K Frame 7 shot cylinder questions?

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cslinger

New member
So I know Smith released the last of the K frames with 7 shot cylinders (the 620 I think? maybe 618?)

At any rate I am thinking of sending in a 66-3 for some work and was wondering if it is feasible to have it converted to a 7 shot cylinder.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Chris
 
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jmr40

New member
The 7 shooters are on the larger L frame. The 8 shooters are on the N frame. I don't think it is possible to get more than 6 shots of 38/357 on a K frame.
 
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Gun 4 Fun

New member
I've never understood the desire for one extra round. If you don't get it done with 6, one more isn't gonna do you any good.
Your gun is an older pre-lock/pre-mim gun, and as such is desirable to a lot of Smith fans. Altering it will ruin that factor.
 
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FISHNFRANK

New member
issues with 7 shots

For one - they are harder to find a holster for and conceal, the cylinder is wider.

Also, I had a whole bunch of problems with the cylinder binding up, I forget exactly why but after getting it repaired, I sold it. I never had those sorts of issues with my 6 and 5 shot smiths.

Frank
 
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Brian Williams

New member
I think that you will find that the 7 shot cylinder in an L frame is the same diameter as the 6 shot cylinder in an L frame. I have no problem with my S&W 581(L frame) fitting in my K frame holsters.
 
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jmr40

New member
The 6 and 7 shot L frames have cylinders the same size and they use the same holsters. Just more holes, closer together. Finding speed loaders is more difficult.
 
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carguychris

New member
Finding speed loaders is more difficult.
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Not quite the whole story. HKS makes 7-shot L frame speedloaders, but Safariland does not.

I greatly prefer the Safariland push-to-release speedloaders to the HKS twist-to-release speedloaders, so I'm SOL, along with a lot of other shooters. :(
 
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bds32

New member
I've never understood the desire for one extra round. If you don't get it done with 6, one more isn't gonna do you any good.
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I disagree with this logic when applied to defensive purposes. If you missed with the 6th round, wouldn't it be nice to have one more chance. Even if you didn't miss, people don't always go down after multiple shots. Seven is better than six, eight is better than seven, etc. Under your logic, why carry a six shot revolver when five shot revolvers are readily available. If having one more or two more rounds wasn't important, they would have made early autoloaders six shooters.

The reason they can make seven and eight timers is because of advancements in metallurgy. The space is there so why not. As stated, the cylinders are not bigger, they just have less metal in the cylinder.

If they could make a nine shot revolver in .38/.357, I'd buy that just to get the extra ninth round.

I like my S&W eight timer and feel better armed with the two extra rounds.
 
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James K

Member In Memoriam
And if you miss with seven shots, it would be nice to have eight, and if you miss with eight shots....

I seem to recall an old Belgian revolver that had a "Ferris wheel" of cylinders and fired 42 shots. And if you miss with 42 shots it would be nice ....

Jim
 
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Gun 4 Fun

New member
bds32 said:
I disagree with this logic when applied to defensive purposes. If you missed with the 6th round, wouldn't it be nice to have one more chance. Even if you didn't miss, people don't always go down after multiple shots. Seven is better than six, eight is better than seven, etc. Under your logic, why carry a six shot revolver when five shot revolvers are readily available. If having one more or two more rounds wasn't important, they would have made early autoloaders six shooters.

The reason they can make seven and eight timers is because of advancements in metallurgy. The space is there so why not. As stated, the cylinders are not bigger, they just have less metal in the cylinder.
Click to expand...


If you missed with the sixth round, something in your training is terribly wrong! You should strive for as precise of shot placement as possible in a real world situation. One extra round won't necessarily get you out of trouble with two attackers either.

For the record, I do carry a 5 shot revo sometimes, but usually my 4506. It is an 8+1 round gun, which isn't why I carry it. I carry it, because under stress, I can hit much more accurately with it, since it fires single action after the first round from a draw. Getting the job done quickly, with as little chance of a stray bullet hitting an innocent bystander is my goal, and should be that of anyone who carries for defense.

As far as early auto loaders goes, remember they were designed for combat use against an opposing army of men, not just one or two. Plus having to reload more often is a good way to be killed on a battlefield.
Having more rounds in a magazine makes it easier to carry more rounds into battle already to go.
 
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bamabiker

New member
Speaking of the 7 shot 686, there is one for sale at Marks Outdoors in Hoover (near Birmingham). It is a snubbie with rubber grips and they have it listed for $499. If you google Marks Outdoors and look under the used guns on page 10 you can see it. Just passing along the info.
 
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