Need advise~barreling Colt Cobra
Picked up a nice Cobra but moisture from holster had ruined the inside of the barrel. Have a new barrel but am not sure how tight it should fit in the alloy frame. It screws in by hand almost (1/32 short) to where it should be. Question: Can I put Loc-tite on the threads & screw it in the last 32nd. & it hold? Thanks,Dave
davem3
davem3
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The odds are that you will turn a $300 gun into a paperweight.
The torque required to bend an aluminum frame is just SLIGHTLY greater than the torque required to turn the barrel to TDC. And, that's with a padded vise and a barrel wrench, which you probably don't have. You probably also don't have the feeler gauges needed to measure the barrel-to-cylinder gap, or the knowledge to change this if it is not correct.
This is a job best performed by a gunsmith. In any case, holsters don't give off "moisture" that would ruin the inside of a barrel; the gun needs to be opened up and inspected.
Neal0 -
Yep.....what nmyers said. 0 -
Well, you got the old barrel out without mangling the frame. I think your idea is sound because 1/32" to final position will probably result in too loose a barrel without Loctite. Degrease both barrel and frame threads with gasoline before Loctiting. Use a rectangular block of HARDWOOD in the cylinder cutout while tightening or loosening a revolver barrel. That way you can bear on the frame up close to the barrel and minimize bending the frame. They're all softer than you think.
Check the cylinder-to-barrel gap with a feeler gage. It should be between .005-.008" with an empty case in the chamber.
If you need to increase the gap, wrap the top strap with some tape and carefully file the barrel rear squarely with a small fine cut flat file all the while checking with the feeler every few strokes.
When you get close, use some black marker on the barrel. It will rub off on the tight spots which should then be filed or stoned down. You can finish up with a small fine hand stone.0 -
Thanks everyone, I just wasn't sure about the alloy frame ~ never done one before and didn't want to upset the threads by pulling bbl. too tight. I have all the required equiptment in my machine shop along with Brownels 11` forcing cone set etc and do several a year but this is the 1st. alloy. Kuhnhausen doesen't even mention alloy frames in his S&W shop manual in bbl. fitting section and it's the only reference I have. The gun was carried in a shoulder holster for years and the leather had held moisture next to the cly. and the bbl. on opposite sides where they touched along with the muzzle. Didn't look like the cly. had ever been turned all that time as the pitting was only in two places 180` apart. Thanks Again,Dave
davem30
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