Revolver Speed Shooting

[mattz357]

Given that Jerry Miculek can put 8 shots on target in less than a second, I can't imagine rapid shooting being hard on a revolver, but I still have to ask. Can "rapid firing" a revolver do any damage to the internals? Is it harder on the gun than "normal" shooting? Thanks in advance!

 

[ducktapehero]

I have heard that N-frame 357's have some problems simply because of the weight of the cylinder. Over time the actions of "startin and stoppin" of that much weight will wear things out. I haven't heard of this with other revolvers but I'm not an expert. I just fake one on the internet.

 

[dfariswheel]

Very rapid, hard speed shooting will wreck any revolver.

Some guns, like the Colt Python have a reputation of not standing up well to rapid DA shooting.

Some like the S&W stand up better.

However, the locking notches on a revolver 's cylinder and the bolt that locks into them are both fairly small surfaces that batter rather easily.

Many top revolver shooters, both single action and double action, often have at least three guns:
One in use, one in reserve, and one in the shop being re-tuned.

 

[Dienekes]

Don't do as much fast DA anymore but did in the past with a Security Six. Also am not McGivern or Miculek but had some good runs now and then. The factory replaced the barrels of two Rugers from forcing cone wear but never any action parts.

Not sure about Miculek but the only parts McGivern mentioned replacing on the S&Ws he used was a locking bolt on a K-22 with about 300,000 rounds through it. Even then it was apparently more of an accuracy issue for target work than a speed issue. The pictures of the before-and-after groups weren't much different.

The heavier cylinders of N (and L?) frames probably do batter parts a little more from inertia. That's a lot of steel starting and stopping.

I think if the gun (S&W or Ruger) is well made at the outset it will darn near go forever.

 

[Old Fuff]

If anything, fast double-action shooting smooths the lockwork with no negative consequences except normal wear. However, as has been pointed out, the notches in the cylinder will suffer from battering. Of the popular revolvers, S&W is the worst in this respect because they have a relatively small cylinder stop and notches. More recent Ruger and Colt designs had wider, deeper notches and stops

Back during the late 19th and early 20 centuries when S&W made top-break revolvers, they would inlet a hardened piece of steal in the cylinder next to the notches. This was an expensive way to solve the problem of battering, but it worked. You often find well worn and even abused guns that still lock up tighter then a bank vault. Of course the makers don't do this anymore ...

 

[Jim Watson]

I have seen PPC .38s that were quite loose after thousands and thousands of wadcutters shot at moderate double action rate of fire, but they still shot accurately. So wear it out and get it overhauled.

 

[Old Fuff]

I should add another “done in the ol’ days†trick at S&W was to file a little groove on the side of the ball of the cylinder stop to provide some relief that protected the leading edge of the cylinder stop notch, so the stop couldn’t peen the notch

Of course they don’t do that anymore either.

I agree with Jim Watson - go shoot .... Tuning up the revolver isn’t that difficult, and in the long run the revolver may outlast its owner.

 

[JNewell]

However, the locking notches on a revolver 's cylinder and the bolt that locks into them are both fairly small surfaces that batter rather easily.

The window in the bottom of the frame through which the bolt pops up can also be enlarged (peened wider) by this kind of shooting.