S&W Model 10 barrel change

[4sight]

I have a older Model 10 w/a 4" heavy barrel. I would like to change the barrel out for a 2". Any thoughts on doing the job myself? Is this strictly a job for the professional?
I have a line on a used correct 2" barrel for the K frame (Model 10) but just don't know what the job entails.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[dfariswheel]

Barrel changes are FAR more complicated than you'd think.
It requires a fair amount of expensive equipment, and the knowledge of exactly what needs to be done and how to do it.

I strongly recommend leaving barrel work to a qualified gunsmith, with the warning that not all gunsmiths know how to do it right AND have the specialized tooling either.

A guaranteed way to ruin a revolver is to do the old shade tree gunsmith trick of putting the barrel in some wood blocks and using a hammer handle to twist the frame off.

At a minimum, to do a revolver barrel change you need:
Aluminum barrel blocks.
Barrel vise.
A frame wrench with the special hard plastic inserts to fit THAT specific frame.
A lathe to cut the barrel shoulder.
A special cutting tool that works down the bore to cut the barrel/cylinder gap.
A tool to re-cut and lap the forcing cone.
A special plug gage to gage the forcing cone.