anybody ever rebarrel a smith and wesson J frame

J

JBenterprise

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Hey yall I am going to reabarrel a J frame pistol that the barrel corroded from carrying in a purse. I am having a hell of a time finding an action wrench for a j frame everybody and their mother makes one for the other revolvers but not one that i could find for the j frame any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. thanks Justin
 
With the cylinder removed and the barrel held in a barrel vise, a piece of wood (an old broken handle for a pick or sledge) though the action close to the barrel will work. I have not done many but I have not encountered any 'tight' ones. They usually unscrew easily.
 
Rebarreling a Smith

Back in the '70's, I rebarreled a bunch of K-Frames and N-Frames, never a J, but it is built the same way.


Dennis's piece of wood in the frame up by the barrel is how I always removed them, just be sure and remove the little lock pin first. Most are not very tight at all.........jackie
 
You can use a square piece of wood as a frame jack as described, but hammer handles and other round stock could tweak the frame with a tight barrel. Years ago I made up a simple fixture to remove S&W barrels - a piece of flat cold rolled steel 1/4" x 1 1/2" x about 10" and another about 1/4" x 1 1/2" x 2" (this last dimension just long enough to bridge the cylinder hole with a little overhang). A couple of 1/4 x20 cap screws hold this together, and it is bolted across the cylinder opening, making a non frame stressing action wrench. I find this fixture also handy for doing some kinds of machine work to the frame, as it can be held in the mill vise on either side of the fixture.

Scott
 
Don't do that!!!

The frame on an S&W revolver is very easily sprung and the threaded portion that receives the barrel is quite thin and is very easily cracked. If you remove the cylinder and try to remove the barrel with something jammed through the cylinder window you will wreck the alignment of the frame at best. MGW makes a very nice action wrench, it is the one that I use and recommend. A quick search revealed that it was in stock in three different places. If you have not rebarreled a revolver before you will need some other special tools: forcing cone cutter; barrel breach face cutter; yoke alignment jig just to name a few. A rebound slide spring compressor is nice but you can get by without it. To do a proper job you will need to remove the side plate and the internal lock work as well as the cylinder and yoke assembly. If you have not been trained on removing and reinstalling the side plate on S&W revolvers DON’T DO IT! You will raise a bur on the frame and side plate; have someone show you how to do it properly. S&W revolvers have 36 threads per inch you will have to face back the shoulder to get the proper crush on the frame and stretch on the barrel shank to hold the barrel tight. That is a one shot deal after you tighten it up if you have to remove it you should face back the shoulder of barrel for one more complete revolution. There are people doing all kinds of crazy things to accomplish the task of installing a new barrel on a revolver and most of them get it wrong.

Individual results may vary,
Nic.
 
Aluminum Frame versions of J- Frame

I have rebarreled a number of S&W K and N Frame revolvers, but never have I done a J- Frame. I would recommend a proper frame wrench regardless of what size frame it is. I have a shop made frame wrench that uses Delrin inserts like the commercially available wrench.
The Liteweight J- Frames could be rather tricky, do to their Aluminum frames, and I would caution against using the hammer handle method with any revolver, and especially one with an Aluminum frame.
 
You can make a wrench and "bed" it to the frame with epoxy just like bedding a rifle. The perfect fit will spread the load and prevent scratching. Bed it with the yoke in place.
 
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