Odds of getting a canted barrel

[1sailor]

I've been looking at a model 60 Pro which DOES NOT have a canted barrel. I was discussing this with a fellow S&W owner and we started wondering just how common an occurance it really is. We've both been reluctant to buy any Smith revolvers online because of not wanting to get stuck with one although we both understand that Smith will probably correct the issue if it happens. So we're wondering what the odds really are. Is it one in a million, or one in three. You seldom hear from the guys who have correctly fitted barrels so maybe it's not as common as we think. On the other hand for every complaint you see on the board there may be lots of guys not on the board who have this problem. Any real facts concerning this problem or even an educated guess (not a WAG but someone who's actually seen it on more than one occasion).

 

[Bluecoat76]

THE ONLY ONE I KNOW OF WAS ONE OF THE FIRST 586'S BUILT AND PURCHASED BY MYSELF MANY YEARS AGO. THE FITTER MUST HAVE BEEN CROSS-EYED. BUT I MUST BEEN AS WELL BECAUSE I DIDN'T CATCH IT UNTIL I TOOK IT OUT AND FIRED IT. IT CAME BACK IN NO TIME ALL FIXED UP.

 

[Warren Sear]

Extremely uncommon, but it does happen. I don't think S&W will repair it under warranty (they will probably say it falls within tolerances), so check any potential purchase carefully before shelling out the money.

 

[XTrooper]

Maybe I'm just unlucky, but I've had two canted barrels including one Performance Center revolver. It seems to me that when you screw a barrel onto the frame of a revolver rather than pin it on as was once done, this is bound to happen on a semi-regular basis. Extremely uncommon? I think that is more wishful thinking than reality.

 

[Cal44]

I've looked closely at about a dozen new Smiths in LGSs over the last 6 months.

3 had canted, over clocked barrels.

25%

I looked at and bought 6 older Smiths in that time and none was clocked.

 

[Rahjerz]

A frame wrench is available from Brownells, if a barrel is overclocked would it be possible to back it off a couple of degrees without the barrel loosening up under use. Or would you have to take the barrel out and dress either the frame or the barrel to get a proper fit. I have read that you only need about 25 FT LBS of torque on a barrel. I guess this might be better addressed under the smithing section.

 

[nuguy]

I have a 29-2, 4 inch that I just sent back to S&W to get this very problem corrected. I did not notice it when I purchased the gun (used) but I rally like it so I guess I have to bite the bullet.

 

[Cholo]

%'s don't have a dang thing to do with it. It's in direct relationship with how long you've looked for a specific handgun.

Ask me how I know

 

[lowriderfxr]

About the same as a burglar sneaking up on a cop carrying a wheel gun!

 

[Ashlander]

Over the last couple years (as long as I have been really looking for it) I see canting not fairly often, but from time to time at the local gun stores -- maybe 10-16% where the cant is there, but you have to look for it, and about 5% where the cant is almost obvious as soon as you pick up the gun. I would define obvious at 12:01 (usually the problem is in that direction). All that means is just take a good look before buying.

When I bought a 617, I had a selection to pick from, so I picked one that was absolutely 12:00.

 

[qrachel]

Zero if you check before the sale is final. I've got 5 great S&W revolvers and they are all perfectly aligned . . . and I checked before I bought them.

I'm not denying the problem exists and I have ranted about it and concerns about S&W QA here a few times. But this is one defect that's is completely avoidable.

R

 

[snowman]

Zero if you check before the sale is final. I've got 5 great S&W revolvers and they are all perfectly aligned . . . and I checked before I bought them.

I'm not denying the problem exists and I have ranted about it and concerns about S&W QA here a few times. But this is one defect that's is completely avoidable.

R

Rachel,

You're fortunate in that you've been able to find the guns locally that you've wanted. In my area this has been impossible -none of the small local shops ever have had what I desired. They of course can order new revolvers, but I'm only interested in older ones. Thus I've been forced to buy online. Each time I call the seller ahead and ask if the barrel is canted at all, because I have no tolerance for this flaw. Consequently I've been dependent on the eye & the honesty of the seller. Fortunately this has sufficed in all but one case, a model 17-3. But the cant is so slight on that one that I put up with it.

I'm far from alone in not being able to obtain desired guns locally. I've been following this forum a number of years now and others have said the same. From what I've gathered there are certain areas of the country, also more heavily populated areas, which are far more likely to have a good selection of used, as well as new revolvers. Gunowners in those areas have the good fortune of being able to examine personally what they're interested in and thus avoid canted barrels and other problems.

