I was shooting my old Smith & Wesson Military and Police .38 the other day. After the last cylinder full I fired, I couldn't swing the cylinder out. I started taking it apart that evening. Everything seemed okay, just couldn't get the cylinder free. I finally pushed really hard with one hand while rotating the cylinder while I held the latch down as hard as I could. It finally opened up and this is what I found. Sorry for the poor pictures.
Do you see a problem?
- Thread starter Hdonly
- Start date
lee n. field
New member
Looks like a cracked forcing cone. Yeah, that's a problem.
357 Python
New member
How old is this revolver? The reason I ask is that when I worked private security there was fellow that carried a Colt .38 Special that he claimed would fire 357 Magnum rounds. I said no way but later found out I was wrong. There was a time that cylinders for old .38 Specials were drilled straight through. A 357 Magnum could easily be chambered in these old cylinders even though they are not safe to shoot. I imagine that someone did just that, fired a 357 Magnum or more through the cylinder. The cylinder seems strong enough but the forcing cone failed. I don't know if this is the case but it could be one possibility.
It was built in the early 1900's. It's a S&W Military and Police. Only had .38 specials in it for the last 25 years since I have owned it. I have read that because of the way they ground the bottom of the barrel flat to clear the cylinder pin when closed, it weakens that part of the forcing cone. Previous owner may have fired +p or hot handloads and cracked it. If cracked, then if finally eroded through and opened up the crack. New barrel time.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Little JB Weld will fix that right up.
jaguarxk120
New member
You can get a new M&P 5 inch barrel from Numrich for $35.
bedbugbilly
New member
Replace the barrel and keep on shootin'. Barrels are available and it should be an easy switch out for a good pistol smith. You probably are used to the 6" barrel but I love my M&P 5" much better that I like my 6: barrels - can't really say why but my 5" is the first on I grab to go shoot lead downrange. Good luck! 
That really sounds like one of the very early Colts chambered in 38 long colt. IIRC they used a hollow based bullet that would expand to fit the cylinder and bore from an undersized bullet and they were drilled straight through. But shooting 357 through it was a very bad idea.
HDonly is that last picture a picture of your gun with the new barrel installed?
Up to about 1903, the .38 Colt DA had no shoulder in the chamber. They were stated as being chambered for the .38 Long Colt, but in fact were drilled straight through and would accept both the .38 Special and the later .357 Magnum. They would usually take standard .38 Special OK, but .357's would often destroy them. About 1903, Colt caught on and cut shoulders in the chambers to allow use of .38 Special (but not .357), but never changed the markings (though they did change the advertising).
Jim
Jim
Here is more information on the 38 long colt and it says that the cylinders were bored straight through.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_Long_Colt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_Long_Colt
The change to the chambers and barrel was not exactly held secret by Colt, but it was not given a lot of publicity either. A few military users knew, but most were pleasantly surprised to find that the new revolvers (with the revised chambers) shot much better and both accuracy and range scores improved dramatically. I don't have the serial number of the changes handy, but a glance in the chamber(s) will easily reveal the new form.
Jim
Jim
Finally got the barrel in. Spending this evening polishing the machine marks out of it. By hand of course. Kit to cut the barrel extension length and forcing cone is pricey. Maybe I can make the tools on my lathe and mill. All it will take is time and some studying. I have never done this before although I have read the instructions that comes with the tools over and over. I am sure I can do it. The question is can I do it right the first time?haha
Attachments
Getting closer to having my Smith & Wesson back together. The barrel came out easy. Drove the pin out. Popped the barrel just a little right where the ejector rod locks up on the barrel with a small plastic faced hammer and it came right loose. I really didn't think it would be so easy to loosen up. I had planned on building wooden blocks to lock the barrel and build a wrench and blocks to fit the frame. Not needed. I had read that the older Smith barrels weren't that tight because of the pin. Well, they aren't that tight. When I screwed the new one in and lined it up for the sights, I had between .004" and .005" cylinder gap. Only problem is I still have about a .012" gap between the frame and the boss of the barrel. Not enough to go around again. If I shim the barrel I can make everything come out just right. If I remove the barrel and take the boss down with my lathe, I will have to cut the barrel gap and re-cut the forcing cone. I vote to shim, but maybe I should go over to the Smithy forum and ask some questions.
