Replacement 8-shot Cylinder for S&W N-frame .357 Magnum

A

Anthony

New member
Hello Everyone,

I'd love to build a custom gun out of an N-frame .357 Magnum (Model 27 series). As I prefer the older style Smith & Wesson revolvers I am planning on using one of these as a basis for the gun.

Does anyone know if Smith & Wesson (or anyone else) sells or fabricates the newer 8-shot cylinders separately?

If yes, are they relieved to work with moonclips and loose ammuntion?

Also, if yes, are they made from carbon as well as stainless steel?

Thanks for the input.

- Anthony
 
Hi, Anthony. I know S&W makes the cylinders, but that's the least of your problems. You'd need to replace the timing mechanism, as the rotation would differ greatly in taking the revolver from 6 to 8 shots. I'd suggest talking to a good custom gunsmith like Hamilton Bowen (http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/) or Jack Weigand (http://www.jackweigand.com/). They could advise you on what they would do to your gun to effect such a conversion. You can then decide whether to pay their prices, or do it yourself (if you have the gunsmithing credentials to do so), or talk to another gunsmith.
 
No, you can not put an 8 shot cylinder on a an older 6 shot N frame. If you did, the barrel and the chambers will not line up. To get the most metal they could in the 8 shot cylinder S&W increased the diameter of the cylinder slightly and raised the axis of the bore in the frame to match. The only way it might work would be if you installed both a new 8 shot cylinder and barrel from an 8 shot revolver.

S&W did do a run of blued mod 27's with 8 shot cylinders. They look just like a classic mod 27 but they are moon clipped 8 shot versions.
 
The early 8-shot conversions by RPM, etc. were tremendously expensive because, as Intel says, the new cylinder had to have more setout - a larger bolt circle - for the chambers. Therefore the new barrel had to have an eccentric bushing set into the frame to line up. Also the firing pin had to be moved to line up. I suspect that was the reason the factory 8-shots were the first large frame Smiths to have the frame mounted firing pin, easier to move the bushing than to make a new hammer with a relocated hammer nose firing pin.
 
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