.007" cylinder gap on 642

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Morgan

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After getting a new toy, I checked the gap on all my revolvers. My backup 642 is at .007". Is this out of spec? Should I call S&W? It isn't the most accurate piece, but I don't practice much with it due to it's backup nature.

I'm a little disappointed, and I know that newer Smiths CAN be better - my recent manufacture 625 has a .003" gap. My old one's run tighter gaps, as well.
 
your guns pretty much define the acceptable range for the cylinder gap. my old competition pieces had a .003" gap, but i cleaned it between matches. most of my duty pieces have gaps in the .004"-.005" range

as a rule of thumb, wider gaps lead to a more reliable but less accurate gun.
 
.007 will do. (My name is Bondo, James Bondo...)

It's a little looser than I prefer, 'specially on a snubby. I like all the velocity I can get out of 38+P in a 2"...
 
Cylinder barrel gap...

There has been some experimentation with barrel gaps.

The evidence shows with a larger barrel gap, velocity is less, but accuracy is better.

Wide gaps also spit lead and unburnt powder particles like crazy, too!
 
Jerry Miculek in one of his gunsmithing tapes ("Trigger Job") said that people thinking that a smaller gap made a revolver more accurate was a myth FWIW...

Our service inpection standard is the same .003"-.010" mentioned above. My 65 currently reads ..014" now thats a problem :eek:
 
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