I was at a local indoor shooting range today & the owner asked about a S&W Model 28 revolver. it had several bullets stuck in the bore. To remove them they had heated the BBL with a torch & say they melted the lead out if it.
The BBL is quite discolored it’s entire length. The frame does not appear to be discolored & he indicated that they had removed the BBL somewhere in this process. The crane & cylinder were not on the gun when I saw it & he may have meant the cylinder. He stated the everyone there had messed with it:(
With the BBL’s entire length discolored it seems that the BBLs & frame’s heat treat is damaged.
I noticed what appeared to be a pin & later wondered if this bbl is threaded & pinned. I have doubts that the BBL was in fact removed but can’t prove it.
Is this a job you guys would take?
With the barrel heated to discoloring and “everyone there has messed with it” I would simply tell them the barrel is ruined. You don’t know how hot they got the barrel. The barrels on the older S&W’s were pinned so that is normal. You should be able to examine the pin and see if it is marked like it has been removed recently. That will tell you if the barrel has been pulled. The frames are relatively soft and so even if the frame where the barrel screws in was heated, it is probably OK, they just need a new barrel.
Reply:
OK, I thought this would be the case but wanted your opinion.
You said the older S&W BBLs were pinned. Are they threaded & pinned or just pinned? I would guess both.
Answer:
Threaded and pinned.
