New titanium cylinders available! - Updated w/pic

[WC145]

Nuemrich Arms has factory new 342PD/337PD, 357PD, 386PD, and 242 cylinders available if anyone is interested.

I just ordered a j-frame cylinder and it was only $59.95, it came to like $68 with shipping! I will have it fitted to the 360J that I had rechambered to 9mm (9x23). Once it's fitted to the gun I'll be able to swap cylinders when I feel like it so I'll be able to shoot .38spl out of it again, in addition to 9mm, .38 Super, 9x23, etc.

I've had an eye out for a titanium 7 shot .357mag L-frame cylinder for my 586 L-Comp but haven't had any luck. I may just end up ordering a 242 cylinder for it.

Anyway, here's the link - Numrich Gun Parts Corp. - The World's Largest Supplier of Firearms Parts and Accessories

 

[Gary7]

Are you sure this swap will work? The 342/337 cylinder is 1.59" long. The carbon steel cylinder on the 360J is 1.53". Only way to make it fit would be to recut the forcing cone and then you're going to have too much gap if you swap the original cylinder back in.

 

[Steve_NEPhila]

Cylinders in double action revolvers are a lot like hearts in humans, you cannot really swap them out regularly without complications. I strongly advise against playing plug and play with cylinders as they are all just a bit different. If you want that kind of flexibility, buy another revolver.

 

[WC145]

All of the j-magnum frame cyls should be the same length, if not I'll return it. I don't have calipers but by my ruler my cylinder is a hair over 1 9/16", whatever that would be in tenths.

As for fitting the cylinder, I'll send it and the gun to Mark Hartshorne for it. He did the other work on the gun and we've already discussed fitting cyls for other guns. He fits the cylinder to the existing hand, etc, so that both cyls work and are timed correctly.

Also, if you check around the forum, there are plenty of examples of successful cylinder swaps in all sorts of DA revolvers.

 

[chp]

Thanks for the heads up. I just ordered one of the 342PD/337PD.

 

[chp]

Would a cylinder swap also require a different crane?

 

[WC145]

Would a cylinder swap also require a different crane?

It shouldn't, one the cylinder is fitted to the gun you just slip the old one out of the crane and slide the new one in.

 

[Gary7]

All of the j-magnum frame cyls should be the same length, if not I'll return it.

Be sure and post back with the dimensions when your new cylinder arrives.

I'll bet an all expense paid trip to the moon that you're going to find the Ti cylinder is too long and won't work without recutting the forcing cone and resetting the barrel.

 

[adweisbe]

I swapped in one of the 242 cylinders. All I had to do was bring over the ejector from the old cylinder. Everything lines up perfectly with a match range rod and it carries up fine as well.

It makes a surprising difference in the trigger.

 

[Gary7]

I swapped in one of the 242 cylinders. All I had to do was bring over the ejector from the old cylinder. Everything lines up perfectly with a match range rod and it carries up fine as well.

You swapped it on a 360J like WC145 and I have?

 

[WC145]

Be sure and post back with the dimensions when your new cylinder arrives.

I'll bet an all expense paid trip to the moon that you're going to find the Ti cylinder is too long and won't work without recutting the forcing cone and resetting the barrel.

Since all j-frames since they went to scandium, etc. are magnum length, with magnum length cylinders, regardless of chambering, what makes you think that the Ti cylinder would be of different dmensions?

My 586 and 646 cylinders are the same outside dimensions even though one is steel/.357mag and the other is Ti/.40S&W.

The 242 cylinder could only fit in an L-frame.

 

[Gary7]

Since all j-frames since they went to scandium, etc. are magnum length, with magnum length cylinders, regardless of chambering, what makes you think that the Ti cylinder would be of different dmensions?

Because I've measured mine and compared it to the published length of the 342/337 Ti cylinder. The 360J's cylinder is 1.53" and the Ti cylinder is 1.59" (the same length as the 357 J-Frame Ti cylinder). The Ti cylinder is longer.

Also, if you compare the length of the exposed forcing cone on a 342 you will see that it's shorter than on our 360J. Look at the stainless blast shield pinned into the top strap of your 360. You'll notice that the end of the barrel/forcing cone goes all the way to the back edge of the shield. On the 342 (and 340PD/360PD in 357) the forcing cone is shorter and stops in the middle of the blast shield.

At any rate, once you get your Ti cylinder if I'm wrong I'll gladly eat crow and will quickly be ordering a Ti cylinder for my 360.

 

[chp]

putting a 342 cylinder into a 642 should work - correct?

 

[Bullseye Smith]

How about the 242 cylinder in the 681 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[chp]

Very nice Bullseye!

 

[WC145]

How about the 242 cylinder in the 681 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of all the guns you've done up that's one of my favorites! If I don't find a Ti .357mag cyl for my 586 L-Comp soon, I may end up going with a 242 cylinder also.

 

[Gary7]

The 242 cylinder could only fit in an L-frame.

I misread his post. I thought he was talking about a 342 cylinder.

 

[WC145]

I rec'd my 342/337 titanium cylinder in the mail from Numrich today. As you can see in the pic there are slight differences, like the shape of the flutes and the the front of my original 360J cylinder is slightly beveled, but the diameter and length are the same. I'll be calling Mark Hartshorne tomorrow to make arrangements for him to fit the new cylinder to my gun.

FYI - my cylinder has been coated with NP3, hence the silver color.

 

[Guevera]

Putting aside cylinder size for a minute, what accounts for these parts being available through Numrich?

I know at least some of these revolvers mentioned are still in production, but am curious why S&W would surplus them out, presumably at a very affordable cost to a big parts house like that.

 

[WC145]

Putting aside cylinder size for a minute, what accounts for these parts being available through Numrich?

I know at least some of these revolvers mentioned are still in production, but am curious why S&W would surplus them out, presumably at a very affordable cost to a big parts house like that.

I don't think S&W is putting titanium cyls in anything anymore, the new 342 has a steel cylinder.

My assumption is that they just unloaded old stock. I know that Numrich has had the 242 cyls for quite a while, I bought one a year or so ago for a project that never materialized.

Also, the 5 shot Ti L-frame .44spl cyls are listed as 386PD cyls, I think that's wrong, they should be either 296 or 396PD. The 386PD was a 7 shot .357.