Thread: Need a good 'smith for a Smith - WA

I have a S&W Model 66-2 with excessive barrel/cylinder gap. I need to get the barrel set back and would rather not ship it off to S&W if I can avoid it. I'd rather keep the dollars here.

Can anyone recommend a Puget Sound area person or shop?

Thanks!

Bob

What is causing you to think that you have excessive cylinder gap?

With the cylinder held back, I measure .012". With magnum loads, it spits like a monster. With mild loads, you don't notice it so much.

End shake isn't so bad, and within spec. I could easily take it all out with a bearing, but, then my C/B gap would be even larger.

This gun has seen relatively little shooting, probably <750 rounds. I have only hunted with it and target work. I'm the original owner, it was my first new gun many years ago in college. For a while, I thought all magnums spit like this one until I shot another. I've recently started shooting my handguns again in earnest, so, I want to fix this one up as it is my favorite.

I measures my 7 other Smith's - they are all <=.005" - I feel lucky.

Bob

You know I saw something from MidwayUSA about shims or the like that adjusts the cylinders "seating" to alleviate what I think that you are talking about. Might be one of those things that you can get a smith video and the parts and do yourself...... Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by Crispy

You know I saw something from MidwayUSA about shims or the like that adjusts the cylinders "seating" to alleviate what I think that you are talking about. Might be one of those things that you can get a smith video and the parts and do yourself...... Hope that helps.

Here's the video you're talking about. How To Fix Excessive Cylinder Endshake On A S&W Revolver (Sports & Outdoors)

Unfortunately, endshake isn't the problem, it is the barrel to cylinder gap. I measure total endshake as .002". Not too bad.

I've left it with Jim at West Coast Armory's Pro Shop. He says he can set the barrel back.

Joe Beary
35 years as GunSmith.
Awesome on Smith's
Chimacum, WA.
360.379.6519

Originally Posted by rodell

Unfortunately, endshake isn't the problem, it is the barrel to cylinder gap. I measure total endshake as .002". Not too bad.

I've left it with Jim at West Coast Armory's Pro Shop. He says he can set the barrel back.

I picked it up Saturday, looks and runs great. It wasn't cheap, but, I didn't expect it would be. I'll shoot it tomorrow night but I'm expecting everything to be fine based on the inspection.

Jim machined the frame to allow the set back, you can't tell any work was done except the problem is "fixed".

Originally Posted by rodell

I picked it up Saturday, looks and runs great. It wasn't cheap, but, I didn't expect it would be. I'll shoot it tomorrow night but I'm expecting everything to be fine based on the inspection.

Jim machined the frame to allow the set back, you can't tell any work was done except the problem is "fixed".

He machined the frame? Why didn't he just set the barrel back a thread or two? There really isn't enough meat on a S&W Frame to start machining it down. Honestly, that's the first I've ever heard of someone machining the frame to fix excess barrel gap. Hopefully everything will work.

He took very little off the frame, just enough to make the final turn and alignment. He talked to S&W support to make sure he could do it. Compared to my other K's, you can't tell the difference.

I shot my .44 special tonight, the Model 66 will have to wait until next week.

I took off .010" from the front of the frame. Just enough to get 1 turn on the bbl. S&W said that there are 2 ways to do it, that being one of them, and only if the gun had not had the gap fixed before. After it was reassembled, and cyl. gap set at .005"+/- .0005", I ran 2 cyls. of ammo through it to make sure that it functioned perfectly.