[sgt127]

Bought a used S&W Mod 58. Gun works fine. Looks to me like somebody beveled the forcing cone a little bit. Theres no flame cutting on the top strap, doesn't look like the gun has been shot all that much. I haven't noticed this bevel on any of my other Smiths, including guns that I have shot the heck out of with hot loads. The edges as they enter the barrel are sharp on my other guns. Was this something that Smith USED to do? A modification somebody else did? Erosion? Doesn't seem to be spitting lead, gap is good. Is this something that is/will be a problem?

[J Miller]

Looks like early stages of flame cutting erosion to me. That is exactly what my Mdl 28 looked like. It got worse and worse till it spit lead, powder, and debris so bad I had to have the barrel set back and the forcing cone recut.
It should be smooth and flat all the way across.
My gun does have the flame cutting mark across the top strap but I suspect it doesn't always happen.