[s&w 24]

My Dad's 6" fixed site 38/44 S&W started as a nickled 3" but the bbl was toast so 6" bbl from numerick,toflon over the nickle that won't come of and wammo new(?) gun! Wrong the gunsmith in question didn't look at the cylinder and the locking notches are stretched from DA firing and it's an old S frame so I can't tind a new cylinder stop. It shoots very accuratly but it is shaving lead proven by lead plating on the cylinder face. He is now thinking of finding a new 45 acp cylinder and bbl but what else can we(he) do? It's a great gun to shoot so I don't want to just toss it but I'm kind of at a loss as how to rectify the situation.

[Old Fuff]

If you toss it, throw it too me ....

Seriously, S&W makes an oversized cylinder stop for current generation revolvers. If the spring seat (hole) in the front of it was plugged (easy too do) it could be fitted to your gun. I'd send it to a really professional pistolsmith (such as Cylinder & Slide in Nebraska) and see if they couldn't fix it. I believe it would cost you far less then converting it to a .45. It's well worth looking into.

[Mike Irwin]

It's not an S frame, no such thing as an S frame, just an S prefix on the serial number.

It's an N frame, and with some searching, you should be able to find parts for it.

Another possible solution is to build up the cylinder stop.

I've seen this done with hardened steel shims which are silver soldered into place, and then the cylinder stop is fit.

[s&w 24]

you are correct there is no S frame. I guess all those numbers and letters fall out of your head if you don't use them ;) . Building up the cylinder stop sounds like a good idea but what to use for shim stock? The other ting is I don't know if it will work because it's the cylinder thats the problem. I have heard it reported and take this revolver as confermation that if you fire a 38/357 cal N (not S) frame smith alot DA that the cylinder notches stretch because of the extra mass compared to 44/45 cal. If I could show you the cylinder you would see that each notch is stretched out and curved were it should be flat.


Hopefuly I'm not confusing anyone with my discription.

[Mike Irwin]

Scout around, find a new cylinder.

They're out there. Numrich isn't the only supplier of S&W parts.

You can probably write to the S&W Collector's association if you can't find a .38/44 HD cylinder otherwise.

Some of their members maintain large stocks of surplus parts.

As for what to use for shim stock, you can purchase hardened shim stock from Brownell's, or you can case harden your own. I know one person who does this who uses ruined sideplates from S&W revolvers.

Cylinder notch stretching is more commonly associated with lots of rapid double action rapid fire where the mass of the cylinder does come into play. I've seen this problem with any number of S&W revolvers, though.

[S&W44]

The previous owner of my 4" 38/44 had S&W fit a new cylinder just last year.Give them a try.

[Mike Irwin]

Interesting. S&W indicated to me a few years ago that if a gun was more than 20 years old they wouldn't work on it.

[bpisler]

My early 38/44 was out of time when i bought it off a online auction.I contacted S&W and was advised to take it to a local gunsmith for repairs.

[J Miller]

I have an S prefix Mdl 28. Some years ago it needed tuning up.
The gunsmith who did it mentioned he would have to peen the locking bolt notches. They had done exactly what yours did because of constant rapid DA shooting.
His peening was to gentle and smooth I have to use a 10 power loop to see it.
But it solved the problem. It moved the metal back to where it belonged. He also fitted a new bolt to it.
That was 20 years ago. It's about due for another treatment and this great gunsmith is now retired.

But that is an option.