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July 2, 2019
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Hello -
These are newbie questions, so please bear with me:
1. Can new (as in present day) barrel assemblies be used on older frames? Personally, I'm inclined to think so, but want to confirm before pulling out my wallet. 🙂
2. Were ported barrels ever manufactured for 15s and 715s? Or, does anyone know a gunsmith that will port a barrel and shroud? (I'm sure many would do it, but I'd prefer to find someone who LOVES DWs so that extra care would be taken). I'd like to find a 4" ported barrel or have one made if possible. I'd be interested in a 2.5" or 6" ported barrel also, but a 4" one would be my preference.
I've seen and shot many DW revolvers and have owned a few, but can't say I've ever seen ported barrels for 15s and 715s, so thought I'd throw it out there to the DW community.
Thanks!
Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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Scott, both good questions.
Yes, new barrel assemblies will work on older guns, except for pork chops unless you use an adapter available from EWK. Models earlier than the 15-2 also have a different sight height and EWK has a fix for this problem. I'm guessing you are asking about the 15-2, so you shouldn't have a problem. The external design of the current shrouds is different but only affects the looks, not the function.
Compensated barrel assemblies were definitely made for large frame models, and I am pretty sure they were made for small frames (15-2). However, I don't remember seeing any for sale. You should call the Dan Wesson factory (not CZ) to see if they still have some in stock or might make some. 
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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Scott, look at my post on your introduction. You have a supposed 715 with a 6 digit ser. number? I am afraid it is a blue hard chromed gun. You may use stainless BA's but the finish will be brushed, not polished. You can use a blue BA and have it hard chromed. Small frame guns were not ported. The option was to use a heavy or vent heavy shroud to reduce recoil.
July 2, 2019
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Snake-eye, Ole Dog, thanks for the replies.
Regarding the ported BA, I think I'm just gonna find one and have a good smith make one for me. I mean, it's only money, right?! I don't really need one anyway, I just want one. 🙂
Ole Dog, see my reply to yours on my intro. Turns out, I may have stumbled upon the perfect firearm for my intentions - a no-holds-barred shooter! It's one of the reasons I didn't set out to buy the perfect Pistol Pack to begin with. I definitely appreciate your insight and knowledge though - thanks!
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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I would contact the seller and maybe he will make a financial adjustment. At least, please rub his arrogant nose in the certainty it is hard chrome. I bought what I thought was an experimental stainless 714. Made 2 years before the introduction of SS. Being a 714 it had a matte finish. Looked just like brushed stainless. Gorgeous gun but I will never find extra BA's. So easy to wipe down. Extremely durable. However, any little scratch that was there before the chrome job sticks out. I have one tiny little sideplate scratch. Needless to say, it was not a stainless gun made before its time. They never are.
July 2, 2019
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Ole Dog said
I would contact the seller and maybe he will make a financial adjustment. At least, please rub his arrogant nose in the certainty it is hard chrome. I bought what I thought was an experimental stainless 714. Made 2 years before the introduction of SS. Being a 714 it had a matte finish. Looked just like brushed stainless. Gorgeous gun but I will never find extra BA's. So easy to wipe down. Extremely durable. However, any little scratch that was there before the chrome job sticks out. I have one tiny little sideplate scratch. Needless to say, it was not a stainless gun made before its time. They never are.
Hey Ole Dog,
Yeah, I'm definitely going to put the hard press on the seller and see what he is willing to do. Part of the problem is my own naivete; I took the guy at his word instead of doing more research on my own. Having never owned a SS DW, I should have researched it better beforehand, so that's on me. My instincts were to buy stainless since, as stated, I plan on running many thousands of rounds through it and didn't want to muck up a perfectly nice blue revolver. If I was to do it again, I probably would have just stuck with a used but not abused 15-2. I actually prefer blue to stainless anyway.
Do you have an opinion on a fair financial adjustment? Also, do you still own that 714?
