Rebarrel Smith and Wesson with crush fit barrel?

[JellyJar]

Is it possible to change out the barrel of the newer Smith and Wesson revolvers that have the crush fit barrel? ( At least I think they are crush fit )

 

[Magnumite]

If you have the proper equipment you can. You should use a fixture or "wrench" for the frame and securing blocks for the barrel. It is safe to say you'll need to set back the barrel shoulder and face, as well as cut the forcing cone in the barrel.

 

[Jim K]

The other side is that if you DON'T have the proper tools, you can bend the frame and destroy the gun. Not, IMHO, a job for the average basement shop.

Jim

 

[dfariswheel]

Depends on HOW new.

The newest versions with the two piece barrel can't be re-barreled without a very special "wrench" that fits down the barrel and uses the rifling as a grip to unscrew the inner barrel from the outer shroud.
Home made devices ruin barrels.
You'd also need either a lathe or a special tool to trim the barrel for barrel/cylinder gap.
A forcing cone cutter and the handle or the lathe.
A plug gage to gage the cone.
Brass cone lapping head.
And some type of action vise to hold the action while the barrel is unscrewed.

The older barrels can be re-barreled, but require a significant amount of expensive tooling and the knowledge on how to use it.
Among the tools needed are:

Barrel vise.
Barrel vise inserts to fit the specific barrel.
Frame wrench with inserts made to fit the specific gun.
A tool that fits down the barrel and cuts the rear to set barrel/cylinder gap.
An attachment for the tool that is used to re-cut the forcing cone.
A special plug gage to measure the forcing cone.
A brass cone-shaped lapping head to lap the forcing cone.

 

[Magnumite]

Do all the light metal shrouded barrels screw in like that, dfariswheel? Since there are so many of that breed out there. Just curious.

 

[dfariswheel]

All the newer S&W shrouded barrels work that way.
This is basically S&W's take on the Dan Wesson barrel, only the owner can't switch them.

The shroud and frame are "keyed" together on the front to prevent the shroud from rotating.
The barrel is threaded on the rear and has a flange on the front.

The shroud is slide onto the frame, then the barrel is screwed in until the flange torques against the step inside it shroud.
As above, the tool used to torque the barrel tight is a "spud" that has a sort of reverse "rifling" on it. This spud grips the rifling and allows torquing the barrel against the inside of the shroud.

I'd be surprised if someone doesn't start making replacement barrels and shrouds with a nut like the Dan Wesson so people can change barrels.

 

[Magnumite]

That would be cool

 

[3sixbits]

In terms of S&W it's like them asking you Paper or plastic? In this case it pinned or push? Pinned barrel or swage fit, that will tell you if it's something that can be done locale or will it need special tools and some one with the training from S&W?

 

[dfariswheel]

ALL S&W revolvers require special tools and an expert to re-barrel.
Its just that there are some different tools needed for the different barrel types.

Where things go down the tube is when a gunsmith says he has the tools and knows how to do it.... and doesn't.
That's when good guns get ruined.
A surprising number of local gunsmiths don't have the tooling, but will tell you they do.