Did he fix or destroy this Dan Wesson? *video*

[V8MERC124]

This barrel nut groove for the wrench was stripped so only course of action, after other method attempts, the barrel was drilled out to save the shroud.

You think its OK or was it a bad idea?

[onelonehorseman]

It looks like it worked.

[sealocan]

Did he try buffing it out first ?



I hear that helps a lot of things.

[SkyHawk]

According to the guy, the nut wasn't seized but the grab points were stripped. I would have tried to machine in new grab points on the nut first.

I would have considered drilling very small holes into the nut, tapping in some steel roll pins, then using them to grab and turn the nut. It would have taken very small holes though and they would have been precariously close to the shroud, so unless you had very good tools it may have jacked the shroud trying to drill such holes. If it worked though, you only need a new barrel nut.

In this case, what he did wasn't a bad solution. The barrel is replaceable, and the shroud was saved. It does go to show that you shouldn't try and remove those nuts without the proper tool, or you will be left with nothing but bad options to get it off.

[RR.44]

What he did worked, so, in the end it was the right thing to do.

[JTROKS]

Well it did work, but the barrel is ruined unless he's planning to retread for a snub nose shroud.

I would've machined new notches on the shroud screw to save the barrel. That DW is not ruined as the frame and cylinder are still good. That barrel shroud's tread will need cleaning up.

[SkyHawk]

Well it did work, but the barrel is ruined unless he's planning to retread for a snub nose shroud.

I would've machined new notches on the shroud screw to save the barrel. That DW is not ruined as the frame and cylinder are still good. That barrel shroud's tread will need cleaning up.

Luckily the shroud isn't threaded, only the barrel. The nut acts like a jam nut against the shroud and tensions the threads on each end of the barrel. That is why he could not just spin the whole barrel out like he mentioned that he tried. It only came out of the frame easily after the nut and shroud was removed.

I have one of these revolvers but a model 14-1 with the porkchop shroud. Finding barrels or shrouds for the model 14-1 or 15-1 is not easy or cheap, so I would have definitely tried other methods before destroying the barrel. The earlier model 12 and 13 had a barrel nut that was external and could be grabbed with pliers so you wouldn't have this problem.

For the model he was working on (a 14 or 15 dash 2), barrels and shrouds are much easier to come by.

[JohnCCW]

I'll bet the previous owner put Loctite on the barrel threads.

[V8MERC124]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing, the barrel is cheaper and easier to replace. But actually that was me performing the work. I wanted to see what some of you guys thought of my method.

Putting in new grooves in the barrel nut was thought of too, but I was afraid I would mess up the shroud since it is so close to the edge. Maybe worth a try next time...

[ojisan]

I would have tried spinning the nut loose using small tipped punches and a hammer.
You can make divots in the nut using a sharp tipped punch.
Then use a flat tipped punch at an angle in the divots to spin the nut.
I've spun out many a rounded or broken off bolt, screw or nut this way.

[JTROKS]

Yeah i don't know why I thought there was a tread on the shroud. I just checked my DW22 and shroud has no tread.

[lanzer]

This barrel nut groove for the wrench was stripped so only course of action, after other method attempts, the barrel was drilled out to save the shroud.

You think its OK or was it a bad idea?

There are many styles of screw extractors out there that are in the .357 range. I would try those out before using a drill. Though I have no idea what he had tried before nor had I done something like that before, so it could just be another stupid idea.