Flicking the cylinder on a revolver open/closed

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natedog

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I have read on these boards that flicking your wrist to close the cylinder closed can harm a revolver? How? Whenever I load my Colt Officer's Model, I hit the cylinder release and flick it open, fill it with shells, and then flick it closed with my wrist.
 
:scrutiny:

Don't ever do that again! PLEASE. It's painful to think of you doing that....also painful to see it done in the movies.

This is more movie/TV BS...much like cops "shooting to wound". :rolleyes:

:banghead:

This WILL damage a revolver over time. I'd say it puts much stress on the crane/yoke and probably does NOTHING good for the timing either.


:uhoh:

Use your weak hand to guide the cylinder open and closed. Use BOTH hands.
 
I agree with WebHobbit, don't do it. Also I didn't know Colt made an Officers Model in a revolver, I thought it was only a semi. Would you happen to have a pic of it? That is one of the few guns I've never seen. I guess I did learn something today. ......Whit
 
Here's an Officer's Model Target, in .22. They were also made in .38 Special, among other calibers.

The Officer's Model name dates to at least 1930, and when Colt basically got out of the revolver business, they used it for automatics.

It grates on some of us old timers, who know what an Officer's Model REALLY is. :fire:
 
The crane or yoke is the little piece that the cylinder swings out on. It is precisely fit to the frame. If you look at it from the business end it should be a mere hairline, almost invisible. The swinging open swinging shut will have its effect on the U-shaped piece over time making it bow out when viewed from the front. It's one of the few weak points in a typical swing out cylinder revolver.
 
Iwas in a pawn shop and spied a nice model 19 snubby,it was priced right so i started filling out the 4473 when i heard a strange noise.I looked up and saw the clerk flicking the cylinder open and close.I told him to forget it because he could have damaged the gun by doing that.When i left the manager was all over him.
 
If you ever need to open or close the cylinder one-handed, the proper method is to shove it against your thigh (while watching your muzzle direction). It's possible to both open and close the cylinder that way.

-----------------

The Officers Model revolver series were "ancestors" of the Python. The lockwork was similar. 38Spl variants eat out of the same speedloaders as a Python and they all can take Python grips.

The 22LR version is often considered the most accurate 22 DA revolver ever made, period, end of discussion.
 
Oh my ..... <cringe> ...... <shudder> ..... hate seeing that. The mass of even an empty cyl ''crashing'' into position is pain ... sheer pain! Plus when it is closed .... who is to say it is locked up ... probably not.

Damn you Hollywood .... damn you!!:p
 
Internet BS, I think. Has any man here actually experienced first-hand damage from flicking the cylinder open and closed? Or is it just something you heard from a gun mag or a friend and decided to pass along so you'd sound knowledgeable?

Flick away all you want.

P.S. I saw a shooter on OLN's American Shooter television program do this very thing just this past weekend.
 
Skunk ....

Over the years, of which they're have been many, I have see a whole lot of Colt and S&W revolvers with "sprung cranes" (Colt's) or "sprung yokes" (Smith & Wesson's).

Pick up the revolver and make sure it is unloaded. Then close and latch the cylinder. Point the muzzle toward you (you did make sure the gun was unloaded, right?) and try to wiggle the cylinder side-to-side. You may notice as you press on the cylinder the crane or yoke wiggles, or springs away from the frame. If the condition is bad enought the revolver will be out of time and the cylinder won't revolve far enough to lock up. The most recent revolver I examined was a Colt .38 Special "Army Special" that was made about 1925. Someone had flipped the cylinder to the point where it was so loose it wouldn't lock up, and the breech end of the barrel was split because of being hit too may times with a misaligned bullet. I bought it for under $50.00 and it will be a "project" this summer. Yup, I can fix it, and will.

If you want to flip the cylinder in and out go right ahead, but someday you'll get a repair bill that will command your full attention.
 
Flipping the cylinder shows disrespect for the weapon. Damn it, you just don't treat an old friend that way.

Bill
 
"Internet BS, I think. Has any man here actually experienced first-hand damage from flicking the cylinder open and closed? Or is it just something you heard from a gun mag or a friend and decided to pass along so you'd sound knowledgeable?

Flick away all you want.

P.S. I saw a shooter on OLN's American Shooter television program do this very thing just this past weekend."


Skunk,

Congratulations. You get the award for relaying some of the worst advice, and telling us about some of the worst gun handling by people who should know better.

