Is 6gr of bullseye to much ?

[buster]

I bought a S&W model 19 about a year ago and the first time I shot it with factory 158 j bullets the forcing cone split. I found a used barrel and had my local smith repair it. HE dosn't get in any hurry, so it took about 5 months to get it back and I thought he did a good job. I shot about 300 to 400 rds of light stuff (3.5to4.5grs of bullseye in it, and it shot good. I wanted to step it up some so I loaded some up with 5.5 and 6.0 of bullseye.The 5.5 shot with no problem but the barrel became lose with 6.0 load. So do you think this is a fault of mine or poor smithing.

[NSP64]

the alliant website lists 6.8 as max for 158 jsp. the barrel should screw in and then be pinned to prevent unscrewing. if the barrel jumped forward something is wrong I wouldn't shoot it.

[NSP64]

maybe the frame threads are to big, and that allowed the original forcing cone to split.Then if the threads wern't checked the new barrel would also be to small and might jump forward. was the gun used before you bought it?

[buster]

Newsmoke I don't plan on shooting it. I bought the gun from a co/worker it looked like it hadn't been shot much. I got a old speer manual that list a 146 gr j bullet and 7.2of bullseye as max. I was using a 150 gr lee cast.

[NSP64]

I'd take it back to smith and have him check the threads.

[lastmanout]

Yow !!! That seems like a lot of bullseye in a 38/357 load. Spliting a forcing cone is usually sign of too pressure (OVERLOAD). I don't like going past 4 grains Bullseye and then switch to a slower burning powder like Unique , Universal, or 800x. Sounds like the frame swelled and the threads are oversize- one possibility the barrel no longer stays tight. Pinning is probably not gonna fix it. Best bet is send it back to Smith and Wesson for an estimate / rebuild. They have done some fine work the last few years. They are the only ones I would trust to fix it now.

[NSP64]

can you push/pull the barrel back and forth in the frame?

[AZ-Stew]

Send it to the factory and get it fixed properly.

Regards,

Stew

[anachronism]

Your revolver pins the barrel in place. If the barrel is unscrewing when you shoot it, the barrel is incorrectly installed.

[shooting on a shoestring]

I have run 6.0 gr Bullseye with 358091 150 gr wadcutter in my SP101 357. That is a highend load for Bullseye and I backed off to 5.5 gr, and then switched to 7.5 gr Herco. I load for my Mod 19 using .357 brass and 5 gr Bullseye and Lee 140 SWC.

Model 19 was meant for lots of .38s and a few .357s. Its a lightly built, light to carry revolver, not a heavy pounder.

I sent a Mod 60 back to Smith and Wesson. They set the barrel back, recut the forcing cone, installed a new hand and shipped it back for right at $100. Of course it cost me $50 to Fedex it to them. The work took about a month and a half, and it was a super job. I'm very happy. I strongly suggest you call S & W and talk to them. I'll bet you end up sending it back to them and living happily everafter.

[StrawHat]

If your gun split the cone with factory, something is wrong.

Time to send it off to S&W or one of the better aftermarket gunsmith's.

I recommend S&W.

If the barrel walks forward while you are shooting it (as opposed to unscrewing whaile you are shooting it) the frame is way too big for the barrel shank.

It is hard to tell from the photo, but it appears the barrel pin is no longer in place. Regardless, the purpose of the barrel pin is not to hold the barrel in place.

Send this one back to Smith and see what they say.

[GSPKurt]

The pin is still there, but something's bad wrong. Send it to Smith & Wesson.

[Four Fingers of Death]

if you send it to S&W, it will be diagnosed 100% correctly and fixed 100%

I am always reluctant to increase loads to any significant degree with fast powders (whether in rifles or pistolas) as the prssure can spike dramamatically. Best off going to a slower powder I feel if you want to crank up the performance. The bullseye is brilliant for plinking and target loads, like 231, works fine, but I saw a Ruger blow out a cylinder with a warmish load of 231, which i wouldn't have called hot. Another prob with B/eye, etc is they don't take up much room and a double load will fit fine, but may trash your gun.