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Post by bushog on Oct 20, 2015 20:21:59 GMT -5
Are N-frame and L-frame Smith barrels interchangeable?
If not can you explain?
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Post by bradshaw on Oct 20, 2015 20:43:40 GMT -5
Bush hog.... no, barrel cannot be swapped between K-frame, which is built around the .38, and the N-frame, which is built around the .44. The barrel stub, or shank, is smaller for the K-frame, so narrow in fact that the thin wall which surrounds the forcing cone is insufficient for long term .357 Mag use. Smith & Wesson barrels use a very fine thread, which imparts a larger ROOT DIAMETER, consequently thicker wall, for a given stub diameter. The fine thread also makes THREAD TIMING a little less critical than a coarser thread.
The N-frame supplies plenty wall thickness to support .44 Mag pressure, more so than the rest of the gun's architecture. This is not to imply the Smith should not be fired with ful house SAAMI loads; rather to encourage throttling down to keep a Model 29 the life-long companion it can be.
Of course, I now see your question asks about the L-frame, S&W's reaction to Ruger's Security-Six, which was killing the K-frame M-19 in durability. The L-frame stub is larger than the K and smaller than the N.
David Bradshaw
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Post by medicdave on Oct 20, 2015 21:08:05 GMT -5
Quick break down on traditional barrel threads for a Smith, all are 36tpi. Not sure how the 69's barrel matches up.
J: .500"
K: .540"
L: .562"
N: .670"
Also the distance between bore center and ejector rod center don't match up to lock the cylinder in.
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