44 Mag with Split Barrel

My son has an Interarms Virginian Dragoon. The barrel has a split developing and has asked me if it can be replaced. I don’t tinker with handguns, but I told him I thought so and that it would have to be done by a qualified gunsmith. He’s a carpenter by profession, but doesn’t have any experience with machine tools.

What is the availability of these barrels? Would it have to be custom made? Is it cost effective to do so? With the price of guns today, it might be worth repairing it when it wouldn’t have been before.

Thanks for all information and advice.

If the frame isn't damage it can be replaced. They have not been in production for a long time. I don't know if the threads will match anything that is readily available. Depending on that it could vary from relatively cost effective to not worth the money.

How much would it cost to have a stainless barrel made today? Are there people who specialize in making handgun barrels and have the CNC equipment for it?

Do to the rarity of the gun and the age of the parts if it's not interchangeable Colt or the Colt Clones it will be a one off and CNC doesn't save money. Any of the known smiths are going to be plus $500 for a barrel they have to contour. Some a lot more. If you are by one of the Gunsmith Colleges that type of work can get done cheap as school project or machinist buddy might be willing to do it. If a screw in replacement barrel can be located the cost well be significantly less. Even on screw in replacement the cylinder gap may have to be set so that might require machine the barrel shoulder.

Some history on them

https://www.singleactions.com/VADragoons.pdf

You don't say where it is split. Is it the forcing cone? What length is the barrel? Could the split section be cut off and the barrel retreaded, have a new forcing cone cut and the barrel reinstalled with either a new tapped hole for the ejector or have the ejector shortened. Of course a new barrel could be fitted, either custom or factory. Paying a gunsmith to fix it probably will feel like a lot of money, you might be money ahead selling it to someone who could fix it for themselves.

Tim

Attachment 279927

You can see the fine crack developing here.

Is that a crack in the frame also?
by the middle finger?
the "squiggle line" on the frame looks like the squiggle line on the barrel ("crack")
by the base pin.

if the frame is cracked replacing the barrel is a waste of time.
spraying the suspected crack with brake cleaner may make the crack
more visible.

Supposedly the 44 mag Virginia dragoons were hell-for-stout guns,
so if this one is cracked I wonder what abuse it received.

gun parts corp/numeric may have a replacement barrel.
also check the other used gun parts sites, like jack first, etc.
search this sight for "used Winchester parts",
the same places that sell used Winchester parts may have parts for this gun.

also google around, there is at least 1 site that sells "parts kits" of guns,
that are basically the whole gun except the frame/receiver,
or the kit may come with a chopped frame/receiver.

I forgot the name of the site, something like "every-gun-part".
the gun had some connection with some police department
and when they have guns used in a crime or
confiscated that need to be "destroyed",
this guy buys the guns, disassembles them, chops up the receiver,
and sell the disassembled guns as a "kit".
that way the PD/town/city gets some revenue and the guy gets some sales,
and we get some parts.

be warned, his "kits" are not cheap.
if you need 1 part and can get it elsewhere you will be better off,
but if you cant find a part anywhere else and really need it, this is an option.

I had it confirmed that is NOT a crack on the receiver.

It’s a five inch barrel.

That gun has a history. Someone gave it to me for a bar bill he couldn’t pay. I never used it much because I had a S&W 44mag, that I carried for bear protection. I never reloaded for it because I didn’t have those dies until later when I bought a Marlin in 44 mag. I finally sold it to someone and it may have changed hands a few times and my son ended up with it a few years ago. The crack is fine, so it may have been being shot, without it being known it was cracked. When my son got it, he put 20 rounds of factory ammunition through it and discovered the crack only afterwards when he was cleaning it.

I wonder if an older blackhawk barrel would work? I would guess that finding a differently branded (but workable) barrel won't be that tough. It would be interesting to see what the thread profile on it would be.

