I have a S&W Model 19-5 357 Magnum. During recent trip to the range gun began to malfunction, powder marks between frame and cylinder, Cylinder swing out stuck. Had to force the cylinder out, after examining the problem I saw a small split at the 6:00 O'clock position on the forcing cone. On the S&W website for parts the expanded version from the forcing cone to the muzzle is one piece. On other forums have been told this is common for M19's of that era, and the only option is to buy used barrel on Brownell's, Gunbroker ect. and have it installed. The split on the forcing cone does not exceed the frame, very minor, 1/16 of an inch or less. Wonder if a real Gunsmith could repair this without changing the barrel? People on Nevada Shooters and Fireing Line say just use JB Weld. These boneheads are smoking crack or don't know what they are talking about. Hoping for a legitimate realistic option to repair this problem.
Forcing Cone Split/Crack
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Your only solution is a different barrel. I have seen people shoot them for a while with wadcutters and so on, but it's just prolonging the inevitable. Either get a barrel of some kind or see what you can get for the parts.
Another thought, BTW... others wanting to do a custom gun project on a Model 19 frame might buy your gun as-is. Might offer it for sale here. There are a few experimenters kicking around here.
Another thought, BTW... others wanting to do a custom gun project on a Model 19 frame might buy your gun as-is. Might offer it for sale here. There are a few experimenters kicking around here.
Protocall_Design
Vendor
Stop while the crack is small. If you keep shooting it, the crack will get bigger and eventually crack the frame too. Then the frame is toast. The only fix is another barrel. There are lots of barrels floating around out there. JB Weld is good stuff, but won't fix this.
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The gents above are correct. You're looking at a new to you barrel or a custom barrel if you want really new.
If the crack is shallow enough, I suppose you could set the barrel back, cut a new forcing cone and shorten the extractor rod & center pin. That'd probably cost more than a different/new barrel and installation.
The model 19 was designed in an era when the vast majority of shooting was done with .38's, even wadcutter target loads.
If the crack is shallow enough, I suppose you could set the barrel back, cut a new forcing cone and shorten the extractor rod & center pin. That'd probably cost more than a different/new barrel and installation.
The model 19 was designed in an era when the vast majority of shooting was done with .38's, even wadcutter target loads.
Bosquebass
Member
J-B Weld to repair a split forcing cone? 
The guy that gave you that advice didn't go by the screen name of "Bubba" did he?
The guy that gave you that advice didn't go by the screen name of "Bubba" did he?
OK, an actual case of the elusive cracked forcing cone on a K frame. You must be understandably disappointed. I have questions. Do you know the history of the gun in terms of type/number of ammo? Internet lore has it that this is mostly only a problem when significant numbers of fully loaded magnums with lighter bullets, i.e., 125 grains, have been fired. Second, we would love to see a good close up photo of the affected area. A 1/16" crack sounds huge to me in terms of barrel integrity.
Again, sorry for your misfortune.
Again, sorry for your misfortune.
tenntex32
Member
I just looked, for the second time, at a cracked forcing cone on a chromed Victory model. Someone had filed more material off the bottom of the forcing cone as they had gotten carried away with the chroming on the part of the cylinder that fits right under the forcing cone. It definitely had been filed down in an effort to allow the chromed cylinder(parts) to not contact the bottom of the forcing cone when closed. They just got too carried away with the filing.....or should I say chroming.
Of course it cracked, and most likely not too long after filing on the forcing cone. I have to go back to the leather shop it is at soon for some holster work I am having done and I'll take some pics of it next time I am there.
I don't know why they thought they could get away with filing on the forcing cone so much, but it is definitely a lot more than the factory flat spot on the bottom of a normal Victory forcing cone.
Dale
Of course it cracked, and most likely not too long after filing on the forcing cone. I have to go back to the leather shop it is at soon for some holster work I am having done and I'll take some pics of it next time I am there.
I don't know why they thought they could get away with filing on the forcing cone so much, but it is definitely a lot more than the factory flat spot on the bottom of a normal Victory forcing cone.
Dale
cowboy4evr
Member
It 's not " common " but it does happen . There have been many reasons given for it , lead build up in the forcing cone , too many 125 gr hot magnum loads etc . The gun was designed to shoot 158 gr or heavier in 357 magnum . I got that from S&W . If you think about all the yrs it was produced and how few the number of incidences it happen . The % is very very small . I have had quite a few K-frame 357's and have shot practically all magnum loads and have never cracked a forcing cone and I'm talking about yrs and yrs of shooting . It was designed to shoot 357 magnum . It is my favorite revolver yet today in 357 magnum . I'm very partial to the K-frame 357 , as you might guess . Regards, Paul
As others have mentioned, the barrel is not repairable. It does not matter if it is in the frame or not
You want to look for a replacement barrel out on the secondary market.
They are out there in anything from user condition to NOS barrels that have been sitting in work benches for decades waiting for a project to come along.
You want to look for a replacement barrel out on the secondary market.
They are out there in anything from user condition to NOS barrels that have been sitting in work benches for decades waiting for a project to come along.
Mine cracked shooting 150 gr. cast bullets.
send it back to S&W
why not just send it back to S&W???I would think they would put a new barrel on it for you???
why not just send it back to S&W???I would think they would put a new barrel on it for you???
This is what I would try first. It won't cost anything, and you'll find out what it will cost you, if anything, to repair it . . .
The lifetime service policy started for guns made in 1989.
Word is S&W doesn't have replacement barrels for the old 19s. What you might get from a return is a discounted price on a new gun. Like a 66-8 for $620 or something else at a discount.
500SNW
Member
My thinking exactly. Since the OP is new here, we have no idea of his/her level of knowledge. My first suspicion was - could it be bits of lead shavings from cast bullets? A "ring" accumulating around the exterior of the forcing cone maybe mimicking the appearance of a crack? Sorry, but in the absence of good close-up photos, such questions must be put forward. When I first started shooting cast bullets in wheelguns, I was disappointed to find burrs on the forcing cone of my brand new $1000 gun. I eventually realized that those "burrs" were bits of cast bullet shrapnel which had become welded to the forcing cone.
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ExRanger714
Member
Not to disagree but be prepared for the the $45 inspection and function test fee. I don't think you can dodge that and, last I heard, S&W was out of barrels. YMMV. Good luck and keep us posted.
Edit: Rumor has it that if you call three times and talk to three different people you may well get three different answers. Again YMMV.
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I never paid anything for a cracked frame . . .
ExRanger714
Member
Copy that and you've had more to do with them than I so I concur.
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