Oh I have ... I have ...
I will admit that the scam-de-um/titanium combo's don't turn me on, and if you check some of the past threads in the search feature you'll find that they have earned a certain reputation ...
Aluminum, by what ever name, is a relatively soft material, and the threads on the barrel are mighty fine (36 tpi I believe). If the barrel tube is tightened too much the threads can strip. If not tight enough the tube can come loose.
So occasionally a barrel has been known to go downrage along with the bullet.
This is not common of course, but when it comes to weapons the Old Fuff is ultra-conservative, and his opinions are based on long experience.
Of course they have made "a few"
good guns since 1945, and I own some of them ... but they also made a whole bunch of better ones before that. Cuz back then the companies weren't run by bean-counters.
Way back, during the 17th century and later, a type of single shot pistol was made called a "screw barrel," Rather then load it from the muzzle the barrel was unscrewed, a ball placed in a chamber, a powder charge poured on top of it, and the barrel screwed back into place. Some even used a wrench that grabbed onto the rifling, but it was a lot deeper cut then that seen on today's S&W revolvers. I have on occasion tried to unscrew one of those old pistol barrels without hurting the rifling ...
And I can tell you it is a bit tricky ...
So I'm not too sure S&W is using the rifling to screw in the barrels, but who knows ...? Maybe someone who knows more then I do will come along and enlighten us both ..