Dan Wesson 357 Magnum Barrel Identification Factory or Custom?

[FishHunter357]

300798300799

I have this Dan Wesson Ported 357 Magnum barrel and was always curious if it's factory or modified. Any thoughts? Does anyone know what it might be worth either way? Thank you!

[rancher1913]

the markings look like its a factory barrel but I think the porting was after market, it looks like it is a fake porting job as the barrel does not have any ports unless they are hidden in the photo. looks like a later barrel.

[SoonerEd]

I've not seen a ported one and don't know how you'd get the ports in the barrel and shroud to line up.

[Texas by God]

Their first .44 magnum had a 360° ported barrel that matched up with channels in the shroud. At that time in the 80s, I don't recall DW offering a ported .357 model.

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[FishHunter357]

I tried to line the barrel liner up with how it sits in the shroud. The liner itself isn't ported, it's shorter than the shroud so the crown is before the ports from the bullet's perspective. In other words, it would need a long barrel wrench to reach past the ported section of the shroud to get to the barrel nut. The knurled part at the muzzle seems like it's only there to act as a "baffle" to retain / lose more pressure in / through the ported area.

[475AR]

There was a ported barrel/shroud that looked like the non ported barrels except for 2 vents in the shroud on either side of the sight/rib and 8 ports around the barrel.
What you have is a comp barrel shroud, that uses a standard non ported barrel and a longer (usually the next size up from the barrel example a 4" barrel would have a 6" shroud with the cuts on top) with slots on the top and an extra nut to close the end of the shroud to force gas up thru the slots. The barrel is secured with a standard barrel nut as well in the normal fashion but you need a different "comp" wrench to remove it. The comp barrel/shrouds were factory offered and do command a premium depending on caliber and length. I will try to post pics of both types later tonight.

[SoonerEd]

There was a ported barrel/shroud that looked like the non ported barrels except for 2 vents in the shroud on either side of the sight/rib and 8 ports around the barrel.
What you have is a comp barrel shroud, that uses a standard non ported barrel and a longer (usually the next size up from the barrel example a 4" barrel would have a 6" shroud with the cuts on top) with slots on the top and an extra nut to close the end of the shroud to force gas up thru the slots. The barrel is secured with a standard barrel nut as well in the normal fashion but you need a different "comp" wrench to remove it. The comp barrel/shrouds were factory offered and do command a premium depending on caliber and length. I will try to post pics of both types later tonight.

Thanks for the explanation 475AR.

[LeonardC]

SoonerEd: if you want more information on your DW, you might post a pic on "Dan Wesson Forum". The logo and markings are after the Monson period.

[rwsem]

That is OEM compensated shroud. "HV4C" Heavy Lug, Vented, 4", Compensated Its from the Norwich NY plant

[M-Tecs]

https://patents.google.com/patent/US5305678A/en

https://www.danwessonforum.com/archive/shroud-types/

https://www.danwessonforum.com/forum/revolvers/10-compensated-445-from-monson/

[FishHunter357]

Thank you for all the helpful responses everyone!