Thanks again for all of your help.
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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I suspect the seller will not offer a discount but offer to give you a refund. Then the choice is up to you. Send it back or keep it. Yes, I still have the 714. I love buying guns but don't seem to get around to selling them. I do give them away to friends and family though.
July 2, 2019
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Ole Dog said
Yes, I still have the 714. I love buying guns but don't seem to get around to selling them. I do give them away to friends and family though.
Yeah, I have the same problem sometimes. I keep trying to convince the family they'll be the benefactors of a decent wad of cash when I'm off for the gun range in the sky.
Friends and family, uh? Well, here's hoping we become good friends! 
August 8, 2016
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Scott_B said
Or, does anyone know a gunsmith that will port a barrel and shroud? (I'm sure many would do it, but I'd prefer to find someone who LOVES DWs so that extra care would be taken). I'd like to find a 4" ported barrel or have one made if possible. I'd be interested in a 2.5" or 6" ported barrel also, but a 4" one would be my preference.
Send an email to Bob, the head revolversmith at DW? I kinda doubt he is willing to make a ported barrel assembly but can't hurt to ask.
He's certainly capable of doing it. He did silhouette cuts on my 10" 44 mag shroud and drilled and tapped it for a scope mount. I can't imagine cutting some ports in the barrel and shroud is that difficult.
February 16, 2016
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Just a thought, but if you're planning to cut a hard chrome plated shroud, it will most certainly ruin the finish, requiring re-plating.
August 8, 2016
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Stinger said
Just a thought, but if you're planning to cut a hard chrome plated shroud, it will most certainly ruin the finish, requiring re-plating.
Good point.
July 2, 2019
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Thanks for the replies.
Yeah, wouldn't be wise to cut into hard chrome, that's a really good point. I'm still not sure what, if anything, I'm going to do about the hard-chromed 15-2. I still have an inspection period coming to me, so am planning to exercise that to make a final decision. I'm inclined to keep it if the job was done correctly though.
I'll also probably stave off my desire for a ported barrel until I come across a 44 mag. I want to purchase. I do like ported barrels, but was unaware if Dan Wesson ever manufactured any for their 357s. You learn something new every day.
Thanks again
August 8, 2016
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Scott_B said
Thanks for the replies.Yeah, wouldn't be wise to cut into hard chrome, that's a really good point. I'm still not sure what, if anything, I'm going to do about the hard-chromed 15-2. I still have an inspection period coming to me, so am planning to exercise that to make a final decision. I'm inclined to keep it if the job was done correctly though.
I'll also probably stave off my desire for a ported barrel until I come across a 44 mag. I want to purchase. I do like ported barrels, but was unaware if Dan Wesson ever manufactured any for their 357s. You learn something new every day.
Thanks again
Scott_B said
Thanks for the replies.Yeah, wouldn't be wise to cut into hard chrome, that's a really good point. I'm still not sure what, if anything, I'm going to do about the hard-chromed 15-2. I still have an inspection period coming to me, so am planning to exercise that to make a final decision. I'm inclined to keep it if the job was done correctly though.
I'll also probably stave off my desire for a ported barrel until I come across a 44 mag. I want to purchase. I do like ported barrels, but was unaware if Dan Wesson ever manufactured any for their 357s. You learn something new every day.
Thanks again
An easier cheaper option would be to get a muzzle brake from EWK. I’ve got one for my 715 and 744. Works very well.
http://ewkarms.com/zen8/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=67_29&products_id=92
July 2, 2019
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That does look like a good option. I'll keep an eye on that. Thanks for sharing. I noticed that EWK is also out of complete barrel assemblies. Any idea how long they typically take to restock items?
August 8, 2016
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Scott_B said
That does look like a good option. I'll keep an eye on that. Thanks for sharing. I noticed that EWK is also out of complete barrel assemblies. Any idea how long they typically take to restock items?
