[kritter]

back to S&W......
a thread on the "other fourm" about barrels cracking, prompted me to haul mine out and check mine too.
i noticed a "dark line ' almost looks like a crack in the base of the groves of the rifleing.. in almost a perfect circle..about 3 inches up the barrel..
i tried cleaning it again, to see if it was something just weird, ( those things happen to me) but it's still there,, and a fuzzy mop , "cleaning swab" is catching and leaving fibers right at the marks.. so phone call was made, and a "shipping tag" is being sent....
i guess they have been having problems with the early two piece barrels....
PS....put about 50 rounds threw it this weekend, seemed to shoot ok, hands a little sore..lol...just has me wondering now.... :-s

 

[DHENRY]

Re: my .500's going home..

Kritter
Smart move sending it back.
From a safety standpoint, that kind of a crack is big trouble.
That gun could turn itself into a 'snubbie' real easy! :!:
Don

 

[Sebago Son]

Re: my .500's going home..

Why Smith & Wesson has to relearn the same mistakes Charter Arms made 30 years ago is beyond me.....

 

[xtimberman]

Re: my .500's going home..

Why Smith & Wesson has to relearn the same mistakes Charter Arms made 30 years ago is beyond me.....

SS,

What do you think is the problem - too hard of a stainless alloy for those pressures?

xtm

 

[Sebago Son]

Re: my .500's going home..

The problem, in my opinion, is sacrificing the good of a design for the sake of manufacturing expedience.

You cannot make something more solid by adding three joints where formerly there were none. (Barrel to Shroud, Nut to Barrel, Nut to Shroud).

Specifically, dissimilar alloys will react differently to the same influences. Also, the manufacturing processes by which the individual components were produced will also effect their mechanical properties. For instance. A "Forged" Part will move in a different way than a "Drawn" Part when subjected to heat due to friction and combustion.

If there were ever an assembly that needed to be robust, it would be a pistol, specifically a revolver. The Big .500 especially so.... Imagine trying to calculate the stresses due to near instantaneous pressure changes from 15lbs./In2. to nearly 40,000Lbs. and rapid changes of temperature from ambient to probably close to 2000 degrees and then back again only to repeat in rapid succession. .... all the while things are being forced down tubes, rotating, snapping into place, locking up and unlocking. All these motions creating their own specific influences in specific, rhythmic sequence along the way. Anything that changes the harmonic adds and concentrates stresses at the weakest point in the assembly.

Factor in variables such as tolerances in opposing barrel thread dimensions, acceptable ranges of tolerance and continuity of alloy within the individual billet itself, assembly variations as tools and jigs wear resulting in torque variables and inconsistent resistance to each round fired through the barrel to frame joinery.

It seems to me that Smith & Wesson really missed the boat on the multi-piece barrel design, or is taking a dangerous calculated risk that would have been unthinkable under the management of Carl Helstrom, let alone Doug Wesson.

 

[kritter]

Re: my .500's going home..

Well.. it's back home now,,, S&W replaced the barrel.. stated it was "tool marks" in bore..
gun seems ok,, has a few "rub marks" (looks like maybe from when they had it in a jig to remove the barrel) that should buff out..
(Ok.. i'll admit i've polished it to a mirror finish and probally not the best finish to be clamping in something to work on . and should be easy for me to fix)
however,, my question is..... don't they test fire guns ?
mine came back clean as a whistle...no powder burns, no carbon ring on cylinder ,nothing...
I'm just wondering....
I"ll give it a good "testing " this weekend.. i loaded a bunch of rounds just waiting for it to get back...

 

[carl418_resigned]

Re: my .500's going home..

kritter,
Glad to hear you got it back. But, just to be safe, you should probably try it with the lightest load you have.. since they didn't seem to test fire it.

Of course, the lightest load you could get for that huge revolver isn't very light to begin with.. :lol:

Just how much of a mirror finish were you able to get on it? We want pictures!! lkavnaap

 

[DHENRY]

Re: my .500's going home..

Kritter,
Glad it's fixed and back.
You'll still have to 'shoot it in' with that new barrel.
Sounds like an expensive proposition with 500 ammo, but it'll tell the tale.
I suspect your gun will be just fine!
Don

 

[kritter]

Re: my .500's going home..

finally had time to take it out to "test" it , to see how it shoots...
well , with the new load..375 grain hard cast slug around 1600 fps.
at 75 yards off a rest i got this....

think it's a keeper... kubvcabo

 

[f150guy]

lookin' good my friend! Where's the sixth?

Nevermind... imadummy

 

[azmick]

That's some good shooting Kritter. wish my eye balls were that good