Help! 396 Mountain Lite Barrel Shroud Defect

[Kizmo]

In purchasing an otherwise perfect no-lock 396 Mountain Lite, would this defect be a deal-breaker? It appears to be a molding/casting defect in the outer barrel shroud. Called S&W and they no longer have the barrel shrouds in stock. From what I can tell, this is only a cosmetic defect.

Your thoughts and opinions, as always, would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jebus35745]

I don't see the defect but these are hard to find. I have the 357 version and love it. Point it out and I'll check mine. Larry

 

[Kizmo]

It's that little triangle/wedge near the top of the barrel shroud where the shroud meets the frame.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

PD shroud

I don't have a 396PD, & my 396NG doesn't have that, but I suspect it's for indexing the shroud to the frame when it's assembled.

 

[b_san]

Mine definitely doesn't look like that but I don't know if it would structurally affect it or not.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Mine definitely doesn't look like that but I don't know if it would structurally affect it or not.

Kizmo's barrel is a different style than yours. Your's has the old "Mountain Gun" style tampered barrel while his is straight/untampered barrel. I wonder what the revision/year differences are?

 

[Kizmo]

Thanks for the input guys.

Looking at mine under a magnifying glass, it appears that there is a triangular metal burr on the frame, which produced a similar sized divot on the barrel shroud when the shroud was applied. I've never seen this on another 396.

BTW, Bluedot, this barrel IS the tapered mountain gun style barrel.

 

[Pizza Bob]

The shroud is Scandium and my concern is whether that notch would cause a stress riser and crack the shroud starting at that notch. The shroud would be in compression so it will probably be OK. The bigger worry would be if it were being held in tension.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

 

[Kizmo]

I worry what heat and recoil will do to it. Might be like a cracked hot windshield in the summertime.