Help :Barrel Swap Question

[Kwjj]

I recently sent a 16-4 off to S&W for a barrel change.... I bought the revolver with the original box stating 4" barrel. The previous owner had a 6" barrel put on it and the 4" was in the box wrapped in S&W paper. I decided to return the revolver to it's original 4" barrel. I received in writing the quote for putting the
4" back on . The Quote states * 6" barrel is seized and will have to be cut off**
so, how often does that happen ? I called and they said they would have to cut it and use an easy out. The price for the quote for changing the barrel with me supplying the barrel is $148 shipped both ways. Just curious how common this is before I decide to swap or just leave the 6" on and sell the 4"..
Thanks

 

[Sevens]

Yikes. Sorry that I am zero help on your question but the thing brings up questions and obviously... opinions.

I wonder -HOW- they came to their conclusion and wow, does that mean they tried to twist it and failed? Any harm done by that adventure?

Add my name to the list of folks who doesn't choose nor trust the S&W of 2019 to work on S&W guns that pre-date all their tupperware and modern high volume products. Add my name in bold print.

 

[ken158]

Sounds like you are over a barrel here. At least the factory will have the proper tools, jig, etc to do the job right. Suck it up now and "pay the man".

 

[Protocall_Design]

If this were a common gun like a M10 or M19, I would say go ahead, but being a M16, I would leave the barrel on and use it as is, or sell it and buy a 4". You can still sell the extra 4" barrel too, and come out money ahead. It makes me wonder of someone at S&W wants the 6" barrel for themselves or a friend.

 

[kraynky]

All I can contribute is that I recently got a quote locally to remove a 6" barrel and install "my" 4" barrel, already blued to match and looking like it's never been on a gun. I was quoted and "estimate" of $200 bucks.

Yikes! is what I said. I still want a 4" model 28, but I'm going to shop around a bit more, and I'm NOT sending it to Smith & Wesson. I'd be afraid they'd see (or do) something and say, "Sorry we can't return your gun to you, here's a $100 coupon."

Kwjj: I'd get my gun back and check around locally for someone to do the work. Worst case for us both, we still have a nice gun, and we can continue looking for one like we want. I do wish you the best of luck.

Please keep us posted on how this turns out.

 

[colt_saa]

I think that $148 including the shipping is a very reasonable price.

As to barrels seizing, it probably happens quite a bit

But remember almost all barrels stay on the revolver once it has left the factory, so the owners never learn of it

I have only had to cut off one revolver barrel, but I have only changed a dozen or so over the past 3+ decades

 

[daddio202]

I had a cut off barrel on a 48-4 replaced with my supplied "new" barrel at a local master gunsmith.Took them 2 months but the bill was $64. Just as a reference for the op. Quite the dilemma you have.

 

[Eddietruett]

My gunsmith charged me $75 to swap a barrel recently from a 4" to a 7". Luck was with me as it changed out with a perfect .004 gap when the new one was installed. He since has changed another one out that required machining the barrel so it would sit back and he could get the gap perfect. The cost for that was around $150. With the labor they are saying is needed, I think the price is extremely fair and you also have the factory to warranty the repair work.

 

[M29since14]

I don't think the "seized barrel" thing is all that uncommon, but I agree with the reply above that encourages leaving the gun as-is, selling, and buying what you want. Makes a tear come to the eye to think about that nice 6-inch barrel being cut up. Give it some thought. Might even find a 4-inch owner who would like to trade.

 

[2152hq]

Maybe the person that put the 6" bbl on the gun used some Loctite in the process.
I've seen all sorts of overkill in the biz,,LocTite, soldering, rosin on the threads, SuperGlue on the threads, ect.

Taking a bbl off that's been installed like that with even the best of bbl and frame wrench isn't going to do it w/o damaging something.

Even with cutting the bbl down to a stub and and attempting to remove the remnant w/an easy out, the piece of bbl won't be any easier to unscrew than before they cut it off.

Loctite takes about 450F to melt and release it.
Solder around 550
Either of the above heat range will get you color change a good possiblity on the steel)
Rosin melts fairly easy. Attempting to unscrew w/o melting it usually cross threads. Many times cross threads going on but jams 'securely' in place.
SuperGlue (poor mans Loctite) lets go at about 300. But normal tools will not break to bond w/o the heat. Seizes up quickly as you put the parts together also.

All possibilitys, but just that. Guesses.

Personally,,,I'd have them send it back unharmed.
Take a good look at it and see if any hint of anything like the above has been done. If so, decide if you want to try and undo it or have someone try it for you.

If not, the safer/better bet may be as already pointed out is to sell the revolver, sell the 4" bbl if not needed.
Buy another 4" bbl'd gun. (What do I know of newer stuff..Probably an un-obtainable item.)

