I have a .38 special S&W Model 638 Airweight Bodyguard. It was purchased one year ago, and has been fired about three hundred rounds. When I purchased the gun I did the usual dissembly, cleaned and polished all the parts, changed the springs, and checked the gaps. Gaps seemed ok at that time. Since then I have carried the gun quite a bit, and shot it occasionally when at the range. Today I cleaned it and checked the gaps with a feeler guage. The barrel face appears to be uneven. The gap between the barrel and cylinder measures .008 on one side and .011 on the other. The headspace between the cylinder and the frame measures about .066. Am I correct that all of these gaps are excessive for this gun? Is it normal for an alloy gun to change tolerences with use. I checked my old carry gun, a 15 year old model 60, that has been fired a lot. .006 at the barrel to cylinder, and .060 at the cylinder to frame, after a lot of use.
Is there a problem with this gun?
- Thread starter MR.G
- Start date
Radicalcleric
New member
Someone recently told me that it is not unusual for newer revolvers to have the forcing cones lopsided. This can be corrected by a smith, but if the gun shoots OK, why worry about it? Probably been that way since new but you didn't notice because you weren't looking for this problem.
SaxonPig,
Your probably right. It does shoot every time, and I have more important things to worry about. I was just leafing through Kuhnhausens manual yesterday, and got the urge to inspect and clean a gun. According to the manual these gaps are "NoGo". It is just hard to believe that I bought a gun with these tolerances.
Your probably right. It does shoot every time, and I have more important things to worry about. I was just leafing through Kuhnhausens manual yesterday, and got the urge to inspect and clean a gun. According to the manual these gaps are "NoGo". It is just hard to believe that I bought a gun with these tolerances.
The headspace is at max. The Smiths I have fresh from the factory usually check at .064". The end of the barrel could be uneven. On the other hand just took a gun to my gunsmith with the condition described and he said it could be due to bent crane so that is another possibility.
Mike Irwin
Staff
I've rejected several revolvers in the past due to uneven forcing cones.
Could be one of several things, the best being that the barrel shank isn't cut squarely.
Next is poorly cut threads on the barrel.
Next is poorly cut threads in the frame.
The worst, though, is the possibility of a warped frame.
Could be one of several things, the best being that the barrel shank isn't cut squarely.
Next is poorly cut threads on the barrel.
Next is poorly cut threads in the frame.
The worst, though, is the possibility of a warped frame.
I called S&W and talked to them about the measureents. They said to send them the gun Federal Express, at their expense.
The gun came back the other day with a new barrel, and "repaired" cylinder. The barrel to cylinder gap is now .004", and the cylinder to frame is under .060. Real nice fitting job.
I am very disappointed with the new barrel, but am not going to complain . The barrel has several scratches across the lands and groves, deep enough to not polish out. Also has some chattering marks.
The gun came back the other day with a new barrel, and "repaired" cylinder. The barrel to cylinder gap is now .004", and the cylinder to frame is under .060. Real nice fitting job.
I am very disappointed with the new barrel, but am not going to complain . The barrel has several scratches across the lands and groves, deep enough to not polish out. Also has some chattering marks.
Blue Duck357
New member
Why not? Thats how companies go downhill. They make some inferior products and people don't complain about it so they begin to think it's "good enough". That lower level quickly becomes the new "standard of excellence".
S/W will likely send you another label for free, all it should cost you is a phone call for pick-up. I know it's pain but your doing everyone a favor when you make them do it right.
... I'm learning at the speed of light here ... what a wealth of knowledge en suite TFL ...... ok, I give up (I really tried to find out) ... what is a forcing cone? 
... thanks ...
BTW, very useful site: http://members.tripod.com/~kile_r/lvl25.html
... thanks ...
BTW, very useful site: http://members.tripod.com/~kile_r/lvl25.html
Let's Fetz-
Nee, not Afrikaans. Just read a lot of books by authors like Wilbur Smith, Laurens van der Post and Stuart Cloete, although I think that Cloete may be deceased; I haven't seen his titles in new books in many years. Also wrote an article on South African wines for the Dallas newspaper, and worked briefly as a volunteer in the South African booth at the Texas State Fair, when they still had one. Used to read, "Panorama", which the Dept. of Information used to send.
I've met several Afrikaaners, as well as English-speaking South Africans. I think I saw that Charlize Theron's name is actually pronounced, "Tron" in an article on her, but she doesn't publicize that. Probably in part because she figures that the phoenetic "Theron" sounds better to American ears, and partly because she figures that most Americans couldn't care less. She also avoids mentioning that her mother shot her father in self defense, saying originally that he was killed in a road accident. Some tabloid newspaper "outed" her on this, then several interviewers mentioned it, but she still finds it a very sore subject, and won't discuss details. The mother (Greta?) was exonorated in magistrate's court at the time. The dad had a bad drinking problem and a mean nature; the court seemed to have no problem with a ruling of justified homicide.
Some of this relates to the other thread, on the Astra .357. Glad you like that gun.
I just threw in the tot siens (farewell/goodbye) to amuse you. I know very little more Afrikaans, really, but those I've said that to seem to like that an American would care to learn ANY words in their language...
All the best.
Lone Star
Nee, not Afrikaans. Just read a lot of books by authors like Wilbur Smith, Laurens van der Post and Stuart Cloete, although I think that Cloete may be deceased; I haven't seen his titles in new books in many years. Also wrote an article on South African wines for the Dallas newspaper, and worked briefly as a volunteer in the South African booth at the Texas State Fair, when they still had one. Used to read, "Panorama", which the Dept. of Information used to send.
I've met several Afrikaaners, as well as English-speaking South Africans. I think I saw that Charlize Theron's name is actually pronounced, "Tron" in an article on her, but she doesn't publicize that. Probably in part because she figures that the phoenetic "Theron" sounds better to American ears, and partly because she figures that most Americans couldn't care less. She also avoids mentioning that her mother shot her father in self defense, saying originally that he was killed in a road accident. Some tabloid newspaper "outed" her on this, then several interviewers mentioned it, but she still finds it a very sore subject, and won't discuss details. The mother (Greta?) was exonorated in magistrate's court at the time. The dad had a bad drinking problem and a mean nature; the court seemed to have no problem with a ruling of justified homicide.
Some of this relates to the other thread, on the Astra .357. Glad you like that gun.
I just threw in the tot siens (farewell/goodbye) to amuse you. I know very little more Afrikaans, really, but those I've said that to seem to like that an American would care to learn ANY words in their language...
All the best.
Lone Star
I usually take a feeler gauge with me when shopping for a revolver (the local gunshop is good about letting its customers give the merchandise a close look) and have found that uneven b/c gaps in S&W's are the rule rather than the exception nowadays. In practical terms I guess it's not a big problem. But it speaks poorly for manufacturing quality and generally deters me from spending major bucks on something that could and should be made better.