Cylinder rings on revolvers.

Yes, it just happens....When I was a younger man, I bought a brand new polished King Cobra. Being ignorant, I thought something was wrong with the gun when that ring developed the first few times I used it.

No, not every revolver.

Most revolvers would be fair statement though.

You can slow it down somewhat with a drop of oil though.

The other thing is, stainless guns show hoof prints after a gnat lands on them and buzzes off.

They show every tiny scratch & scuff much worse then a blued gun.

rc

That ring on your GP-100 is there for a reason. The early release of the cylinder latch allows it to act as a brake during fast double-action shooting and prevents the cylinder from turning so fast it skips the next notch.

Just means that you shoot your revolver and its not a safe queen.

If you want it to disappear you can polish the whole cylinder, re-polish as needed.

stainless guns show hoof prints after a gnat lands on them

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great line

I have polished up a few of my stainless guns with Mothers Mag Polish. Makes the gun look like it's nickel plated and takes out a lot of the marks and scratches on the gun.

Reposted from another thread:

"Firstly, SA's and DA's are different and I will address them separately.

SA's:
A traditional single action (basically anything but a Ruger New Model) that has a half cock notch 'should' be well-timed from the factory and not ring the cylinder. The bolt should rise into the leede, not before it. If it rises early, it should be fixed. Most new guns are properly timed and I do not own one that isn't. A traditional SA that is properly timed but has a ring has been mishandled. All one has to do to take care that your cylinder is never ringed is to never lower the hammer from the half cock notch. Doing so causes the bolt to rise between the leedes and then when the cylinder is turned, the bolt drags on it. Always draw the hammer all the way back to full cock before lowering it. Properly handling a single action will guarantee a lifetime of use without ringing the cylinder. 19 of my 26 single actions are traditional types and only a couple of those that I bought used have a cylinder ring, presumably from mishandling.

A Ruger New Model is designed for safety, ultimate reliability and ease of mass production. Very little of the hand fitting required for proper timing. So the bolt (latch in Ruger-speak) will always rise early to guarantee proper function. There is also the issue of no half cock notch. Since the loading gate releases the cylinder to rotate, you can close the gate at any location in the cylinder's rotation. So even if properly timed, you would have to make sure you always closed the gate with a bolt notch over the bolt. This can be fixed but most don't bother, even on expensive custom guns.

DA's:
DA's are subject to two rings. First is the timing ring. This ring is identical to the one SA's get due to poor timing. It is usually very wide and distinct. In my collection, only my newest S&W has this ring. A late model 629MG that, ironically, has been professionally tuned. The bolt rises about halfway between notches. The rest of my S&W's are properly timed and the bolt does not rise until it is over the leede.

Most Ruger's will have the heavy ring from an early rising bolt. I'm not familiar enough with Colt DA's to comment on them.

The second ring is usually quite faint and caused by closing the cylinder when the bolt is between notches and then rotating it to lock. One would have to take care to always close the cylinder with a bolt notch over the bolt and rotate it to that notch to prevent the ring. Most don't bother, including myself.

I don't have a better pic but you can just make out the two distinct rings on this 629. About halfway between the notches the ring goes from faint to heavy."




"This single action has seen a lot of use, a lot of shooting and a lot of handling. You can see that it does not have a cylinder ring but that the only wear from the rising bolt is in the leede. This sixgun is perfectly timed. "

I drove my brand new car today and the tire tread got dirty. I will never buy that make again or own any car that has dirty tires. Don't tell me it's normal; I am perfection itself and demand perfection in everything I own or use.

Jim

I drove my brand new car today and the tire tread got dirty. I will never buy that make again or own any car that has dirty tires. Don't tell me it's normal; I am perfection itself and demand perfection in everything I own or use.

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I simply provide information and that's how you respond? Got anything constructive to add Jim, or just sarcastic and stupid comments???

Merry Christmas to you too.

Craig; I didn't read Jim's post as directed to you, just sarcasm in general. Lighten up, it's Christmas!!!

I thought Jim was funny.

He often is...sometimes he means to be

Merry Christmas Craig C. Your advice is OK, but you sound like a humorless perfectionist who cannot tolerate any failings in guns or people.

If you are not that way, and I am reading your post wrong, I apologize.

Jim

The ring is normal and just indicates you enjoy shooting your gun.