I've followed your posts as you've accumulated some guns, and as I recall all of your acquisitions have been new guns -am I correct? This of course eliminates the risk, as you've posted. Many of the rest of us are forced by the circumstances mentioned above to buy before being able to see the goods, and thus problems like this aren't always avoidable for us.

Hope this perspective is somewhat helpful.

Regards,
Andy

 

[Nick B]

I've looked closely at about a dozen new Smiths in LGSs over the last 6 months.

3 had canted, over clocked barrels.

25%

I looked at and bought 6 older Smiths in that time and none were clocked.

About the same percentage as I've seen .

 

[XTrooper]

This is exactly my situation. Living in a mountainous, rural part of Pennsylvania, I wouldn't have half the firearms I own because they wouldn't in a million years have ever been found in one of the local gun shops around here. My Performance Center 8-shot 627 snubbie is a perfect example. Ten lifetimes wouldn't be long enough for one to show up around here.

Rachel,

You're fortunate in that you've been able to find the guns locally that you've wanted. In my area this has been impossible -none of the small local shops ever have had what I desired. They of course can order new revolvers, but I'm only interested in older ones. Thus I've been forced to buy online. Each time I call the seller ahead and ask if the barrel is canted at all, because I have no tolerance for this flaw. Consequently I've been dependent on the eye & the honesty of the seller. Fortunately this has sufficed in all but one case, a model 17-3. But the cant is so slight on that one that I put up with it.

I'm far from alone in not being able to obtain desired guns locally. I've been following this forum a number of years now and others have said the same. From what I've gathered there are certain areas of the country, also more heavily populated areas, which are far more likely to have a good selection of used, as well as new revolvers. Gunowners in those areas have the good fortune of being able to examine personally what they're interested in and thus avoid canted barrels and other problems.

I've followed your posts as you've accumulated some guns, and as I recall all of your acquisitions have been new guns -am I correct? This of course eliminates the risk, as you've posted. Many of the rest of us are forced by the circumstances mentioned above to buy before being able to see the goods, and thus problems like this aren't always avoidable for us.

Hope this perspective is somewhat helpful.

Regards,
Andy

 

[Road Rat]

I find it hard to believe that it ever happens!!!

The worker bee's are supposed to be professionals at what they do! It can't be rocket science to tighten a revolver barrel until it lines up in a straight line with the body..............or, am I looking at this too simply??

 

[buck460XVR]

During the time when handguns were really hard to get(few months back) the odds of seeing a Smith with a canted barrel was high because in many cases, that's all that were left. Folks picked over them for models with properly clocked barrels. Seemed once the new supply of recent manufactured guns started to appear in shops the percentage went down to about where it was for years. I've been surprised at the amount of folks with older Smiths, that have been shootin' and happy with them for years, that because of all the internet hype, decided to look at their barrels only to find out they too had a canted barrel. In most cases the only problem with a slightly canted barrel is only cosmetic. Even when ordering a gun online, one does not have to accept it. Doesn't matter if it's rough machining marks or a canted barrel. Don't like it, don't buy it. If you're that desperate you can't wait, a cosmetic issue ain't gonna matter.

 

[1sailor]

As some others have mentioned already, it's not always easy to examine a pistol in person when you live in BFE. Often the small local shops that do have a few pistols on display are asking above MSRP and as has been mentioned, they likely don't have what your looking for anyway. Especially if you're not in the market for a plastic semi. Even the big online stores like Bud's are still low on availability for most revolvers leaving sites like GB as the only decent alternative. Yes, it would be easy to avoid overclocked barrels if you could perform a close examination before plunking down your cash. Not always an option though.

 

[snubbiefan]

More problematic in newer guns. I'd also be willing to bet that if somebody had never found one really canted....many of the folks that find them on their guns never knew it. I guess it depends on the "acceptable level of cant" and I'd also bet that with the proper measuring tools....the majority of them are canted to some degree. Just not bad enough that we notice it.

 

[L8Braker]

I recently sent my 686 no dash back to the mother ship for repair of an under clocked barrel...I ran out of adjustment on the rear sight. This pistol was purchased used. After writing S&W and explaining the situation they responded quickly with a return to manufacturer Fed Ex label. They received the pistol (01-27-2014) and it was shipped back to me (02-01-2014) fully repaired and FREE.. I am one delighted customer!

 

[fishcreekrim]

I see the new 66 has a two piece barrel, it would seem that this should eliminate the problem of canted barrels.

The Dan Wessons that had that feature were supposed to be more accurate.

I am not sure if I want one, but the case can be made.