cutting a barrel down from the forcing cone side...

[RightWinger]

I normally have used Mark Harthorne with Pinnacle Performance for all my revolver work, however I have had a little trouble reaching him over the past 3 months and I am wanting to find someone willing to cut a S&W 625-4 down to 3 inches, but from the forcing cone side, turn new threads, mill in the ejector rod slot in the lug, and install a ball detent lock up, or redrill it for the factory setup. I have talked to 7 pistolsmiths today, and none of them seem interested at all in performing this kind of work, and even S&W PC wasn't willing to touch it. Does anyone know of a Gunsmith who will perform this service? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[RightWinger]

I am not arguing that this is the more difficult way of cutting a barrel down, but it's the only way that looks like a factory 3 inch gun. I have seen some very talented pistolsmiths cut barrels down, and even the best still look like something other than how the gun came out of the factory as a 3 inch. If I could buy a 3 inch replacement barrel I would, but they are few are far between. Most of the 3 inch 625-4's usually seem to be north of 1800 bucks these days.....

Most gunsmiths were very nice, but they said the time and complexity of that project would be more than they wanted to get involved in.

 

[keith44spl]

I don't do any gunsmithin', except on my own guns.....


If I were to want the set up your lookin for, a 4" down to 3".
I'd cut an 1/2" off'n both ends and end up with a working length
ejector rod and lock-up.....more aliken to the factory look.

Just something to think about.


.

 

[RightWinger]

Not sure the advantage of cutting on both ends, I like the full length ejector rod, and the whole point of this was to avoid hacking the barrel on the front and buggering up the factory front sight. Maybe I'm missing something, but nothing about the above post is making any sense to me at all.......

 

[SAFireman]

Seems like it would be easier to purchase a 3.0" barrel and have it installed.

Now, making something that never was produced by the factory is another matter....our friend keith44spl has some very fine examples

 

[Iggy]

Here's a couple Keith44special cut down from 6 1/2" to 5".

He moved the factory front sights back when he did them. They aren't boogered up too bad.

 

[BUFF]

For the type of job you want done, it will be easier and much cheaper to sell the gun you have and buy the gun you want.

 

[Big Cholla]

Coincidentally, I just spent the morning in my shop going over this same proposition on a M 66 barrel. Of course it was obvious that the lower ejector lug was not full length like on a M 686, so it just wasn't going to work taking it all off of the rear of the barrel. And, I like as long of an ejector rod as possible for the lengthy 357 mag cases in the interest of positive ejection. Then the issue is how to retain that great looking integrally milled front sight and ramp. I finally resolved that I would just have to suck it up and cut off the 1" from the muzzle end of the barrel. Then I will mill off the remaining part of the front sight. I will cut the front sight complete with ramp off of a surplus donor barrel and silver solder it to a prepared mill slot on the newly made 3" barrel. Of course I'm doing all this just to give myself an interesting project in my gunshop. Time taken for the project doesn't mean anything and I sure work 'cheap' when working for myself.

If I were still in the commercial gunsmithing business I too would turn this job down. It wouldn't be an economical use of my time and would probably run upwards to $500. That would be money tossed in a hole for the owner because they would never get it back on any future sale. Plus the intrinsic value of that model handgun would go down because of the alteration.

I think the best advise given was, "sell the gun you have and haunt the internet until you find the gun you want." There is one parts seller on GB that seems to find more 3" S&W revolver barrels that he can put up for sale than most anyone else I am aware. BUT, he knows how rare they are and his prices start north of $300 and go upwards to $500 per barrel real quick. ..................

 

[keith44spl]

Not sure the advantage of cutting on both ends, I like the full length ejector rod, and the whole point of this was to avoid hacking the barrel on the front and buggering up the factory front sight. Maybe I'm missing something, but nothing about the above post is making any sense to me at all.......

Sir,

If the 625-4 has in fact a full length lug.....

Yeah, it could be all taken off the frame end and the ejector
rod slot milled to length and the pinned spring loaded locking bolt re-installed.


I guess.

Sorry didn't mean to be confusing on the matter.


.

 

[RightWinger]

I realize this is not the easiest, and it is very labor intensive, but in my OPINION, this is the only way to do it and have it look like a factory 3 inch gun. Several have commented on buying one, and well that is an option if I had 2500 bucks, but then again, I enjoy shooting guns more than collecting them so buying a collectable gun to shoot for that price doesn't seem like a logical idea. Buying a 3 inch barrel would be a great idea if I could find one at a reasonable price, and that hasn't been possible in the last 3 years I have been looking for them. If I had some pictures of some of the work I have seen done with a barrel this way, people would be amazed at how well it looks, and it would take a very good eye to be able to tell the gun was altered. Those goofy front sight bases that are silver soldered on just don't look right to me. I am not knocking anyone's work here, but that look just isn't what I'm going after. For what I have in this gun, it would still be much cheaper for me to pay a hefty price to have this done than to buy a 3 inch 625-4.....