Being fairly new to revolvers as well I have seen posts, I can't remember where, that the ring was a sign of someone "monkey fisting" it who didn't know how to handle a revolver properly!

I've read several threads on just this subject and they all seem to indicate it is normal use that brings out the ring just as it has on all of my revolvers.

Why would someone make the claim that a monkey, who doesn't know how to handle a revolver, is responsible for the ring? Are they just idiots who don't really know what they are talking about or is there more to it?

I'd like to start a fund to pay for a stickectomy for CraigC.

Seriously, just chill out. The world is not out to insult you. Beleive me, you're not that important. I know I'm not.

All you guys telling me to lighten up or chill out can go pound sand as I'm about to explain the tone of my post.

Jim, for the third thread now, two on this subject, you have responded in a sarcastic, condescending and inflammatory manner. I really don't understand the reasoning behind it, your perception of my post or why it sticks in your craw. Judging by the many conversations I've had on this subject, a lot of people have some misconceptions about cylinder rings. Many believe a ring is just a fact of life and that it is normal on ALL revolvers, single and double action. This is simply not true and all I try to do is shed some light on the subject with a technical explanation. I'm not passing judgement, spitting on anyone's dog or talking about anyone's momma so I really don't understand what your problem is.

If you're okay with ringed cylinders on all your guns that's fine. All I'm trying to do is provide the information. Whoever is reading it is free to do with it as they wish. It has nothing to do with being perfect or having a stick up my ass. There's a right way and a wrong way to do everything and if you're blissful in your ignorance, then that is just fine with me. Just don't give me a bunch of sarcastic, condescending BS because I prefer to do it the right way. I'm sorry if telling you you're doing something wrong is such a blow to your ego. You are free to consult any major sixgunsmith or Colt specialist to gain the evidence you need. Or you can call USFA and ask Doug why they had to remove the lockwork in their guns at shows. I'll save you the trouble, it is because a lot of people do not know how to properly handle a traditional single action and their guns would be in need of a rebuild after the show if they didn't.

What is sad is that we have to have a knockdown, drag-out argument over something that should be common knowledge among serious revolver enthusiasts.

Responded while drunk. Deleted.

Never open the cylinder or cycle the action and you won't have the ring. Or, you can enjoy your revolver and spend your spare time worrying about things that really matter.

The Colt double action revolvers will show less of a ring as their timing is a little different than other revolvers. You will notice on most colts that there is very little ring around the cylinder. You will see contact on the cylinder just before the bolt drops into the cylinder notch.

All revolvers are not created equal, meaning that different makes and models sometimes work differently. Craig is applying the way some (but not all) Colt Single Action Army revolvers are timed to other unrelated guns.

For example, Jerry Kuhnhausen wrote a series of shop manuals for various revolvers that explain in detail how they work. These manuals in turn were based on those used by the manufacturer to train they’re own workers. They represent the most accurate information about how the manufacturer does or did things, and I will make a radical statement and say that any particular manufacturer is more familiar with their products then anyone else.

In his The Smith & Wesson Revolver – A Shop Manual, it says regarding the release point of the cylinder stop the following:

1. With the trigger temporarily in place and the hand removed (see figure 55) do the following tests.

2. From the full forward position, slowly move the trigger back. The cylinder stop should pull down to about the bottom of the window in the frame, but not below.

3. Then as the trigger continues back to the half-way point, the stop should slip by and snap up into the full up position with the top of the stop body against the inside of the frame.

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If you try this with your own Smith & Wesson or Ruger double-action revolver you will find that when the trigger is about half-way back the cylinder stop (cylinder latch in Ruger’s) is indeed released, and the cylinder has rotated a little past half-way to two-thirds toward the next notch. Both company’s will tell you that this is the way it’s supposed to be so that the stop/latch can work on the cylinder as a brake when it’s rapidly turning in fast double-action firing.

Anyone who knows Jim K’s background is well aware that he’s forgotten more about ‘smithing revolvers then most people will ever know.

For those that might be interested, Kuhnhausen's manuals covering most Smith & Wesson (pre-MIM), Colt and Ruger double-action revolvers as well as Colt Single Action (and clones), as well as Ruger's S.A. revolvers; can be purchased from www.brownells.com and www.amazon.com