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I made a chart up many years ago with all of the info I could find on barrel threads.
I'm not sure where I have it saved or if it got transfered to my new PC. I posted it either here or AccurateReloading. trying to search for it. I think that someone else picked it up and added pistol threads. It may have migrated to other forums.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...st-info-needed
I did find this.

The Virginia Dragoon barrel measures:

Major dia .710
18 TPI
Tennon length .835
The very end of the tennon which is unthreaded measures .630 dia and .130 length

Ruger Blackhawk = .668" x 24 TPI

I know that the BFR has a larger barrel thread compared to the Ruger Blackhawk. I have a spare 50 cal BFR barrel around here somewhere, but couldn't find it in the safe.

Greg, check with Bob's Gun Parts:
https://gun-parts.com/index.html/

They might have a replacement barrel.

Might consider, if an actual replacement barrel can't be found, the get a Ruger 7 1/2" barrel and have it shortened the 5 1/2" at the breach end then turned and threaded to fit the Dragoon frame.

If I was in your shoes the first call I would make is to Jack Huntington 775-355-6898 and talk with him. His work is fabulous and priced very fair!

You say it traded hands before your son getting it. Could be someone ran some hot ammo through it, such as CorBon ammo or hot reloads. Being a Colt Peacemaker copy, they're aren't made to shoot hot ammo.
Or there could be barrel/forcing cone/cylinder alignment issues.

Personally I'd take it to a qualified gunsmith, and have it completely looked at before considering a barrel change. Any force great enough to crack a barrel could do damage to another part of the revolver. Maybe even have frame and cylinder MPI inspected.
Or it could be you just had a flawed barrel and rest of revolver is okay.
If everything is inspected and good-to-go, have it re-barreled. The gunsmith should check alignment of barrel, forcing cone, cylinder.

I believe those handguns were made by Hammerli. I shot a few back in the late 70s- all shot high( but well) and seemed to be of high quality. I would look for an original barrel first, then go with plan B or C. If the frame is ok- rebarrel that thing.

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When the crack shows up in the forcing cone, then there is a problem. A crack on the outside of a cylinder would worry me. The cylinder is where the real pressure is.

Had a 357 early Colt trooper that split a forcing cone after a box of 50. When it split, who knows.

Seen 1970s vintage Taurus 357 crack a frame. Barrel became loose. This is the worst that can happen.

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Originally Posted by Texas by God

I believe those handguns were made by Hammerli. I shot a few back in the late 70s- all shot high( but well) and seemed to be of high quality. I would look for an original barrel first, then go with plan B or C. If the frame is ok- rebarrel that thing.

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Anything made after 1976 was not made by Hammerli. https://www.singleactions.com/VADragoons.pdf

The idea of getting a Ruger barrel and cutting it down to re-thread is interesting. What is the availability of Ruger barrels? How much would they cost?

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Originally Posted by GregLaROCHE

The idea of getting a Ruger barrel and cutting it down to re-thread is interesting. What is the availability of Ruger barrels? How much would they cost?

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I can't say at the moment, but I replaced one in 2019 with a barrel that I bought from e eBay. I just looked at my receipt, it was $46 delivered for a 5 1/2 inch 357 blued barrel.

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If you called your pistol Smith first, they may already have a takeoff barrel in hand.

Anybody know what the BFR threads are?

The crack seems strange to me. If it was just hot (high pressure) loads, it would start back close to the frame and open up instead of propagating forward. In order to fail the barrel due to pressure, I am also thinking there would be damage to the cylinder. I am thinking this is more of a defective barrel fabrication.

Stainless makes the replacement effort easier, but there is still the attachments to the barrel (shroud, front sight) that must be dealt with.

Find a gunsmith or two that does regular revolver barrel work and find what they would charge. The gun is worth enough to justify a goo repair.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by P Flados

The crack seems strange to me. If it was just hot (high pressure) loads, it would start back close to the frame and open up instead of propagating forward. In order to fail the barrel due to pressure, I am also thinking there would be damage to the cylinder. I am thinking this is more of a defective barrel fabrication.

