Cylinder "flick" on a ruger lcr

[simonstough]

So i just bought my first revolver, i made a thread about it a few weeka ago asking for advice, i settles on a ruger lcr in .38 special. Personally i love it and i know flicking.the cylinder closed is bad, i was told it messed up the forcing cone when i was a child but later found out it damages the crane and small parts. Its something i would never do, however i went to a friends house over the weekend to shoot it for the first time, he tends to associate with dumb people who shouldnt be around guns so im weary about who is over there when we go shoot. This particular weekend i wasnt to worried about the company he was keeping, ive been shooting with everyone that went before and they dont do dumb things.

I let my wife shoot, and my friend shoot no problem, they both clicked the cylinder shut properly, the other guy that was with us got agitated when i was trying to tell him how to shut the cylinder yelled "i know what im doing" and flicked the cylinder shut. When i was cleaning it later i noticed some scuff marks on the back of the frame presumably from the cylinder being flicked shut. This guy is no longer going to touch my firearms if he shoots with us. But my question after a long explanation is will this happening one time and one time only do any damage to my revolver? Should i be worried about the scuff marks?

 

[MrBorland]

I doubt a single flicking episode will do any damage.

You'll have to be more specific about the scuff marks, though. If it's a curved line on the frame shield that leads to the cylinder release bolt hole, that's normal and caused by the ejector rod pin sticking out the back of the cylinder.

 

[Old Fuff]

I agree with MrBorland. Also I never let anyone else shoot one of my revolvers unless they hand it back to me to be unloaded and/or reloaded. They're exceptions of course When I know the individual to be safe & sane when handling a firearm. I suspect that no lasting damage was done, and you have learned a valuable lesson. If you encounter Mr. Cylinder-Flipper again and he wants to shoot any of your guns, tell him "Absolutely no!"

 

[g.willikers]

Another vote for doing the loading and unloading yourself.
Preferably to and from the bench, if there's one handy, and not hand to hand.
Trust no-one.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Sure doesn't sound like someone I'd shoot with again.

 

[CZ9shooter]

A friend of mine flicked the cylinder on my Jframe shut one time. This was maybe only his first or second time handling a revolver. He has long guns, but did not own handguns at the time. He had respectfully handled my semi autos previously. I could tell he was imbarrased when I scolded him.

Another time, a friend of my fiance was visiting. During converstion she expessed some interest in obtaining a carry permit and her first gun. I showed her some of my carry pieces. The very first thing she did when I put a revolver, with open cylinder, in her hand was SLAM it shut with two hands and try to rapidly spin the cylinder at the same time! First time didnt work, so she tried it again before I had a chance to grab the gun back. That was the end of that conversation.

 

[Old Fuff]

Which brings up another point. When I'm showing someone a firearm that I don't really know, I show them the right way to do it before I hand over the unloaded gun.

Too many folks have gotten their firearms instructions by watching Hollywood output. Don't take any chances.

 

[tubeshooter]

I don't think one flick is going to ruin your gun. I remember doing a few with my first .38, and it didn't crumble into dust or anything.

I didn't make it a habit though, and I could only see a yahoo doing so.



I didn't know any better and didn't mean any harm. Pretty sure almost all of the other people who do it are in the same boat. Just need a little education, is all.

 

[corrosionate]

My .357 LCR has been flicked several times and is perfectly fine. A few friends have done it. I don't freak out, I just explain the right way and they don't do it again. If doing that 5 or 6 times ruins the gun, then I don't think I'd trust it as my carry gun. (And it is my go-to carry gun.

It's true most people have no idea and that's the first thing they do when they get a revolver in their hand. They see it on tv and think that's normal and looks fun.

Don't get me wrong, it's not the right way, and they're not designed for that. If you do it every single time I would expect problems later on, but I would not bat an eye at one single time. At least not with the LCR. If I had some old heirloom single action or something I'd be pissed.

 

[CajunBass]

I would be pissed at myself for not teaching them the right way first.

How would you like it if someone got mad at you for doing something when you didn't know any better?

 

[JeeperCreeper]

I would be pissed at myself for not teaching them the right way first.

How would you like it if someone got mad at you for doing something when you didn't know any better?

I think this is the key^^

I've been around firearms since I was a kid, been cleaning, taking apart, and maintaining my family's basic needs since I was 13. But I also messed up alot and thought some things were OK.

I used to spin and flick revolvers closed because it sounded like the movies
I used to dry fire every gun because I didn't know better, even break actions and rimfires
I used twist scopes knobs just to see what they'd do

But the key was, the people who taught me knew I didn't come out of the womb with firearms knowledge and understood some lessons need to be taught after a screw up.

The best course of action is to say, "you know, just a heads up, you shouldn't flick a revolver shut like that because it can mess something up... I just read about it the other day". I'm always learning stuff and it is best to make people not feel like you are smarter than them and talking "at" them.

