Took my M-38 out frame cracked under barrel

I've seen cracked m38s. I always thought it was firing a lot of hot ammo.
I've since read about ones that crack came from over torque of barrel. If
one cracks under normal use it still could be from torque. It may not be
cracked from factory but if stress is there, shooting may crack it. I just
wonder how many are cracked and owners don't know it.
 
It's in a area most do not look at. But when buying one this is the first place to look!!
 
jeeps said:
For a work gun the 638 is more robust and +P rated to boot.
Click to expand...

It sure is. Mine brought me safely through nighttime casino parking lots many times before I discovered the M&P 340 (and the wisdom of using valet parking!). The 638 is a gun I would not sell.

FWIW: On one 638 in my pal's LGS, I felt a burr somewhere inside the action when trying to cock it SA that prevented the hammer from fully retracting and locking back. Yeah, I know, 638s are not meant to be fired SA :rolleyes:, but it's something to BOLO for. Congrats and good shooting.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
Drm50 said:
I've seen cracked m38s. I always thought it was firing a lot of hot ammo.
I've since read about ones that crack came from over torque of barrel. If
one cracks under normal use it still could be from torque. It may not be
cracked from factory but if stress is there, shooting may crack it. I just
wonder how many are cracked and owners don't know it.
Click to expand...

You'll probably know something is wrong immediately when it cracks. With my Model 38, accuracy fell off to the point that shots were barely on the target paper at 25 yds., let alone anywhere close to the aiming point.

When the same thing happened with a well-used Colt Agent, the front sight was not visible as the barrel had made a 90-degree turn in the frame.
 
Art Doc said:
I do not or will ever own an alloy S&W revolver.
Click to expand...

To each his own, of course, but I think there are a LOT of alloy J frames out there that have NOT cracked.

Now I admit that if I intended to do a lot of shooting with +P ammo, I'd probably not pick an alloy J frame to do it with. But for most of the carry-much/shot-little duty that J frames get, an alloy frame certainly lightens the load a bit.
 
yep, time for a new favorite house gun ... I'm sure S$W will have something for ya. Sounds like you got a lot of years of great use and service out of that one .. wish ya luck and good fortune.

Myself, I've been using my Shield 9 with green laser and light, or my MP45 with laser and lite.. love having the extra ammo and mag by my side..
 
This is a bummer. Sorry this happened to your favorite gun!!!

Last night I was watching some youtube vids and started with one I've watched of Jerry Miculek talking about grip and stance. Then I let it keep going and it played a couple more from Miculek. One of them was him just talking about several medium sized revolvers and their difference. Different brands and such. He seemed to say that even when he wasn't sponsored by Smith he felt they were the best bang for the buck for a couple of reasons. One being they are easier to work on in comparison to Rugers design where you pull the whole trigger group out. You can't really see it under function that way. And of course Colt's need some real experts to slick up trigger actions and such.

But one point that stood out to me was he made the point that the newer guns with the 2 piece barrel he felt was a good design because it takes stress off of the frame in comparison to the old guns.

Now obviously even the new 638's have a single piece barrel and don't have that advantage. But some of the newer J frames have the 2 piece barrels I believe. Like the 640, 649 and the 60..... And those 342's and such.... I forget all the models that have it....

So... I'm not an engineer and I don't know how much truth there is in it. But if you trusted what he was saying, it's something to consider.

He also pointed out the lock up point on the newer guns that have the ball bearing in the yoke instead of the end of the extractor is a more robust design.... On the bigger frames. Not j frames.

I found it kind of interesting.

I have a 442 and love carrying it. But I am definitely wanting a steel J frame to compare. I think I just want a plain ole 36. I feel I'd like the extra weight while shooting and I don't think it will be that much of a hindrance when carrying.

But I would not poo poo a newer gun with the 2 piece barrel either.
 
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Wow, Great customer service! I have a 642 that must be about 10 years old now, but never really thought about it cracking. But now, having seen some of the cracked lightweight guns on the internet, I do have a look at that thin frame area now and then. I realize these alloy framed guns could crack, as my Colt Commander did, but accept the risk for the benefit of the light weight. That area on the alloy S&Ws is so thin, I'm surprised there are not many more reports of cracking in that location......
 
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Art Doc said:
I do not or will ever own an alloy S&W revolver.
Click to expand...

Until this post I never knew the model 38 suffered from the same issue as the 37. My 37 is a backup to my backup in the truck.
 
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ABPOS said:
Now obviously even the new 638's have a single piece barrel and don't have that advantage. But some of the newer J frames have the 2 piece barrels I believe. Like the 640, 649 and the 60..... And those 342's and such.... I forget all the models that have it.
Click to expand...

I own both the 342 and 60. Both have one-piece bbls. I suspect the 640 and 649 in .357 also have one-piece bbls but I might be incorrect. :)

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

P.S. CORRECTION: Just checked my 342. It does have the 2-piece bbl. Apologies, my bad.
 
I was thinking of the 360 when I said the 342. Sorry about that...

How new is your 60? Yeah, I might be wrong about those....
 
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I've cracked a model 38 and an early 642. I'm done with them, I'll do scandium or steel but buying an old airweight is a real gamble.
 
Congratulations on getting great customer service from Smith!

I have a M38-3, very late in the run, it is +p rated according to the Smith & Wesson Book. I would not tempt fate by finding out. I checked it very carefully before buying.

I looked at a few M38 and M37 when shopping and found one with a crack in a local gun store that was on consignment. They had to pull the gun and call the owner.

I have actually never seen a -3 before buying this one, seems like a tough little gun, that makes a great addition to my collection.
 
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ABPOS said:
I was thinking of the 360 when I said the 342. Sorry about that...

How new is your 60? Yeah, I might be wrong about those....
Click to expand...

My 60 LadySmith .357 is about 6 years old. It has the frosted/pinkish (proper term?) finish. Please check my correction/apology above.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
 
Ahhh. Good to know. I was trying to get the 360 view on Smith and Wesson forums website to work last night to view their current 60 and it would not load. Grrrrrrrr... LOL.
 
Here's the 3" 60 Pro and I THINK that is a 2 piece barrel, but I'm not completely certain.....

DSC03394.jpg
 
I think I spied a view of a muzzle of a recent 60 with the barrel that they put on that and the 649 and 640 (I think it's 2-1/8" long) and it does look like it's one piece. It's heftier than the 442/642/637/638 so I think I assumed it was a 2 piece. Might be because those 3 models are built on a .357 frame and it needs more barrel? Possibly?
 
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