Long way around, but it may detour you from some costly gunsmithing headaches.

 

[Hondo44]

You already have the shipping cost spent. Follow thru with having the barrel changed, the price is right, and they have a solution. They'll chase the threads in the frame and clean them up if needed.

I see no reason to change plans at this point.

Normally I would have advised to sell it and buy the gun configured as you want, but you just don't find another 16, plus you have the free original 4" barrel. So it's a good option in this case, just let it play out.

 

[Gunhacker]

I'd be concerned that whoever installed the 6" bbl, may have possibly cross threaded it while screwing it onto the frame and applied brute force to seat the barrel. Ask S&W a "what if question" on whether on not that could be a possibility with the barrel being "seized", and what would it entail to fix things should they discover that the frame threads are really screwed up (beyond being able to be chased) when they get the sawed barrel stub out and see what the situation might be.

It might be a better idea to "let sleeping dogs lie" and just keep the 6" barrel on it.... and since it's not original anyway, why not have the cylinder reamed to .327 Federal... with the 6" bbl, that would be a heck of a gun.

I know, because I have two 6" bbl 16-4's, and I had one reamed to .327 Federal, and I have not regretted doing it.

With the money saved from not swapping the barrel, and selling off the 4" bbl, that would more than offset the cylinder work.

Just another option for thought.

 

[Ignatz]

I had S&W put a new barrel on my 586-7, and they cut off the original barrel. Same thing, they said it was seized. When the repair was finished, the "cut off" barrel was returned to me with the finished revolver.
The 586 had an accuracy issue and now shoots great.

 

[AlHunt]

I recently sent a 16-4 off to S&W for a barrel change.... I bought the revolver with the original box stating 4" barrel. The previous owner had a 6" barrel put on it and the 4" was in the box wrapped in S&W paper. I decided to return the revolver to it's original 4" barrel. I received in writing the quote for putting the
4" back on . The Quote states * 6" barrel is seized and will have to be cut off**
so, how often does that happen ? I called and they said they would have to cut it and use an easy out. The price for the quote for changing the barrel with me supplying the barrel is $148 shipped both ways. Just curious how common this is before I decide to swap or just leave the 6" on and sell the 4"..
Thanks

So the cost really is $148 PLUS the couple hundred bucks you'd get by selling the 6" barrel. Plus the possibility of something else going wrong.

Just the view from here ...

 

[bgrafsr]

Another suggestion. Get the gun back and take it to Andy Horvath in LaGrange, OH.

 

[Hondo44]

I had S&W put a new barrel on my 586-7, and they cut off the original barrel. Same thing, they said it was seized. When the repair was finished, the "cut off" barrel was returned to me with the finished revolver.
The 586 had an accuracy issue and now shoots great.

Great report!

And yes, it's not their 'first rodeo'.

 

[Daniel Howe]

my 2 cents..... pay the bill and be happy. You already know you want the 4" and the price is fair, so go for it. If they screw it up they are responsible for making it right so should be ok. Either way I wish you luck.

 

[Lewel]

barrel

I think the price to change the barrel by S&W is fair. I've paid from $125-$$175 to have a barrel changed.

If you are sure you want a 4" do it. I have 2 16-4 4" guns that have been rechambered to 327 mag. & think they are the bomb.

 

[Sevens]

my 2 cents..... pay the bill and be happy. You already know you want the 4" and the price is fair, so go for it. If they screw it up they are responsible for making it right so should be ok. Either way I wish you luck.

If something goes wrong AND Smith & Wesson were to claim all responsibility and "make it right", they would offer him a new revolver.

They produce not one thing that many folks would want as a replacement for a broken 16-4. And they absolutely don't have any leftover 16-4's piled up on a high shelf for just the possibility of this rare occurrence.

If the frame gets borked, that gun goes bye-bye and S&W has no 16-4 and no time machine either.

 

[muddocktor]

If something goes wrong AND Smith & Wesson were to claim all responsibility and "make it right", they would offer him a new revolver.

They produce not one thing that many folks would want as a replacement for a broken 16-4. And they absolutely don't have any leftover 16-4's piled up on a high shelf for just the possibility of this rare occurrence.

If the frame gets borked, that gun goes bye-bye and S&W has no 16-4 and no time machine either.

That is exactly what I was thinking too. Since the barrel was originally changed from 4" to 6", whoever did the swap might possibly boogered the threads up so that the frame will be borked when getting the 6" barrel off and like Sevens said, they don't make those any more.

If I would decide to do the swap, have your head wrapped around the chance of things going wrong and what kind of replacement would satisfy you in place of that 16-4.