If he is a jerk afterwards, then that is the time not to be nice. "Be nice, until it's time not to be nice" -Patrick Swayze, Roadhouse

 

[Drail]

Most non gun guys that I have seen handle a revolver were really sure that "they knew what they were doing". (from watching TV). I will never hand a revolver to someone I don't know anymore. Seen it done too many times and they always get bent when you tell them not to do it.

 

[CZ9shooter]

they always get bent when you tell them not to do it.

Yep. They will often act like I am the one dosesnt know how to handle a gun just because I dont mimic whatever action star. Paid actors obviously know better than I. Or that I am way too protective of MY things.

 

[Waveski]

" yelled "i know what im doing" " That's the clincher.HE yelled at / corrected YOU about YOUR revolver.

Stay away from this guy , and anyone else with such an attitude. At the range , at least. I suspect that your revolver is fine.

 

[Master Blaster]

No One has mentioned this, so the issue with flicking the cylinder closed is that you could bend the center pin (spring loaded pin that locks the rear of the cylinder to the frame when closed). On some revolvers It could possibly damage the ejector rod, or bend the crane/ yoke, or shear the yoke retaining screw as well. If the center pin gets bent the cylinder may not turn or may jam and render the gun inoperable. How many clicks this takes is unknown it could be one or it could be 100.

Before I take anyone new shooting I give them a basic safety lesson and if they are shooting one of my firearms an operation lesson before we go, and after we arrive at the range. If they are new to shooting they get my undivided attention until I am sure they are safe and understand the operation of the firearm they are shooting.

 

[Zaydok Allen]

" yelled "i know what im doing" " That's the clincher.HE yelled at / corrected YOU about YOUR revolver.

Stay away from this guy , and anyone else with such an attitude. At the range , at least. I suspect that your revolver is fine.

I'm with Waveski on this. I doubt a single incident did any real damage to the gun, but the guy sounds unstable. If he gets that mad that fast, and then clearly doesn't know what he is doing, what kind of safety practices does he follow? What else is he sure he knows what he is doing, and actually screwing up? Not to mention, why would you want to be friends with someone like that?

I guess I just wouldn't choose to shoot, or even hang out with someone who acts this way. Shooting should be fun, not stressful.

Hmmm, an inspiration for another thread.

 

[Coyote3855]

Pleasant and low-key instruction goes a long way to prevent these issues. In a recent NRA basic pistol class, we were doing a familiarization drill with handguns and dummy ammunition. Before we started, I asked my student to confirm that the firearms were unloaded - SOP. He did the revolvers fine, but when I handed him a SIG 225, he peered into the chamber, then turned the pistol around and looked down the barrel. And argued with me when I yelled, yeah, yelled at him to not point the gun at his head.

Lesson for me. Now in that exercise I don't turn loose of the guns.

On topic, I agree that one incident of flipping probably didn't harm the Ruger.

I've also learned not to lend anyone my pocket knife with out asking what they intend to do with it.

 

[Zerodefect]

I wouldn't let him shoot it again. No damage isdone in one flick though. Especially a light weight revolver like the LCR. The heavy fullsize magnums are only where I've seen such damage.

A friend of mine wants to ride my Ducati again. I just noticed he doesn't know how to downshift. Not going to happen.

 

[Drail]

If I owned a Ducati I don't believe I would let anyone else take it for a spin. (especially if I thought that that "someone" had no idea what was about to happen) That's like handing a cocked and loaded .44 Magnum snub to a child. What could possibly go wrong? I also DO NOT loan knives to people who don't own one. Not any more. I simply ask them "why don't you have a knife?" A lot of people anymore seem to be dangerously stupid and completely devoid of common sense when it comes to problem solving with tools. I mean it's just unbelievable the things I've seen guys do at work.

 

[Jim K]

I have long been just a bit skeptical about the supposed irreparable damage done to revolvers by "flicking" the cylinder closed.

So a good many years ago, I got some gauges and a well used pre-Model 10 and spent the better part of a morning "flicking", half the time with the cylinder empty, half with dummy rounds. After almost 4 hours and hundreds of "flicks", I had a very sore wrist, and a revolver that showed no damage at all. I still won't "flick" someone else's gun because that would be discourteous knowing how many people feel. But I don't worry if I do it once in a while to my own.

Jim

 

[corrosionate]

I would be pissed at myself for not teaching them the right way first.



How would you like it if someone got mad at you for doing something when you didn't know any better?

True. A big part of the reason I don't get mad.

Edit: I guess what I mean is, that I don't have any heirloom revolvers. If I did, I certainly would explain it first. But since I don't school people on my LCR, I don't get pissed.

Yes, if I ask a guy not to do that on any gun. and I handed it to him and he did it anyway, I'd be pissed. Mostly on principle.