[16'er]

Here's a thought I had the other day: If you had a K frame S&W, and you wanted to change the caliber is it as easy as changing the Barrel and cylinder? I'm assuming you staying centerfire, and both are six shot. I'd really like to have a 6" K frame 32 mag. But Model 16-3's are going for 800-1000+, so if you found a model 14 or 15 with damaged barrel or bad wear on barrel and cylinder could you convert it to a "model 16" just to have a good shooter?

Yeah kinda going around the wrong way to get there, but was wondering if anyone had heard of doing this. I once read the S&W barrels interchange, I think..

Before you ask, I've got a model 14 and 15, but like them in 38, and wouldn't touch either of those guns. I have no aversion to larger calibers, I just like the 32 as well. Since my collection is limited to Nice shooter grade guns, this would be a way to get a shooter, since the guns out there are getting collector prices. Besides I have to save some cash for that model 52...

16'er

 

[wwb]

.....so if you found a model 14 or 15 with damaged barrel or bad wear on barrel and cylinder could you convert it to a "model 16" just to have a good shooter?

Probably could be done, but I'll bet you'd have well over a grand in it by the time you were done. You'd have to buy a .32 Smith to get the barrel & cylinder (there's some big bucks) or you'd have to make 'em from scratch, heat treat and blue them (there's more big bucks).

 

[16'er]

Actually I had the cylinder replaced on my model 15 a year or so ago by S&W and had a factory re-blue done while they had it. It was just starting to get loose in the timing, would index up but if you turned the cylinder by hand it would slip back on a couple of stops. Anyway the whole job including return shipping was $225. Thought that was worth it, since the rigger on that gun was so slick... the trigger is the best of my smiths, at least.

Obviosly if it cost $1000 bucks, I'd get one of the outragously priced 16's on the market. One guy on GB has had this one listed for a while, wonder why??

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... m=60177682

A quick search shows the 4" barrels are asking $1000+ now. Might just have to wait smith out and see if they ever do anotehr run. Of course they just dropped the 32mag from the J frame line up, so I'm not holding my breath on that one.

 

[16'er]

This is the auction that got me thinking about it...

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... m=60213526

might not ahve been the perfect donor, but just got some gears meshing in the knoggin...

 

[wwb]

Yup.... but the work that the boys at S&W did was to repair/restore the piece as it was originally built.

Asking them to change the caliber is a different story. It can't hurt to ask, but I'll bet they'll do it at all, they'll refer you to the performance center for something like that. You don't want to know the PC price list, although the stuff that comes out of there is something to behold.

Edit... One other thing I forgot to mention; there's quite a difference between a .32 S&W and a 32 H&R Mag... almost double the pressure, which is why I doubt the factory would do it at all.