Internet BS?

No.

I've seen several guns whose owners essentially destroyed them simply because they didn't have the common sense to listen to their shooting companions.

"Oh this won't hurt my gun! I've seen them do it on TV all the time! FLICK!"

"I don't know what you people are talking about, MY revolvers are fine! FLICK!"

"I don't understand why my revolver is getting: A) harder to open, B) harder to close, C) spitting lead out the sides, D) won't group worth crap (please pick one from the list) FLICK!"

"Hey Mike, why don't you ever let me shoot your guns? FLICK!"

The particular Adam Henrys about whom I'm talking have, between them, essentially destroyed a Colt Python, several Smith & Wessons, at least 1 Ruger, and a Charter Arms.

These people seldom get 5,000 rounds out of their revolvers before they start going to hell, while I have +- 20,000 rounds through several of my Smith revolvers with NONE of the same kind of damage that is showing up on their firearms.

It's NOT urban legend, or internet BS, Skunk. I've been shooting revolvers long enough, with enough people who have done this, and seen the damage that results.

It's like popping the clutch on your car.

Sure, it's fun.

Sure it doesn't show appreciable damage the first time, or even the 10th time, you do it.

But the effects are cumulative, and every time it's done does damage to the machine that is both needlessly AND stupidly inflicted and expensive to repair.

It's a :cuss: ing stupid, stupid practice born out of the moronic gun handling seen on TV and in the movies.
 
AIIEEE :what:

Open and close the cylinder gently, with your fingers. As stated, flicking the cylinder will eventually (read: in no time at all) bend the crane of the revolver, which, if it isn't bad enough, will lead to a myriad of other problems with the gun as well.

While I consider closing a slide on an empty chamber to be gray zone, I consider flicking the cylinder open or closed as abuse, and even if some insist it's safe, why risk it? Since you need both hands to reload anyways, there's little point in putting that extra stress on the gun for cinematic effect.
 
Slamming the cylinder open and shut by flicking the wrist is commonly know as "Bogarting".the gun.

This can and WILL bend the crane, and batter the ejector ratchet,
the latch bolt, and the locking bolt on Colt revolvers.

I know. I've repaired a good many of them.

The guns damaged most by this were the pre-war Colt's. These older guns had rather surprisingly soft cranes and a good snap or a drop to the floor was enough to bend the crane.

This is inexcusable on any revolver, but down right criminal on a classic Colt target revolver.

However, it's your gun, and you can do as you will.

I've also seen people sharpen hyper-expensive custom knives with a file, a wealthy man THROWING, (not tossing) a highly engraved and inlaid hand made British double shotgun into a dirty car trunk, and a man using a $6000.00 engraved and ivory stocked Colt single action as a hammer, just to be "cool".

Some people don't know any better, having seen this on TV or in the movies.
Some people thing it's cool be be so casually destructive of expensive equipment. These people take pleasure in seeing others cringe as they abuse nice things.
The fun is doubled for them if the item being damaged is something the audience couldn't afford to buy, and would love to have.
 
An acquaintance visited my house once, and we were casually BSing, and talking guns.
I was paying attention to something else.
I heard him flick the gun closed.
I looked at him, and said "DON'T do that again"
Less than 30 seconds later I heard that same noise.
I raised my voice, reclaimed my gun, and watched as the hair stood up on the back of his neck.
Apparently, he had never heard me raise my voice before.
I don't believe he will do that again.
At very least, to one of my fold.
 
First Impressions-

Greeting's All-

That is the quickest way for a newbie to **** me off;
by acting like a idiot when handling firearms, and in
particular handgun's. All that John Wayne mess
is best left to "the big screen"!:) :rolleyes:

I know a fellow who owns a really nice nickel Colt
Detective Special; and flicking his wrist to open or
close the cylinder is his way to showing his firearms
knowledge (or lack thereof)!:uhoh: It just makes me
sick to witness his actions.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
FLICK AWAY!!! (please)



....as today I have a few hours of work in my shop doing some finish assembly on 200 or so aftermarket Colt revolver replacment parts!! The 'need' for these cyl lock assys is just because of folks treating their revolvers this way.
 
Skunk, Congratulations. You get the award for relaying some of the worst advice
Click to expand...

Made me look :eek: (you don't know how often I hear that)

So I take it this is the equivalent of slamming a slide down on an empty chamber?
 
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