Removing the "Smith & Wesson" and "38 special" form a Model 10 barrel

[321BMT]

I am considering cutting a 4" model 10 barrel back to 3". This will either split the roll markings or leave them well off-center. Neither will look very good. I thought about draw filing and polishing the markings off, but read that might be a violation of federal law.

I looked up the statute and regulation, and you can't remove required information from the gun. The manufacturer name and the caliber are required, but the manufacturer's name is also on the frame. The only required information that would be lost would be the caliber because it isn't found anywhere else on the gun.

Lots of custom gunsmiths remove and replace barrels with match grade barrels. Clark is one. Brownell's sells Clark PPC barrels you can install yourself. Doesn't this remove the same information.

What if I have "Smith & Wesson" and "38 Special"
re-stamped or lazered on the cleaned up shortened barrel ? Would that satisfy the feds?

Is there anyone who is or was in the business who has the answer? I don't want to violate the law or create a gun that it would be illegal for me or someone else to possess. I also want to avoid the premium price and scarcity of an original 3" barrel.

[Outpost75]

Why not find a 3-inch Model 13 barrel and install that?

The only "required" barrel marking is the frame serial number.

I wouldn't worry about the factory rollmarks cutting off the barrel, but it is helpful to leave the caliber designation intact if you were to sell the gun later.

Bobbing off a factory barrel, unless done professionally so that it "looks" factory, will reduce resale value, if that is important. I would keep your original 4-inch barrel and instead look for an original factory 3" barrel to have put on the gun - they did make them, but it will be a Holy quest to find one. Swapping and fitting another barrel is much easier than cutting off your old one, and having a correct front sight put on it professionally so that it doesn't look like a Bubba job.

[321BMT]

Outpost you are correct. A factory 3" barrel would be the preferred route. I haven't seen one for sale in the last six months anywhere on line unless it had the rest of the gun still attached. Three inch model 64's are going for big bucks, and 65's are higher. I can't remember seeing a 3" model 10 lately. But more reasonable prices are still available for the 4" guns and they aren't hard to find. Maybe I just need to be patient. I still want to be sure about the legality. There is no requirement that there be any marking specifically on the barrel. However, the caliber MAY be placed on the barrel, but the caliber HAS to be somewhere on the gun. On the k-frames it isn't anywhere other than the barrel.

I don't know that I would do the work myself. Sure wouldn't want to Bubba the job. The price difference between a 3" and a 4" gun will pay for a fair amount of gunsmithing.

[samari46]

Few years ago a bunch of S&W revolvers were imported from Australia.Thees came from many of the police departments over there. Most were of the shot less and carried more typical of police firearms, Night after night someone would post pics of there new toy. I procrastinated too long and the tsunami of revolvers dribbled down to nothing. So at this point in time you have a couple options. Find someone who has one of the 3" barrelled revolvers and inquire if for sale. Find a matching 3" barrel for your make and model revolver. Or give S&W a call and see if they have any remaining 3" barrels on their shelves. Or put a WTB as in the hopes someone has one of these barrels. I have a model 10 that I would love to stick a 3" barrel on.Frank

[fgd135]

Only the serial number is a required marking, which is on the frame, the restricted part of the revolver. Simply restamp the caliber on the barrel after you cut it back.

[akajun]

Trust me, sell the model 10 and buy what you want
You’ll be money ahead in the long run

[waksupi]

Trust me, sell the model 10 and buy what you want
You’ll be money ahead in the long run

Yep. Gunsmiths ain't cheap! If they ARE cheap, you probably don't want them working on your gun.

[skeettx]

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/872821421

[321BMT]

Thanks for the replies. I'm putting out feelers. Somewhere there is a reasonably priced 3" barrel, but it's not showing up on line. I can't find one for less than $250. Decent model 10's are upwards of $600, model 64's are $700, model 65's are higher still. A couple of hundred to cut a barrel and re-crown isn't looking so bad. Re-sale isn't a concern, but if it's done right it ought to sell.

