Who could produce custom L frame cylinders?

[steelslaver]

The 2mm of extra chamber length in a 9x21 won't hurt the accuracy much. It's less than the 1/8" (3mm) of extra with a 38 special in a 357 chamber, and those will shoot great. The killer for 9mm is the 358 cylinder throat and the 357 barrel. Those allow a 355 9mm bullet too much wiggle room. That's why 357/358 bullets work better. You have to tightly control the bullet from the case on out if you want it to shoot straight, and always go from larger to smaller going forward. A 356 throat and 355 barrel would fix it. Sadly, they aren't made like that.

I wonder if reaming out the throats as far as possible and pressing in interference fit inserts would work. That or face the cylinder off until it was just longer than normal 9mm loads, turn the barrel shoulder back to meet it and modify the yoke. Kind of like the short ACP cylinders and old custom PRC guns did. Less opportunity for the bullet to yawl.

 

[Protocall_Design]

I'm planning to try the insert method in an 8 shot cylinder. It is 357 now, and doesn't shoot 38 Short Colt accurately. The chamber is .382, and there is about 5/8" length between a 38 SC and 357 Mag. case mouth. That 5/8" long by .382 diameter space is plenty of room for a 357 bullet to get crooked before it hits the throat in the front of the cylinder.

The plan is to bore the chambers out to 10mm, sleeve them, then cut new 38 Short Colt chambers where the throat starts at the Short Colt case mouth. There will be a tapered transition from the case diameter to the throat (bullet) diameter, the same as normal for other rimmed calibers.

I think this will work because when I made my 40 S&W 686es, the chambers were short with a long throat, and they work very well.

This will be an experiment. It may work, or may not. We will see.

 

[reddog81]

The stock titanium 986 cylinder has .358 ports (not .355, .356 etc) and requires specific attention while cleaning not to wear out the protective coating (certain ammo can also destroy the protective coating)


I rebarreled my 986 with a 6" .355 barrel (factory 5" barrel is .357)

Are you shooting lead bullets? Jacketed bullets won't really be impacted much by throats slightly oversized.

If you are shooting lead 9mm rounds that probably means you are reloading them, which in that case just use regular .357/.358 bullets.

As fa as cleaning goes, it will be much simpler to just buy a 16 ounce bottle of Break Free CLP for $30 than buying a new cylinder. I have close to 10,000 rounds through my titanium cylinder 929 and just use CLP to clean it.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

That would apply to any gunsmiths work.

Nope. Not so......Explosions only take place in the barrel and cylinder.

 

[steelslaver]

Nope. Not so......Explosions only take place in the barrel and cylinder.

Triggers, safeties, lock up and alignment can never cause any problems huh??????????? About the only thing that can not be involved in a potential injury is the stock although if a custom stock broke under recoil of a heavy caliber it could well injure the shooter.

How about this, I had the gun shop stick a new scope on my 338 Lapua and I ended up needing stitches above my eye. They should have mounted it farther forward.

 

[8shot]

Forgot to mention that even the Starline brass web site says not to use Starline brass in a S&W titanium cylinder because the brass will stick.

Got a deal on some Koenig 110gr 9mm JHP match ammo...but it's loaded with Starline brass. (and yes it sticks)

Also read a post that indicated an early 986 came with a steel cylinder?