I Loctited my TRR8 barrel...

[karateHottie93]

With blue, of course!

I couldn't take it coming loose anymore. I got sick of getting it perfectly spaced only for it to come loose as I'd try to tighten the shroud nut.

Speaking of which...I only did the barrel where it connects to the frame, not the shroud nut. I've seen Dan Wesson owners do that and strongly regret it.

Just being able to tighten the nut without the perfectly spaced barrel coming loose was an amazing feeling.

 

[chris1961]

You can employ the Blue Loctite on all screws. It isn't a problem. I did it on all my revolvers.

 

[ACORN]

If necessary, a little heat will loose Locktite's grip. Around 200F IIRC.

 

[Protocall_Design]

Blue and purple don't need any heat. Red and green need 350 to 400 F. to get them loose.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

I've only had the barrel nut loosen when I had that top rail and an optic on it.
If you don't, you should be fine.

I don't recommend the use of the top metal rail and any heavy optic. It will loosen the barrel.

 

[karateHottie93]

You can employ the Blue Loctite on all screws. It isn't a problem. I did it on all my revolvers.

I do it on my Colts because their side plate and crane screws always wanna back out on me for whatever reason. Never had an issue with anything on Smiths coming loose…besides this dumb barrel and shroud. The blue Loctite has done good though. It didn't come lose when I shot it with a heavy optic yesterday so I'm happy now.

Should have done this forever ago. Had the Loctite but just couldn't bring myself to put it on the barrel threads.

 

[shawn mccarver]

This loosening should not be happening. Has S&W actually forgotten how to build a revolver?

 

[karateHottie93]

I've only had the barrel nut loosen when I had that top rail and an optic on it.
If you don't, you should be fine.

I don't recommend the use of the top metal rail and any heavy optic. It will loosen the barrel.

Yeah you helped me out when I came on here before about issues with my TRR8. I initially decided against Loctiting the barrel and was gonna get one of the rear sight mounts like you got.

I thought about it though and this gun was clearly used by the previous owner and already has a lot of character. I enjoy shooting this gun as much if not more than any other I own.

I'm just gonna enjoy this one for what it can be and stop trying to baby it. Then when I come across a new one, I'll pick it up and keep it as more of a safe queen. One of my favorite things about this gun is the stupid enjoyment of running ridiculously huge optics on it.

 

[karateHottie93]

This loosening should not be happening. Has S&W actually forgotten how to build a revolver?

I tend to agree. In the gun's defense I ran it with an X300U and a pretty big Sightmark R Spec. At the same time, they put the rails on there and have marketed it with rifle optics and that same light in the past. Fortunately the Loctite seems to have fixed my issues...at least for the moment.

 

[Benchrest1]

I can't understand why S&W uses steel Pic rails on a lightweight scandium framed revolver like the TRR8. For that reason alone I won't use the pic rails. I have also used Blue Loctite on fasteners that come lose. However I've never had a barrel nut come lose on any of my revolvers.

 

[karateHottie93]

I can't understand why S&W uses steel Pic rails on a lightweight scandium framed revolver like the TRR8. For that reason alone I won't use the pic rails. I have also used Blue Loctite on fasteners that come lose. However I've never had a barrel nut come lose on any of my revolvers.

I actually don't think it's the nut coming loose…but the barrel coming loose. I say this because every time it's happened it's twisted itself deeper into the nut. I can't understand why they did opposite threads on each end. They obviously know a lot more than me about firearms engineering and I'm sure there's a good reason (at least I hope there is). I just can't come up with one off the top of my head

What I will say is that although I'm a huge Colt fanboy and prefer their double action triggers by a country mile…when in one piece, this is what I'd consider to be the greatest mass produced revolver ever made from a capability standpoint. I just feel like this one issue is way too common for a better solution to still not exist. If you bought yours new and have a warranty your only solutions are to not use the rails, risk voiding your warranty by trying to tighten it back up, or RMA it every time it does come loose.

If one of their semi autos was known to have a common issue that resulted in an unusable firearm, and the only supported solution was an RMA, people would be up in arms.

 

[kaaskop49]

I've only had the barrel nut loosen when I had that top rail and an optic on it.
If you don't, you should be fine.

I don't recommend the use of the top metal rail and any heavy optic. It will loosen the barrel.

My apologies, Lou, but the OP's issue is the reason why I shy away from these 2 otherwise great 327 revolvers. Two schools of thought, neither one appealing: NEVER tighten it yourself, send it back to S&W, or use that specific wrench mentioned here occasionally. 5" 627PC anyone?

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[JDBoardman]

Where did you get the tool to tighten the barrel into the frame? I know it looks like a reverse of the barrel bore - that is the rifling groove are positive on the tool while they are negative in the barrel. I need the .44 Magnum version because the shroud on my Model 69 is loose and I would like to tighten it.

 

[AzShooter]

It didn't happen if there are no pictures.

 

[karateHottie93]

Where did you get the tool to tighten the barrel into the frame? I know it looks like a reverse of the barrel bore - that is the rifling groove are positive on the tool while they are negative in the barrel. I need the .44 Magnum version because the shroud on my Model 69 is loose and I would like to tighten it.

I got mine from EWK but I believe it's specific to the 327 guns. I know they also make one for the 45 ACP Thunder Ranch.

 

[karateHottie93]

It didn't happen if there are no pictures.

Go to my old threads. I posted pictures months ago

Edit: Coming back to amend this statement lol. I looked through my old threads. Never bothered to post a picture of it with the barrel off. I'm at work and don't even have a picture of the gun in it's factory preset attached barrel state. What I could pull up from work was my old invoice for the barrel wrench. It's from the same time as my original thread about the barrel breaking off lol.

Hopefully that counts for something.