Are these holes part of the production process, and

[Carmady]

what is their purpose?

I've noticed this on many S&W K frames. In the front lower corner of the cylinder window it looks like a drilled hole was just started, and then stopped. Maybe it's the end of a long hole whiich serves as a reference point of when to stop removing metal...don't know.

Does anyone know what the deal is?

One is of a 66-2, and the other is a 66 no dash.

 

[pete2]

Now i gotta go look at my K frames, never noticed this.

 

[Carmady]

Here's one on my 10-5 from about 1970.

 

[Dufus]

It looks like a point of hardness test to me.

 

[Swampduck]

Not a great place to do a hardness test. Hard to get the indenter in there and hard to read. And steel hardness indentors usually make much smaller dents.

Could be a hardness check, but seems like an odd place. The top of the strap would be easier to do and less visible to the user.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Dave T]

It looks like a point of hardness test to me.

That's the first thing I thought of, however; if you don't like that answer go find another one. (smile)

Dave

 

[rodfac]

I've got a 66-2, serial number AET xxxx, built in 1984, and it does have the lower hole, or punch mark, but the upper one, may or may not be there as it's obscured by a piece of powder or lead shaving.

The model 60-15, (.357) that I'm wearing as I type has neither hole. A quick check on my model 18-3, serial number: 1K9xxxx, built in 1971 (a .22LR), shows what appears to be a punch mark in the lower location, but again the upper one is obscured if present. HTH's, Rod

 

[Bob Wright]

My guess would be a vent hole. This to break the vacuum as the crane is pulled out?


Bob Wright

 

[ViperR]

Nope, not a vent hole, since it's not all the way through. No such thing.
Bubba at work?
Nah, it's a machining thing that is common for testing if the hole for the crane is too large or offset by thousands and a through hole will occur with a slight drilling.
Part of the tolerances for passing depending on the model and frame size.
Shoot away!

 

[Hal]

You made me look ----
@ my (bought new last December) S&W M69 - L frame.

No holes.

Now I'll have to dig through the safe & check out my K-Frames (M19 & M17) (and N frame M29) to see if they have holes.

LOL!

With all that going on in today's world & I'm going on a hole hunt Gotta love life eh?

 

[kymasabe]

....perhaps a "put your needle oiler tip here" lube point?

 

[Carmady]

It isn't really a hole. It doesn't go anywhere. Maybe 0.050" deep.

It's like someone started to drill a hole, and stopped.

The hole part would have been in the part that was cut out, the cylinder window.

Many have it, but not all.

Here's a couple more, a 1983 686 and a 686 no dash.