[Allison]

Does anyone have any thoughts on the optimum spacing between the
forcing cone and the front of the cylinder?

[kwhi43@kc.rr.com]

Oh, I would say .004

[TomADC]

That said, do you think it is possible to push a cylinder pin in to far and cause that to put the cylinder in a slight bind?

[Tomahawk674]

The cylinder gap on my Uberti navy looks more than .004, but after a few cylinders worth of shooting even with lubed wads it will start binding.

[mykeal]

0.006 to 0.010.

Yes, it can be bound up. If by 'cylinder pin' you mean the barrel wedge that is found on the Colt replicas.

[TomADC]

Yes, it can be bound up. If by 'cylinder pin' you mean the barrel wedge that is found on the Colt replicas.

The gun in question is one of the 1873 clones..

[mykeal]

The gun in question is one of the 1873 clones..
Huh. Wonder how I missed that.
I don't see how the cylinder pin on that can influence the cylinder/forcing cone gap.

[Allison]

Thanks for the info, guys.
Tomahawk, I have a small needle tipped bottle of Ballistol which I use to put a couple of drops on the cylinder face after loading and also the sides of the hammer. Solved all
my fouling problems ('51 Navy). Otherwise it would start to seize up after 4 or 5
cylinders.

[TomADC]

Allison, good tip I'll add that to my shooting box..

[Jim K]

Not only powder fouling can bind a revolver cylinder if the barrel-cylinder gap is too small. Even with a modern type revolver using smokeless powder, firing can heat the cylinder enough that it will expand lengthwise and bind if the gap is too tight. I normally consider .007" to be an optimum gap, with a range of .005-.010". .004 or less will court trouble.

Jim

[Allison]

TomADC--Nice to meet you. Let me know how it works out for you.
OBTW: GMM3 USS Little Rock CLG-4 1969-1973

[Das Jaeger]

between .005 and up for cap and ball revolvers , but NO gap is "optimal" :D but unrealistic :D
Bigger gap is better for cap and ball than Modern though , less fouling problems for sure . It doesn't matter that much what your gap is as long as it is a constistant gap anywayz .
If you Grease Over your balls you'll have much less problems with fouling than with grease cookies or Wonder Wads too , much less issues . I too use Ballistrol in a needle bottel to keep um runnin , and I also use Moly Base Non Petro grease for my cylinder arbors :D , thats the real key to keep um runnin .

Das Jaeger

[missuramoss]

Ok...quick question for you guys that have been at this a whole lot longer than me....and I'm sure if i searched through the archives,,,I could probablly find some info on this,,but I gotta get ready for work.....On my '60 Army (pietta)...the gap is .006...and it has a "noticible" end shake....not severe...but noticble...I tried filing down the end of the arbor, and filing down the barrel lug where the two pins are....but didnt wanna get carried away...so quit...but it still has the shake..any quick cures?...preciate yer time!

[madcratebuilder]

Ok...quick question for you guys that have been at this a whole lot longer than me....and I'm sure if i searched through the archives,,,I could probablly find some info on this,,but I gotta get ready for work.....On my '60 Army (pietta)...the gap is .006...and it has a "noticible" end shake....not severe...but noticble...I tried filing down the end of the arbor, and filing down the barrel lug where the two pins are....but didnt wanna get carried away...so quit...but it still has the shake..any quick cures?...preciate yer time!
End shake and barrel gap in this case are the same. It should be .006-.010. Many replicas are much more than that, I have seen as much as .050. If it's .020 or less I would not worry to much. To close up the gap you remove to two locating pins in the frame and remove to appropriate amount of metal.(on the 60&61 you can do the barrel lug) This well probably require adjusting the arbor length.

[mykeal]

+1 what madcratebuilder said.