S&W 329 kaboom

[G-MAN]

I posted in another thread that I was thinking about getting a scandium frame Smith. Maybe not...

I think anyone who owns an alloy frame revolver, no matter what make, needs to keep an eye on the top strap for flame cutting.

[RLH70]

Do you know what kind of loads were being fired in that? I am thinking super hot handloads?

[G-MAN]

Do you know what kind of loads were being fired in that? I am thinking super hot handloads?

The report was that he was using factory loads. And typically I would think an over pressure failure would result in a split cylinder. For the top strap to let go at the forcing cone, I think it had to be flame cutting. The scandium frame Smiths have a stainless steel insert on the top strap right there to prevent the hot gases from coming in contact with the alloy frame. I think the shield eventually burned through, or perhaps had accidentally been left off at the factory.

[Bill_in_Utah]

I think you are correct with the gap cutting. The shield was there I'm sure.

Seen this myself. In a snub a .38+p is about as much as you are going to want to and get the most out of a short barrel. For the .357 you really need a lot longer barrel.

I'll stick with my proven S&W 638 or a Ruger LCR with 38+p thank you!

Bill

[RLH70]

I was assuming it was flame cutting, but just assumed hot loads since my brother has that exact gun and has to have in excess of 7k rounds through it with only minimal flame cutting, now if the insert failed or was missing that's a whole other ballgame.

[Bill_in_Utah]

But if the cylinder to barrel gap was excessive which has been a problem that could accelerate wear/damage even with the insert there.

They have done tests and with the mag loads with lighter bullets (125gn) there is more possible cutting than with heaver ones.

Bill

[RLH70]

That's true Bill, but since flame cutting is a limited process, in that, once the material on the top strap is removed to a certain point the remaining material is far enough away from the gasses as to not be affected any longer unless hotter and hotter loads are used.

[G-MAN]

That's true Bill, but since flame cutting is a limited process, in that, once the material on the top strap is removed to a certain point the remaining material is far enough away from the gasses as to not be affected any longer unless hotter and hotter loads are used.

I've never bought into the "limited" theory of flame cutting. Watch any high-speed footage of revolver fire and look at how large the blast radius is coming from the cylinder-to-barrel gap. It's huge. On a 357 or 44 it goes out a good 4 to 6 inches.

[RLH70]

The hottest and most destructive gasses are those closest to the center of the radius. I can simply look at my revolvers and see that some gas cutting occured early on and then never got worse.

Besides if gas cutting is not limited I would think that some if not all of my revolvers with many thousands of rounds through them would look like the one above.

[steves]

I hope S@W warranties the revolver. I am thinking about a Scandium J frame but I would run SWC in it.