun. Point of impact is everything with a shotgun. Especially in clay target shooting

 

[Protocall_Design]

Curious how hard it is to turn the frame in a vise like that.

The barrel is in the vise, the frame is turned with a frame wrench with a long handle on it. It's easy to make small adjustments and bring it right in to perfect. Nothing hard or curious about it.

 

[cometpx4]

Smith

Don't worry about the barrel. It only matters if a bullet is going to be traveling thru it. The light strike problem coming out of Smith lately is terrible, but it renders the barrel problem meaningless.
They are turning out junk these days.
Just my opinion