opening the cylinder

[cvnhank]

I just bought a brand new stainless steel gp-100. After signing all the required paper work, the clerk handed me my gun. When she opened the cylinder, she didn't support the cylinder. The crane/yoke stopped abruptely against the frame. Is this considered "flipping the cylinder opened"? Hank

 

[Black Snowman]

It will take far more abuse than that to but any signifigant wear and tear on a GP-100. If you want to really baby the gun you support the cylinder as you open it but it's not a nessessity. Out of habit this is what I normally do just to add that little bit of longevity.

Many people will go ballistic if the cylinder is "dropped" open unsupported. But if the gun can't take several thousand such operations without ill effects it's either not properly built or not properly designed. Still, in just handling the gun it's also more wear and tear than is nessisary.

I try to aviod it, but it's no big deal IMHO.

 

[cvnhank]

Thanks Blacksnowman

 

[shep854]

While the gun may not be damaged, such actions speaks volumes to me about that person's attitude toward firearms, and it isn't positive.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

It shouldn't harm the gun. Using Massad Ayoob's revolver reload technique, the shooter hits the cylinder latch with the right thumb and forces the cylinder open with the fingers of the left hand. During this process, the gun is being rotated to point upward. The left hand is then used to slap the ejector rod to dump the empty cases. The left hand then grasps the cylinder with the thumb inserted into the frame, locking cylinder open while the right hand releases the gun and reaches for the speedloader.

If all of that doesn't hurt the gun, simply letting the cylinder drop open will never come close.

 

[SnubbyMan]

I know what it's like when you're bringing home a new gun. I wouldn't worry about your Ruger though.

 

[P95Carry]

Probably less abusive to Ruger than Smith but - still ouch! Point is, the mass of the cylinder is considerable, on non-lightweights anyways .... and when it drops and stops the deceleration is inevitably transmitted thru the crane ... IMO it is not at all desirable. Applies a significant torque stress.

This is of course when gun is horizontal. My reload technique, tho hardly fastest ... does have gun pointing up for shell ejection and when cyl' opens it does so somewhat cushioned.

Main thing that would concern me seeing this done carelessly by a gun shop person would be that - is this how they always treat revo's ... does not sit well with me.

 

[Black Snowman]

It's an extremely rare thing for me to see a gun store employee treat a gun with care or respect. This should obviously not be the case, but in my experiance is the norm.

Lack of muzzle control, rough handling, and more have been witnessed at every gun store I've ever been to. Some worse than others obviously. In all of these places paperwork was however meticulously scruitenized and double checked.

The customer won't really complain, but the ATF has no mercy.

 

[Trebor]

When I briefly worked at GM, I had to correct two different employees who thought it was OK to flip open or flip closed the cylinders on revolvers. Neither one owned a revolver themselves and didn't know why it was bad. That's when I decided I'd never buy a new gun out of the display case, but would get one of the boxed ones from the back instead. Those guns in the display case get rode hard.

 

[SnWnMe]

Competition style revolver reloading involves not only letting the cylinder drop open but pushing it open with the fingers of the strong or weak hand through the window. The cylinder stops quite hard against the frame but it doesn't seem to bother wheelguns none. I'm sure your Ruger is fine.

 

[Ala Dan]

Sounds like this female salesperson needs a quick lesson in the proper
handling of firearms. My boss at the sporting goods/gunshop would be
hysterical if he saw any of us handling a weapon in that manner. With
a few instances like that, our salespersons would find themselves in
the unemployment line very quickly.

Me being me:
I probably would have declined that particular weapon; then asked
politely does she handle all revolvers in that manner?

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[BluesBear]

Flipping a cylinder open is not really bad for it since the cylinder (and yoke) is unlocked.


Flipping it closed, however, is VERY bad for it since it has to slip past the locking detents. This is especially bad on Colt and similar revolvers that have no forward lock since there is a twisting force applied to the yoke.