HAH! That’s a question that many of us DW owners want the answer to. He had a couple in stock back in February or March. But before that it was prob a year and half ago.
I’ve been in contact with him for years waiting on his 15" railed 357 barrel assembly. No idea when they’ll be made. He had a prototype made so he was making progress.
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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Scott, you can join the friends and family club if you are a kind human being. Oh, and a conservative who doesn't buy into the Anthropomorphic Global Warming fraud.
The one problem with DW barrel ports is that they don't necessarily lie up with the ports in the shroud. I would use a Palmer made fixed barrel model for porting.
June 8, 2009
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I have a 44 with ported barrel/shroud. I've never shot it with the ported barrel. On the 44 the ports in the barrel do not line up with the ports in the shroud. The barrel has several holes drilled in it. The gasses pass through the holes in the barrel into a chamber in the shroud and then exit the shroud at the ports cut in the shroud.
It always struck me a very dirty way to vent gas, etc. Do not try to shoot lead bullets with the DW system!
July 2, 2019
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Andrew, seems that's always the way with aftermarket companies. Oh well, they say patience is a virtue. 🙂
I contacted Bob at CZ and he replied today. As you guessed, he doesn't do porting anymore. He seemed to think that DW ported barrels for both 357 and 44, however, especially after they started doing it for their 44s. Take it for what it's worth, I reckon.
Leonard, I'd like to know a little more about that porting system on the DW 44. Is the chamber you referred to closed off from the rest of the shroud's interior? If so, how do you clean it? I'm also not sure why the holes in the barrel wouldn't line up with the ports on the shroud. Are the ports in the shroud that far ahead or behind the holes in the barrel? I get that, because of DW's unique barrel system, the holes have to be drilled around the entire barrel, but why don't these line up with the holes in the shroud? Sorry for the questions, just very curious as I've never seen it in person. Are there reference pictures anywhere on the forum?
I spent some time looking at the Mag-na-port system over the last couple of days. It seems this might be the way to go for getting a barrel ported. I still need to reach out to them though, because I'm not positive that their system will work on a DW BA given its design (screw in barrel; shroud and barrel not always aligned the same way; hence, DW barrels being ported all the way around; etc.). I'll need to ask them about mag-na-porting hard chrome too, although I do have other barrels for a couple of non-Pistol-Pack DWs.
Super curious about the design on 44s....
Old Dog, I'm told I'm a kind human being, or maybe they've been saying 'some kind of' human being, I can't be sure. 
June 8, 2009
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I've got a non-ported barrel (the original ported shroud & blued barrel) on the 44 at this time and don't want to pull it. I have factory ported shrouds in 4" and 6" that I can look into after pulling out the barrels. On both of them the chamber starts maybe 1/4" or more back from where the barrel nut hits the shroud. The chamber is cut maybe 1/8" or so deep and extends about 1 1/2" from the front of the shroud to just behind the shroud ports; 2, one on each side.
The barrel seems to fit into the shroud with about the same slack as the 357 barrels fit in their non-ported shrouds. So there's some space all around the barrel within the shroud, just a larger space where the chamber is cut.
I didn't count the grooves on the barrels, but I think either 6 or 8 grooves. The ported barrel I have is silver color, I don't know if it's stainless or plated; DW the man was said to not like SS and I don't think DW made any SS guns while he was alive. (All my DWs are blued.) Did they make SS ported barrels?? In any case, my ported barrel is within the original box and buried deep in my fully packed garage to only be found by accident when I'm looking for something else. "I think" there are a series of small holes drilled through the barrel from outside to inside located at each groove within the barrel. I'm not sure how far back from the front the holes in the barrel are drilled.
March 25, 2008
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just a reminder DW has two options one is the ported barrel assembly and the other is the compensated assembly. the ported set is hard to keep the inside of the shroud clean because of all the ports in the barrel where as the compensated system has a blocked off chamber simaler to the magna ported system only with innerchangeable barrels and shrouds.
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