[Topgun]

In this age of CAD CAM an all the robotics, its tough to believe that the bolt cuts and stars are all hand fitted to each gun in a modern factory.

Maybe a pot of different HANDS but wonder if anyone has done a swap just to check the ol adage.

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[WheelMan]

I had a two Ruger Vaqueros for awhile and the cylinder from one would not even physically fit in the other frame, it was too long. They would go together the other way around, but you couldn't cock the gun. Now one was blue and one was stainless, maybe they are made to different specs.

[C.R.Sam]

Computer Controlled Machines are great for turning out great numbers of like parts cheaply. If the quantity is great enough to justify the expense of the machine and the programmer's time.

Holding very tight tolerances while doing so requires a sacrifice in speed.
Most parts will interchange if within a couple thousanths of optimum dimension. But precise timing of a revolver often requires closer than that.

Hence hand fitting.

Sometimes a cylinder from one will function in another but that is a matter of luck rather than modern machining.

If very close tolerance parts are being made on a CCM, most likely the machine is being operated by a machinist who is hand checking each and adjusting the machine nearly constantly. Tools change dimension with temp changes and wear. The raw stock changes dimension.

Often there is a point where it is cheaper to finish fit by hand than to demand near perfection from the machine.

Sam

[BluesBear]

In the early 80s I was working in a pawn shop and the owner & I went to a large auction. While I was there I picked up a 9mm cylinder for a Ruger Blackhawk for the exorbant price of $10. :D

I used that cylinder in 3 different Blackhawks and never had a problem. In fact it shot almost as good as the .357 cylinder in one, as good as in another and better than in the other.

But then again 1970s & 80s Blackhawks were works of art.


Just my tuppence.

[Brian Williams]

The cylinder from my S&W 940 fits in my S&W 60-4. It makes for a nice adjustable sight gun with a 3" barrel and 5 shots of 9mm with moonclips.

I really want to get a new 940 cylinder from S&W and have it fited to the 60, that way I have 2 great guns all of the time , cause when I pull the cylinder from the 940 the one from the 60 does not fit as well.

[Old Fuff]

The cylinder from one revolver MAY fit in another, but it isn't something that can be predicted and in can result in an unsafe condition. Excessive end-shake (back & forth movement of the cylinder within the frame) can create headspace problems and allow the cylinder to slam backwards when the revolver is fired, which in turn may detonate a high primer in another chamber. It can also cause misfires because the cylinder has literally moved away from the firing pin.

Swapping cylinders between different single action revolvers is a popular pastime, but the owner/users seldom check for end-shake. In double-action revolvers you may get a misfit between the yoke/crane and cylinder that will eventually cause trouble if it doesn't right from the start.

Manufactures have enough legal troubles as it is, so they refuse to approve any cylinder change that they, or one of their repair centers don't do. They also usually mark the gun's serial number, or part of it on its matching cylinder.

[DougCxx]

---- I am not quite understanding why any part would need any significant hand-fitting. Anybody remember the Medusa revolver? I never had one, but I do recall seeing the print ads. How did they do it?
~

[Standing Wolf]

I once dropped a replacement cylinder into a Python, and it worked perfectly. That's the exception rather than the rule.

[J Miller]

I have an OM BH .45. The original cylinder was junk so I went on a search of a replacement. Found three. One was from a NM BH and was too long. No way would it even enter the cylinder frame.
The other two were transition cylinders. OM cylinders used up in the first batch of NM's. These two, a .45 ACP and a .45 Colt fit my OM better than the original. I didn't need to do any fitting at all.

I was very lucky. This experiment turned out well, but it could just as well have been a failure.

With fitting most cylinders can be made to fit most guns, but to get ones that just drop in and work is rare.

[Jim Watson]

I have a S&W 686+ seven shooter. It is not of much use to me in IDPA or IPSC, so I thought of replacing the cylinder with a six holer. The yoke and cylinder of a 686-4 dropped right in and timed properly. So I ordered a salvaged cylinder, probably from some jurisdiction that destroys confiscated guns. Wouldn't fit, wrong dash number.
I called S&W yesterday and the PC man said he could install a 6-shot cylinder but that it would not be reversible. I don't care, I'll probably e-Bay the seven, but wondered why. Probably they just want to discourage people pestering them to make up custom convertible guns.

[alamo]

They've been interchangeable for years, even amongst different manufacturers. I know because I saw a scene in the movie "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly" where Tuco (the "Ugly) goes in a general store and picks up 2 or 3 pistols and proceeds to change the barrels and cylinders till he makes a pistol to his liking.

[WonderNine]

They've been interchangeable for years, even amongst different manufacturers. I know because I saw a scene in the movie "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly" where Tuco (the "Ugly) goes in a general store and picks up 2 or 3 pistols and proceeds to change the barrels and cylinders till he makes a pistol to his liking.

Tuco had a good eye for headspace, cylinder gap and timing. :D

I've exchanged a few cylinders and never had a problem. I dunno, I guess that's rare or something.

[jsalcedo]

Same with a Taurus 66

I put a satin nickel cylinder into my blued gun and it worked just fine.