I think you were the one I got the idea from.Originally Posted by HeavyDuty
I think you were the one I got the idea from.
Smith&Wesson ECM (Electrochemical Machining) Rifling*:
“Since 1993, Smith & Wesson has been using ECM to manufacture most of their revolver barrels. They use machines manufactured by Surftran to do their work. The barrels are hardened and annealed before the rifling process. The hardened barrels are then placed in the ECM machine and held stationary. The electrode is a plastic cylinder with metal strips circling around the exterior. The metal strips are a reverse image of the desired rifling and are inset into the plastic cylinder. This way, only the plastic part of the cylinder touches the barrel and not the metal strips. The electrode is placed inside the barrel and the whole is immersed into an electrolytic solution of sodium nitrate which is constantly circulating under pressure. The electrode is moved down the barrel and rotated at the desired rate of rifling twist. As current flows from the cathode (the electrode) to the anode (the barrel), the material is removed from the anode to duplicate the grooves in the shape of the electrode. Because the metal parts of the electrode never actually touch the barrel (only the plastic core does) and because the flowing electrolyte removes any material from the barrel before it has a chance to accumulate on the metal strips, the electrode usually lasts a very long time and needs no cleaning or maintenance. In fact, the electrode is replaced only when the plastic core which contacts the barrel to provide proper centering and spacing of the metal strips, wears out.
The advantages of this are that the process is extremely precise and can be used to machine hard materials like hard steel alloys, titanium alloys etc. Similar to the EDM process, it also produces no heat or stress on the barrel during the rifling process and also produces an excellent finish. Unlike the EDM process though, it is much faster to machine parts using this technique. A typical rifling job for a 357 magnum revolver barrel can be done in about one minute using this process, making it ideal for mass production. The tool can also be repeatedly used as there is very little tool wear.”
*CastBoolits.com
Either buy through Davidson’s or a LGS that sources from them so they pay the freight both ways to the manufacturer (or a new gun) forever.
Any other options for low-mounting a RDS on these guns besides Weigand and EGW?
I had a new model M67. It looked good but shot so far left the rear sight could not be adjusted far enough. It had a clocked barrel so the shop told me they would send it back to S&W. I told them no way, I'll never trust it and I want my money back. They did refund my money fortunately.
Even with that if I saw a new model S&W I liked I would buy it as I still trust them. I do like the 2.75" M66 . But my revo needs are filled for now.
Im curious why you wouldnt trust it after the barrel was indexed?
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
Good question. 1) I was quite disgusted with S&W at the time and 2) I wasn't sure what else was going to go wrong on a pistol that should have never left the factory. My thinking was some time down the line something breaks and the shop or S&W tries to blame it on me.
My first guess is that the barrel indexing and any other issue would be unrelated. Independent issues from different stages of building the gun. Its just unfortunate that we need to worry about things being wrong in new guns.
In the mid 80s I wanted a 629. A shop in Flag had one in the case, the barrel was slightly off index. I asked if they had any others in the back, guy came out with a half dozen I think, I looked at them and chose the one with the best centered barrel. Its an old thing, they work within certain parameters of "acceptable" spec on many different parts of the gun. Ive seen many new guns that didnt index the cylinder correctly, basically it needed a new hand or extractor star fitted to index right. This has also been going on since the 80s. Ive noticed other things on Smiths back into the 50s that werent perfect. I may be the only person since they were built that noticed.
If your gun timed the cylinder well, and all it needed was the barrel indexed, I think I would have got it done and drove on, but thats all water under the bridge at this point. We expect guns to be perfect machines, but the more you learn about them and start looking at various things, the more you realize "good enough" is a thing. I think most people just dont notice most things. Same with houses. Having built some, I can drive down a street and see things that arent right, wonky rooflines, other things that dont look right, poor methods, etc. Most people never notice, including those that live in them.
“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
The 65 I bought a few years back had a clocked barrel.
If we have to march off into the next world, let us walk there on the bodies of our enemies.
It's amazing how much one letter in an acronym can change things.
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