Help Needed!

[walnutred]

Call Clark Custom Guns and ask for Renee. They manufacture and install match barrels on many makes of firearms, including S&W, and often accumulate good take-offs. Tell her you are looking for a good take-off M14 barrel and want them to install it. You never know, they might have what you are looking for.

 

[Andy W]

I'm just sick over this.

I would be too! Good luck finding a barrel.

 

[seattleM29]

Well just got off the phone with Clark and they do have some M14 barrels--but only 4" ones and they don't offer blueing services so who knows if the gun will even match--$150+/- for the 4" installed. Ford's will install and master blue the gun for $275 but I have to get a barrel and thats going to be $100. Oh well my $200 gun show find just turned into a $450 gun that will never recover that expense so I better decide to keep it. I suppose I COULD go with the 4" and have more like a Frankenstein Combat Masterpiece and then have it blued later. I'll have to think about this some more--unless someone needs a pre 14 frame and I could just sell it like that but I'm gonna take a loss either way.

I looked very close at the cone before I bought it-maybe next time I need to take a magnifying glass--even then maybe I wouldn't be able to tell. I found a 6" on GB for $95 plus shipping. It looks to be in good condition so I'll probably go with that and then just get it installed for now.

 

[seattleM29]

Just found a local smith who can do a barrel install for $125 so thats not bad considering S&W will do it for $60 but with shipping since you have to send handguns next day would have put it over $100 I'll be ok. Hopefully I'll win the auction and be back in business.

 

[SDH]

Sorry about the dilemma...
But I wouldn't rule out a 4" Combat Masterpiece barrel. I like mine at least as much as the 6" M-14. And it shoots at least as well.

 

[General Flunky]

model 14

I don't know where you live, but if this was mine I would at least talk to Alan Harton. He is not just a single action man. He is the best gunsmith out there for welding broken gun parts. Call him and ask him if he can save your barrel. All you have to loose is a phone call. 713-772-8314 or cell 713-907-6031

 

[austintexas]

I had the same thing happen to a pre-15. I bought it at a gunshow and didn't shoot it for a couple of years. When I ran 6 rounds thru it it locked up. I went to a local gunshop that had a gunsmith and it looked thru his box of take offs and bought a used M-15 barrel. Took it home and unscrewed the old barrel after taking a punch and closing the split. screwed the new barrel in, put the pin in and checked the cylinder gap. the gap was a little close so I filed the back of the barrel until it was about 5 thou. the cylinder closed, the blue was about the same and I had all of $35.00 in the repair. The pistol shot great. I wouldn't be in a big hurry to repair it, look around at gunshows, I've seen M-15, 14 barrels that were new going for under $50.00

 

[gunsmith21]

I dont know about the new K-frame barrels, but I just installed a new 22-4 barrel on an old 1917 Smith. Took several weeks to get the barrel from Smith & Wesson but it did work with minor fitting and some cosmetic adjustments. Your best bet is to find a used barrel and have a qualified gunsmith to install it, if you can't get Smith & Wesson to do it.
one caution though, check the frame closely around the barrel shank to make sure it has not been damaged,bulged,or cracked.

 

[seattleM29]

Thanks for the info. I was able to win the gunbroker auction and a found a local smith so hopefully will be back in business in a few weeks. I'll definately have him check for any other damage.

 

[wbraswell]

I will be the first to say, that I'm no expert, but I wouldn't think that +P ammo is anywhere hot enough to hurt a steel K-frame. Super Vel, HD Hi Speed, and handloads are another thing all together. I also wouldn't think the previous owner could know about the problem, unless the cone was already split. Am I wrong?

 

[wheelgun610]

Is it just me, or does it appear that the forcing cone has been reamed? It sure looks thinner at the edge than on either my K-38 or my .38 Combat Masterpiece.

Reaming forcing cones is/was a fairly common practice. It's usually done to change the throat angle, or to remove erosion in the throat of the barrel. If it was reamed, that alone could be the reason for the split.

I'd check with the previous owner to see if he in fact did ream it.... And, of course, I'd mention the damage.

Mark

 

[seattleM29]

Wheelgun it's an optical illusion(ie crappy cell phone pic lol)

I did win the auction and received the barrel so I compared them and they are the same thickness.
Sadly I can't ask the previous owner anything because I bought the gun at a gun show and the seller is from another state.

On the plus side the barrel I won is in amazing condition-it is pretty much a new barrel. Maybe it was a take off. It is EXACTLY the same as the barrel thats on the gun with regard to markings. The blueing is a match and there is no holster wear at the end like on my gun. The rifling is mirror bright. I don't know if this was ever even used or someone just ended up with a barrel from S&W from their inventory.

I'm very happy that I won't have to have it reblued to match, so it will be off to the gunsmith today.

 

[seattleM29]

Just got it back from the smith yesterday. Will be going to the range today with it. The smith made sure to set the gap correctly and checked the timing & test fired. Everything was perfect he said so will see how she shoots today. I'm going to relegate the gun to range duty and home defense since the collectibility is now gone. I'm glad I don't have to reblue it. I think I'll turn the old barrel into a pencil holder. This one bad experience though has not turned me off to buying older S&W's or other older guns though, I like the old stuff a lot.