[roysha]

Please show me the regulation that states a barrel must have ANY identification whatsoever. Obviously, having the caliber marked is a GOOD IDEA but as far as that being required along with the manufacturer, I don't think so.

If it were mine, I would do with the barrel whatever I felt I wanted to do and not look back. Far and away Smith and Wesson revolvers are my favorite handguns and if I wanted to shorten the barrel on a model as common as the 10, I would do so and not give it a second thought. Generally speaking, they are as common as dirt and unless it is new in the box I doubt that cutting barrel will hurt the valve much. Besides, the 4" barrels are quite readily available so it could be brought back to "original" if one so desired.

And yes, I have changed quite a few Smith barrels over the years and it is no big deal if you have any common sense and a few basic tools.

So, if that 3" barrel is what you want, do it.

[samari46]

That barrel on gunbroker looks like a 4" with no sights. Photo is kinda blurry from where I'm sitting. Then you have the added expense of finding a new front sight. I'd call Smith & Wesson and see if they had either new or slightly used 4" barrel or even a 3" barrel. Put a WTB in the S&W forum and can almost guarantee you"ll get a barrel. And as far as crowns are concerned you have options. Flat faced with center recess, standard rounded crown, 11 degree crown, and a few others. Happy hunting.Frank

[321BMT]

Roysha, there are no regs that require any markings on the barrel. But there are a few things that must be on the gun. Some must be on the frame like the manufacturer, serial #, etc., and some that are required to be on the gun but may be on the barrel like the caliber. If the maker decides to put the caliber on the barrel and no where else on the gun, then my question is can you remove the caliber marking. The statute says you can't remove required markings, but I know that it's done all the time when slabbing a barrel or replacing one. There must be an exception that I haven't found.

[roysha]

Well, let me put it this way. Over the years I have had to make many chamber casts to positively identify the cartridge that a rifle was chambered for because when it was rebarreled it was not marked. I have seen many older rifles, especially octagon barrels, that have had the markings obliterated by time and/or someone draw filing them to remove the rust and pits.

Indeed, the serial numbers must be there but I don't know that that even the model number has to be there. How many Mauser 98s, Jap type 99, and such, have you seen marked with model numbers. Heck, I've seen a LOT of M-98s that had everything but the serial number literally ground off. In the case of the Jap 99 the vast majority had the chrysanthmum ground off before they could be imported. I have not seen or heard where the caliber or manufacturer must be on the barrel. In the case of S&Ws the side plate would most assuredly cover the manufacturer requirement and common sense would dictate marking the caliber somewhere, with the barrel being the most likely candidate but I don't believe it is "required".

I have to say that if there were such a requirement, with the number of views your post has, SOMEONE would most assuredly would have posted chapter and verse of the statute by now.

[321BMT]

Well, I turned up my google machine to full speed, and I think I have resolved my confusion and concerns. There are different requirements under the Gun Control Act ( for regular guns) and the National Firearms Act (for machine guns and other devices deemed more dangerous). The NFA does require much more information. As far as I can find the GCA only requires the serial number. I hope I am correct because I'm goin to clean the barrels off unless I can find a factory barrel. I've emailed S & W.

[jaguarxk120]

Check around for a shop that does micro welding with laser's.
They can fill the stampings with weld metal and all you have to do is dress it off
That way you will not be altering the barrel profile.

I've seen it done to a badly rusted receiver from a shotgun.

[321BMT]

Thanks Jaguar.

[321BMT]

I emailed S & W. No 3" k-frame barrels. They suggested the usual suspects. Gunparts, Ebay, Gunbroker, etc.

[321BMT]

I just decided to go ahead and cut the barrel. I used a draw file to remove the lettering and some emery cloth to smooth everything out. After I get it cut and crowned I'll polish and blue. I'm going to cut or have cut a dovetail for the front sight. Any suggestions for the height on the front sight for a 3" model 10?

[rintinglen]

Re: sight height
If a Pencil Barrel, .375 from the top of the barrel, or about 3/64's inch shorter than the stock front sight. If it is a heavy barrel, about .125 from the ramp.

[321BMT]

Thanks