New revolver already at the gunsmith for some fun!

[mtnbkr]

Sorry, but I call it a design defect.  Ruger doesn't have that clearance cutout for the cylinder hinge pin, neither does Colt. 

The Smith Model 10. after which the 19 was patterned, has that cutout. SO merely beefing up the cylinder on that pattern without eliminating that weak spot was indeed a design defect.

"Intentions" aside, any limitation on cartridges used was not apparent in the days when I was doing my practice with full confidence that a revolver which says ".357 Magnum" on it could shoot .357 Magnums. 

It was only after the cone split at that weak point and research on the net was available that I found out it was a known problem with the 19.

Design defect.  That's my last word on it.  Let others be warned.

Terry

I don't know much about Colts, but to compare a K357 to a Ruger is disingenuous.  The smallest Ruger duty revolver is between the K-frame and L-frame, ie larger, so no need for such a cutout.

S&W did "fix" the "defect" by introducing the L-frame.  They also had N-frame 357s at the same time as the K-frame 357s.  Both of which can easily digest full power loads continuously.

S&W was meeting a very specific need in the K357, a gun that was easy to carry, but packed significant power for serious situations.  It fit the training and working habits of police at the time (lots of low power rounds for training, carry high power rounds).  It was actually developed at the suggestion of a famous law enforcement officer (Bill Jordon).  Specifically for the reasons I mentioned.

Chris

[mtnbkr]

If the 'smith is gonna slick up the internals, might as well ice the cake by installing a Wolff 10# mainspring and reduced power trigger return spring. Those alone will make a factory gun feel like it's had plenty of work done. In conjunction with a full internal polishing the results are downright impressive.

Brad

Maybe.  Go too light on the trigger return spring and you'll outrun your trigger on fast shooting.  I did that with my GP100 in a steel match years ago.  Too light a mainspring has its own obvious issues.

I prefer to go a little heavier to ensure proper operation in "field" conditions.  I seldom touch springs nowadays, preferring to rely on polishing and lubrication.

Chris

[Fitz]

If the 'smith is gonna slick up the internals, might as well ice the cake by installing a Wolff 10# mainspring and reduced power trigger return spring. Those alone will make a factory gun feel like it's had plenty of work done. In conjunction with a full internal polishing the results are downright impressive.

Brad

He did mention he was going to swap some springs.

[Brad Johnson]

Maybe.  Go too light on the trigger return spring and you'll outrun your trigger on fast shooting.  I did that with my GP100 in a steel match years ago.  Too light a mainspring has its own obvious issues.

I prefer to go a little heavier to ensure proper operation in "field" conditions.  I seldom touch springs nowadays, preferring to rely on polishing and lubrication.

Chris

If the innards are slicked up the Wolff trigger spring will provide plenty of pressure. I wouldn't trust it if the trigger group was factory fresh (had a prob similar to your with my SP101 until I did some minor smoothing).

I was having light strike issues with a 9# spring. 10# ignites 'em with absolute reliability. If I did it on a carry gun I'd prob go with an 11# just for the added certainty.

Brad

[Hutch]

^ "Wow, Terry, I've never seen or heard tell of a barrel shot out like that.  I perzoom the forcing cone cracked or something?"

Well, yeah, that's what happened --forcing cone --but it was easier to put it as "shot out" than explain it more.  Known defect with S&W .357 K(?)- frame revolvers.  (I keep losing track of frame size designations.)

Had my own range, was shooting 50rd full-house loads per day just about every day practicing for the factory class in handgun metallic silhouette matches.  First noticed the split a couple of years later when the cylinder started to bind up on the opened forcing cone. 

Son2 and I searched for a replacement (nickeled) bbl for a year, found one, replaced bbl per George Nonte's Pistol (Revolver) Smithing book instructions.  Shot to almost exactly the same point of aim.

Have a closeup of the split bbl somewhere.  Will post when found.

Terry

Replaced your own barrel??  My admiration continues to grow...

[230RN]

No, Son2 did the actual work of disassembly (for the purposes of clamping the frame) and re-assembly  He also built the frame clamp to avoid warping the frame.  With my arthritis and worn-down fingerprints, I did not trust myself to do it without having parts pop out of my hands.  Besides, I no longer had a shop to do it in at that point.  See thread Replies 12 and 18.

All done according to the precise steps in Nonte's book.  My major contribution was encouragement and providing a copy of the book.  I did not mean to imply I personally did it all by my lonesome, but looking back in the posts, that could be the way it came out.

He's a pretty clever "anything"-smith.  He built a cannelure-making tool for bullets for a .400 Corbon conversion he did for the 1911.  Really neat.  He chucks up the engraving tool, clamps the base down in the drill press, puts a bullet in one side, and it rolls around and pops out the other side all cannelured and pretty.  (The .400 Corbon requires crimping to a cannelure with its short neck.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.400_Corbon

Of course, he inherited all of his fine skills and outstanding mechanical genius from me.

Of course.

Terry