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5" K frame barrel?


paul788

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Did S&W make a 5" .38 spl barrel ?  I'd like to try one.  A local collector told me that the only ones were fixed sight model 10s made for two  LE depts. 

If S&W didn't where can I get one made?  If I have to go custom then I know I want a faster than stock twist rate.

 

Thanks

Paul Beck

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If you go custom, get at least a 1 in 14. I like the 1 in 10 better. I think a 1 in 12 would be about the ideal twist rate, but don't know anyone making that twist. Alternately, you could get a 6" factory barrel shortened, but that might cost almost as much as custom without the benefit of the tighter twist.

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Any K-frame 5" barrel was pre-10. Any K-frame 6" can be cut down but in order to have any thing other than the simple sight blade like in the model 10 pics above, you need the rib (like a model 19 configured barrel) for the extra metal to machine. Not to mention it would come with the S&W traditional 1:18.5" twist. I dont think there are 5" barrels for newer smiths in the k-frame. Even if there is it would be the sleeve style. Either way all that work to retrofit would probably be near, if not more money, than to do a custom barrel to your specs and able to choose a twist. Mark Hartshorne of Pinnacle High Performance (in PA) is the guy for custom barrels on revolvers. HE uses Douglas Barrel blanks and his work is superb. 

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15 minutes ago, BallisticianX said:

> Any K-frame 5" barrel was pre-10. < 

And here is another 5" model 10 that wasn't being used as a musical instrument ... 

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/797374093

 

edit: This one is nice ... (custom 5")

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/792427273

 

Edited by pete627
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1 minute ago, pete627 said:

And here is another 5" model 10 that wasn't being used as a musical instrument ... 

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/797374093

I just noticed I misspoke...the 5" was on some pre-10's and early 10's that were spec'd out for 5". It is my understanding any 5" barrels on a k-frame were from special runs due to PD requests. S&W had a habbit of over producing special runs and then selling the leftover stock or any surplus from a cancelled or reduced order. (Thats why there are so many "special contradictions"" in the production history) There may be more too it but I cant remember everything lol

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No biggie ... It started me wondering about machining the tip off of one of those 6 inchers and running it w/ no sight for an optic gun.

It has been interesting looking at some of these ... made me dig out my old 10-6 just to hold it ... look at it and some dry fire.  :ph34r:

 

 

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13 minutes ago, pete627 said:

No biggie ... It started me wondering about machining the tip off of one of those 6 inchers and running it w/ no sight for an optic gun.

It has been interesting looking at some of these ... made me dig out my old 10-6 just to hold it ... look at it and some dry fire.  :ph34r:

 

 

I know a lot of people are all about making their revolvers ultralight as possible. I personally am not. I always found a light barreled revolver tends to lose alignment when it meets my eye during a target transition. The lack of weight and resistance hinders balance and stabilization allowing your wrists to wander. I always found my times improved with some barrel heft on a revolver as I could transition with perfect sight alignment for immediate shots as soon as the gun cam into the target and met my eye. The one hundredth of a second saved getting there quicker with a lighter gun was lost with the 2 hundredths of a second to adjust my sight alignment. Most of the 6" barrels from the golden era of the 50' into the 80's without a full or partial underlug were very light to begin with, lop an inch off and its got no stabilization value what so ever. For example I had an old model 17 six shot .22 6" barrel safe dweller I decided to put to use, was gonna buy a 617 but figured Id save money and put the old gun to work. So I retrofitted a 617 cylinder for converting it to a 10 shot and slicked it up. Though it came out great and was accurate I couldn't run a steel challenge stage with that 17 worth a damn as I kept losing the sight alignment, I knew it was just to light for me. I gave up on it, returned it back to original and bought a 617 with the 6" barrel. It was like day and night...I can run that 617 through a stage no problems.  Mentioning it something to consider in your choice of barrel. I wouldn't go full blown bull (like a PPC gun) but I wouldn't do a pencil or carbon fiber one either. 

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1 hour ago, RePete said:

All of the rank and file in the RCMP were issued model 10's with a 5" barrel until they changed over to the S7W 5946 DAO.

A special run, smith was noted for being flexible in to do anything a volume order customer wanted, especially law enforcement. Again thats why there are so many off models that makes it difficult to apply any "rules" to production history...Keeps Roy Jinks busy!

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Just got off the phone with S&W.  They weren't a special run other than the lanyard loop and the RCMP marking.

 

FYI Roy G Jinks no longer works for S&W, he's now at the S&W Historical Foundation as an Officer.

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5 hours ago, RePete said:

Just got off the phone with S&W.  They weren't a special run other than the lanyard loop and the RCMP marking.

 

FYI Roy G Jinks no longer works for S&W, he's now at the S&W Historical Foundation as an Officer.

Im well aware of where he is. 

As I understood it, and may be wrong, I read the 5" Pre-10 was more common. After the Number designations came about the Model 10 5" gun was an option outside of the special contracts but not made in great numbers or on the regularity of the 4" & 6". 5" guns were usually made as available stock after an order from a contract for said 5" guns was completed with planned overruns.  

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