Stainless makes the replacement effort easier, but there is still the attachments to the barrel (shroud, front sight) that must be dealt with.

Find a gunsmith or two that does regular revolver barrel work and find what they would charge. The gun is worth enough to justify a goo repair.

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You're not wrong!!! The one I replaced was on a SBH that had a similar split. The guy I got it from said that "one shot made a funny pffft sound and the next one was way too much recoil for him to handle". I assumed a bore obstruction from the previous bullet being lodged in the barrel? I looked forever from the barrel back and had a gunsmith do the same before rebarreling. I gifted it to my dad who has thoroughly enjoyed it!
(I gave the guy $50 for it, figured the sights and grips and springs were worth the money).

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Since there’s nothing pointing to hot rounds causing the crack, I tend to think it was from a manufacturing defect.

My son lives in Fairbanks AK, and there aren’t as many gunsmiths available as there may be in other parts of the US. For sure this gun needs a gunsmith, but finding one who specializes in handguns, won’t be easy for him. Is shipping to someone in the lower 48 possible. Probably shipping documents etc. will add to the cost, making the project unviable.

If he ships it to a licensed gunsmith for repair and the gunsmith ships it back to him there is no change of ownership and thus no paperwork of significant effect. I have no idea what shipping from Alaska to the lower 48 costs, though.

http://new.alaskacustomfirearms.com/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GregLaROCHE

Since there’s nothing pointing to hot rounds causing the crack, I tend to think it was from a manufacturing defect.

My son lives in Fairbanks AK, and there aren’t as many gunsmiths available as there may be in other parts of the US. For sure this gun needs a gunsmith, but finding one who specializes in handguns, won’t be easy for him. Is shipping to someone in the lower 48 possible. Probably shipping documents etc. will add to the cost, making the project unviable.

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Handguns are more cost to ship than long guns. For a handgun, the easiest / lowest cost shipping is usually to find a local FFL that will do the shipping. The local indoor range quoted me $50.00 total. Alternately there is ShipMyGun (see link below) that you can check with. Either will be less than the $100 for an individual to ship the gun themselves. The gunsmith doing the work will know how to use reasonable shipping for the trip back.

https://www.shipmygun.com/go/

Bottom line- the cost to fix will be more then the guns worth. Sorry.

I’d have the frame & cylinder magna fluxed for hidden cracks before going any further.

If it was mine, I would consider just shooting it as is but maybe with 44 special equivilent loads.

Tim

Gary Reeder in Flagstaff does alot of revolver work. Might give him a call, 928-527-4100.

You might check with these guys on "the bay" that sell parts kits. Most have a demil contract with the city/state for confiscated guns. My gunshop had such a contract and he had a PU load of spare parts (he's passed now). They are allowed to strip all parts but the frame, cut that with a torch and leave SN intact and furnish to LEOs along with an affidavit. Hard to seen a nice nickel plated Colt Government Model or Ruger Blackhawk go under the torch. I've seen both happen. You might get lucky./beagle

E-gunparts has a 5 1/2 inch blue 44 magnum barrel for $85 It would require a new sight, as I think this is for a fixed sight gun, but it could return it to service.

I have the same revolver, and it's a beast! It'll handle loads that I have no interest in shooting. And it's huge! Lots bigger and heavier than my Uberti Cattleman in .45 Colt.

This is probably what you want.

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1809180A

If it were me and I was in Alaska, I would contact Jack Huntington and see how much he would charge to replace the barrel. He's done several of my guns and is very reasonable for the quality of the work.

As to shipping, find a friendly dealer who will ship it for you...it will go into a USPS $16.00 flat rate box plus insurance...probably $25.00 shipping plus whatever the dealer would charge to run it into and out of the books..

Bob

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Originally Posted by Sailormilan2

This is probably what you want.

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1809180A

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Now that would be the exact thing!!!!
Your Google Fu is strong!

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So, are you 100% sure that barrel is cracked? To me it almost looks like a scratch, you can see it has been shot a lot as the ejector has wore a line in the barrel.