How is over clocked barrel made right?
- Thread starter Adk.IBO
- Start date
I suspect that the problem with canted barrels is that there is a certain torque range that is acceptable say 45 to 80. Sometimes the barrel and frame picked up by the installer doesn't hit 45 by the time it is at 12 o'clock, but it does a few degrees past. He says good enough instead of trying another barrel. Sometimes it hits 80 a few degrees before top dead center and he says good enough. Probably just a barrel installer. Not a gun smith, might not be a shooter, just a job. He may have been given a tolerance and may have a quota of assemblies to do. 95% may work out that they are at 12 O'clock the rest they hope nobody complains.
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It all depends on HOW OVER CLOCKED the barrel position is. For a minor amount (say 1/16 to 1/8" I'll bet all they do is loosen barrel and put some sort of thread locker on the threads and re-align. I would really doubt they would recut the barrel and remove a thread because then they would have to reset the B/C Gap etc. I can't state that for sure ( that might be up to the individual Gunsmith and how he feels that day ), but in today's day and age I would bet the simple and fast fix is what the Factory would do for minor discrepancies.
The real concern is if the barrel is JUST SLIGHTLY canted BUT shoots dead on, then presumably when it is set straight it might be off a touch. If your gun shoots dead on and is otherwise perfectly fine, I'd think twice before sending it in unless its really severely off. I have seen quite a few Smiths, Colts Rugers, etc that have been a minor amount off, but I am usually the only one who even notices (and that includes the owners). Just saw an early Colt Python in 99% condition that had a canted barrel - but the darn thing is so accurate and they are worth so much these days my recommendation to my buddy was to leave well enough alone. Like I said, the average person would never notice but would be concerned with originality and accuracy.
PS: I might be more concerned on a fine Target gun with a longer barrel and a bit less concerned with a Snub Nosed 2" bbl. that would be used for SD purposes. A 2" DA only gun is intended to be pointed at close range - not used for Bullseye shooting at 25 yards. That said........ no matter what anybody's opinion is, including mine, you have to do what you have to do to feel comfortable with it.
The real concern is if the barrel is JUST SLIGHTLY canted BUT shoots dead on, then presumably when it is set straight it might be off a touch. If your gun shoots dead on and is otherwise perfectly fine, I'd think twice before sending it in unless its really severely off. I have seen quite a few Smiths, Colts Rugers, etc that have been a minor amount off, but I am usually the only one who even notices (and that includes the owners). Just saw an early Colt Python in 99% condition that had a canted barrel - but the darn thing is so accurate and they are worth so much these days my recommendation to my buddy was to leave well enough alone. Like I said, the average person would never notice but would be concerned with originality and accuracy.
PS: I might be more concerned on a fine Target gun with a longer barrel and a bit less concerned with a Snub Nosed 2" bbl. that would be used for SD purposes. A 2" DA only gun is intended to be pointed at close range - not used for Bullseye shooting at 25 yards. That said........ no matter what anybody's opinion is, including mine, you have to do what you have to do to feel comfortable with it.
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Check out this short video of a revolver build in the Performance Center. At approx. the 2.37 second mark in the video, the assembler/builder puts the slab sided barrel with the frame attached into a vise mounted on his bench.....a vise padded with duct tape. He then tightens the frame onto the barrel with a large (presumably aluminum) wrench. The wrench is placed on the frame near the breachface not near the barrel lug. After cranking on the bbl, He evaluates whether or not the barrel is centered on the frame correctly by looking down the barrel.
Anyone else feel a little uneasy watching him do this?
https://youtu.be/WRbUn214yUs
Anyone else feel a little uneasy watching him do this?
https://youtu.be/WRbUn214yUs
The duct tape may be holding soft facing on the vise jaws. Lead, aluminum or something else to provide a solid mount for the barrel with little or no chance of scratching the finish. I rather doubt the actual vise jaws are knurled hardened steel.
Many of the frame wrenches that fit the threaded frame boss lock into the yoke cut. Since the barrel was installed with the yoke in place, the yoke itself would limit any springing of the frame and prevents the bore for the yoke shaft from warping.
Like a great many things, it may not be the best way, but it is the factory way.
I expect the actual check of the barrel alignment to be more than a quick glance. Remember this was done as a promotional video, not an instructional assembly guide.
Many of the frame wrenches that fit the threaded frame boss lock into the yoke cut. Since the barrel was installed with the yoke in place, the yoke itself would limit any springing of the frame and prevents the bore for the yoke shaft from warping.
Like a great many things, it may not be the best way, but it is the factory way.
I expect the actual check of the barrel alignment to be more than a quick glance. Remember this was done as a promotional video, not an instructional assembly guide.
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Sorry I did not get back sooner, Mom fell and broke her hip with 8 days in the hospital, 2 trips to see her over 200 miles away kept me from the range. Took the 649-3 apart, cleaned, heavily lubed, dry fired a bunch, took apart, cleaned and lightly lubed, then off to the range with 60 Pro Series grips with a box of FMJ .38spl. It shoots fine and has become my EDC! I really like this gun! I want to get some .357 HP and feel the recoil to decide if that is what I will carry in it. 50 minutes to Gander Mountain is the only place that has any, have not made it there yet. I paid to much for this gun, but they don't come up for sale (-3s anyway) very often. I still want to get a protractor to see what the degree of over clocking is. Now, can the pitting under the grips from rust be polished out? Yup, rode hard and put away wet. Sad. I like to maintain all my machines well. 16 years on the snowblower, 25 on the lawnmower, about the same on the weed wacker and chain saw. I drive a 99 truck with 188K miles.
Stay safe, John
Stay safe, John
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FORGETABOUT the protractor! If it shoots fine and it's not all that much off you are probably better off leaving well enough alone - "it ain't a perfect world" ya know! If you are OCD over it and just can't bare looking at it, then do what you have to do, How many degrees off it is, is irrelevant if all else is perfect and it shoots well. YMMV.
The protractor and compass was $3, something my grandson can use someday. It's off 2 degrees. I'm ocd enough to notice it right off but sane enough to think it through, it's not going anywhere
. Even with it's flaws I like it a lot. I probably would buy another one in pristine condition (-3 no IL).
Thanks folks! John
. Even with it's flaws I like it a lot. I probably would buy another one in pristine condition (-3 no IL).Thanks folks! John
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Like I posted above, you are NOT alone! There are many many guns out there (and not just Smiths) that are off a little as well. Most never even notice for as many years as they own the gun. Some like you and I do.
Many times in a quest for perfection when something is sent back to the Factory under warranty they fix one thing and screw two other things up. I have learned this the hard way over many years!
Many times in a quest for perfection when something is sent back to the Factory under warranty they fix one thing and screw two other things up. I have learned this the hard way over many years!
