S&W Titanium Revolver Flaw or Benefit

B

Ben

New member
I was flipping through an old Shooting Times where they reviewed the "NEW" S&W Titanium Revolvers.

The Titanium revolvers by S&W have a steel barrel INSERTED into an aluminum frame. Those barrels are suseptable to twisting slowly backwards decreasing the B/C gap during shooting. Has anyone heard of this or had a problem with this yet?

Shooting Times also said that S&W was claiming this to be a benefit by calling it a self-tightening barrel. Turns out the barrel can "self-tighten" itself right up against the cylinder and halt cylinder rotation.

Apparently that's one of the reasons the guns are not PORTED; because the barrel may bot line up to the slots in the frame. Apparently the wear patterns of the two metal are entirely different as well. hmmm...

sounds logical to me
wink.gif

Ben

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Almost Online IM: BenK911
ICQ # 53788523
"Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target"

[This message has been edited by Ben (edited April 20, 2000).]
 
I've got about 1500 rounds through mine now and I havn't noticed any change. I sure will keep an eye on it now though! Thanks.
 
A little dab of red Loktite ought to fix any problem like that.
There is no benefit to having a barrel move like that.
-Kframe
 
Ben just a couple of points.

The frame of the various S&W Arilite pistols is aluminum. Only the cylinders are titanium.

I have shot several of these guns extensively and noted no change in the barrel cylibnder gap. I'm not saying that it couldn't happen but it would be unlikely.

The barrel is two pieces: the barrel shroud is made of aluminum and the stainless steel barrelette (that's what S&W calls it) has a shoulder at the front that engages the shroud. If those dimensions are right the self-tightening aspect would simply keep the barrelette tight against the shroud.

Since the barrel is assembled and tightened with a torque wrench my gut feeling is that "self-tightening" while nice in theory, probably doesn't happen very much/ The key thing is to get the right depth for the shoulder to engage. If that is done, the BC gap is set automatically.
 
singleshot,

Don't shoot the messenger! Thanx for clarifying things though
wink.gif


Ben

------------------
Almost Online IM: BenK911
ICQ # 53788523
"Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target"
 
Originally posted by Ben:
singleshot,

Don't shoot the messenger!

Wouldn't think of it and my deepest apologies if that's how it seemed to you.

This was an example of gunshop disinformation , IMO, and was obviously based on something that sounded logical, but since they didn't understand how the gun was put together it was not exactly accurate.
Click to expand...
 
No slams intended, sent, or recieved. That's what the
wink.gif
was for.

Shooting Times called S&W and got this stuff verified. S&W ALSO recommended NOT using bullets with weights over 200 grains in their .44 Special titanium revolvers because it can accelerate that "twisting barrel movement" AND the increased recoil can pull the bullets from the casings causing a jam.

I figured that since S&W told us about this, and there's supposedly a warning in their manual about it, that it SHOULD be made public.

But THAT'S not what keeps me from getting a titanium rev... it's the PRICE that turns me off. I hear the recoil is stiff on these things too.

take care bud,
Ben

------------------
Almost Online IM: BenK911
ICQ # 53788523
"Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target"
 
Just curious -- anyone have experience with the S&W Titanium revolvers vs. the "Airweight" (i.e., Aluminium frame with steel cylinder). I'm thinking about one in a J-frame .38, and also can't justify the increased cost of the Ti revolver over the Airweight. The weight difference is on the order of 3-4 oz., and I can't imagine the Airweight being burdensomely heavy for me. Plus the extra weight might make it more controllable. Anyone fired / owned both? Thanks!
 
I own both a 442 and a 337. Recoil is heavier with the titanium. As you mentioned there is not a lot of difference in weight although the 337 has a extra inch of barrel. I bought the 337 because I felt it would be the ultimate "kit gun." One thing about the 337 is that when you strap it on your hip you will forget you're packing. It is that light. Now if I could find a 396!
 
Ben the recoil is pretty stiff and the greatest concern is bullet pull. If torque is a problem then the "self tigtening" would fix it unless the dimensions of the fit were wrong.

S&W also recommends "jacketed bullets only" for their .38 Special Airlites. and has the 200 gr. max on the two .44 Specials. Both are primarily because of bullet pull. When I first shot the .38 lead bullets would be pulled about 1/4" after firing two or three +P loads. It never got to the point of bindinh the cylinder, but it could. I repeated the same thing with the .44 Sp. and saw no evidence of bullet pull.
 
If you guys are still interested, I read about all this in an older Shooting Times magazine. If you want to get a back-issue, this is the one to ask for:

Shooting Times (June 1999)

Ben

------------------
Almost Online IM: BenK911
ICQ # 53788523
"Gun Control Is Being Able To Hit Your Target"
 
Check out my post "Smith and Wesson 342ti".

I was very happy to see I'm not the only one with this concern. My 342ti barrel actually became loose (very slightly, but enough to concern me)! I looked through my paperwork and there was a bright paper which explained how this all worked. It explainted the whole self-tightening barrel thing. I spoke with S&W on the phone, and they say a few shots should do it. We'll see.

By the way, carry-wise I couldn't be happier. I have an ankle holster, a waistband holster, and often just stick it in my pocket. The thing is so darn light! It kicks horribly, though, and I haven't even shot +p's in it yet.
 
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