Re-barreling a S&W 686 (66-5)

[hapidogbreath]

I piked up a S&W 686 and whit the shooting I do it going to need a new front end soon. Barrel is starting to get tied. Called S&W and they said they use sleeved barrels now. Anyone have any experience with these??? Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[BBBBill]

Pick up a good used one on Gunbroker. There are outfits that sell parts off guns condemned by the police. You might have to buy a whole kit to get the barrel, but then you have other spare parts or can sell them to recoup your expenses.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

How many rounds wore that barrel out?

I have a. 357 that has had 35k+ magnums put through it. It's rifling is still sharp and it is as accurate as it was when new.

Since the gun is neither rare nor out of production, I would just buy another 686 and sell the current one over paying to rebarrel.

 

[krs]

35,000 plus magnum firings?

Whew! If you fired them it'd probably be a thing to donate your brain to the outfit that studies pro football player's brains for concussion damage after they've croaked.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Yes, 35k all by me.

 

[AJB2]

Join the Smith & Wesson Forum . Watch the classifieds & put a post in the WTB section . Many of the old timers are selling off stuff they've been hoarding for years . I dang sure trust a barrel from one of them before I'd get one off GB .

 

[4v50 Gary]

You can get that tired barrel sleeved by a gunsmith.

 

[1KPerDay]

I piked up a S&W 686 and whit the shooting I do it going to need a new front end soon. Barrel is starting to get tied.

I'm a man who generally takes people at their word, but I'm curious what methods you used to determine the barrel is wearing out? Are you certain there aren't other factors at play?