35 Whelen
Member
What particular handgun are you talking about? Rugers, or mine at least, were the worst culprit, but not all that hard to fix at all.
35W
Stopping cylinder 'Ringing' ?
- Thread starter jstein650
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35W
Driftwood Johnson
Member
No, it is a 44 Hand Ejector, 4th Model. The revolver in the 4th photo is a 44 Hand Ejector 2nd Model.
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New Model Rugers are supposed to have a drag line on the cylinder. It is a design feature. Ruger specifically timed the New Models so the bolt rises early, and drags along the cylinder before the bolt drops into the lead in to the locking slot. That is the way they are timed by design. One can mess with the timing by messing with the spring loaded dohickey at the bottom of the hammer, but that is the way Bill Ruger wanted them to be.
Colts, and colt replicas on the other hand, should be timed so that the bolt pops up into the lead in to the cylinder locking notches. So the drag line only appears in the tear drop shaped lead in. If a drag line appears on a Colt it is either improperly timed, or somebody does not understand the cardinal rule of never lowering the hammer from half cock.
If you examine CraigC's photos carefully, you will see this. The drag line on the Ruger runs from about halfway between the chambers to the next lead in. Notice it does not go further back because Craig knows how to treat a fine revolver. You have to look very carefully at the photo of the USFA to see it, but there is a tiny mark dead center in one of the lead ins. That is the mark the bolt has made by popping up in the correct spot. That gun is timed perfectly, for a traditional single action.
jstein650
Member
Hey, 35Whelen, thanks for the reply. Yes, my Ruger SA's were the worst culprits. I've had a lot of replies here, what was your fix, (?) and please don't tell me to not fire the thing.
I have removed and lightly polished the cylinder stop on a couple of my S&W revolvers. Still have positive lock up and much less of a line on the cylinder. Also polish the cylinder of the stainless steel guns after shooting. Have a 686 that has fired thousands of rounds and no visible line from the cylinder stop.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
Yep, if you look closely at the USFA, you can see where the bolt rises into the leede. That sixgun is timed perfectly.
35 Whelen
Member
I made a new hammer plunger out of a 3/32" drill bit and made it a little longer than the factory one (.750" vs. .820") which delays the rising of the bolt a bit. Worked perfectly in my Flat Top ad my NM Vaquero. You may have to experiment with the length of the plunger in your pistol though.
35W
7mmstalker
Member
Earlier post mentioned the strong spring on some cylinder stop bolts.
I've seen a very old Colt that had tiny holes appearing from the notch into the cylinder!
I've seen a very old Colt that had tiny holes appearing from the notch into the cylinder!
Driftwood Johnson
Member
A real good way to have the cylinder throw by is to not have a strong enough bolt spring. Tiny holes in the notch on an old Colt have nothing to do with the strength of the bolt spring or anything else about the bolt. The steel is only a few thousandths thick between the bottom of the notch and the chamber wall. Simple corrosion can do that in an old gun that has not been well maintained.
All this business about reducing the cylinder ring on New Model Rugers and Double Action revolvers reminds me of the many posts about carbon rings on the face of the cylinder of a revolver. It simply is not worth worrying about. Once you have enough revolvers, you will stop worrying about either of these two things.
Some people really just shouldn't own guns.
That reminds me of the guys on watch forums that ask if they should remove their Rolex Submariner when washing their hands to avoid the possibility of accidentally splashing water on them.
The Lone Haranguer
Member
Whatever you're doing, stop! A "turn line" on the cylinder is perfectly normal.
Frankly, I'm surprised to see this. I thought it would be about burn rings on the cylinder face, or the rings that build up in the chambers of .357 Magnums when .38 Special is shot in them. This was completely unexpected.
A "turn line" on the cylinder is perfectly normal.Frankly, I'm surprised to see this. I thought it would be about burn rings on the cylinder face, or the rings that build up in the chambers of .357 Magnums when .38 Special is shot in them. This was completely unexpected.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
As I've said 100 times before and many in this thread, it depends on what it is. Pick up a brand new Colt or USFA single action, drop the hammer from the half cock notch, spin the cylinder to lock and then try explaining to its owner that the ring you just put on his valuable sixgun is "normal". It is not and folks had better know the difference.
The V spring style Colt actions, if properly timed won't get a drag line from firing it. Like the single actions, the bolt should drop into the leads. If you line the chamber up with the barrel when closing it, a properly timed DA V spring Colt won't leave a ring.
Closing the action and rotating the cylinder to the bolt stop will ring it though.
35 Whelen
Member
If a turn line on a cylinder is normal, then is the lack of one abnormal?Whatever you're doing, stop!
Frankly, I'm surprised to see this. I thought it would be about burn rings on the cylinder face, or the rings that build up in the chambers of .357 Magnums when .38 Special is shot in them. This was completely unexpected.
If so, I like abnormal. I recently picked up a genuine NIB Colt SA in .44 Special. It must be abnormal because the bolt rises into the leede at the perfect time, just like Craig described above.
35W
gamestalker
member
I have an old SBH in 44 mag that doesn't leave hardly any stop track. But as for my other's, they all have a pretty good stop track, and why wouldn't they, considering I use them.
I did polish the track out of one of my SS wheel guns, and guess what, the track reappeared after only a few handling sessions, darn.
GS
I did polish the track out of one of my SS wheel guns, and guess what, the track reappeared after only a few handling sessions, darn.
GS
Driftwood Johnson
Member
You misunderstand. As has been stated several times, a turn line on a SAA or other single action revolver with a similar lockwork is a sign of mishandling. The lack of a turn line on such a revolver is normal as long as the revolver has been handled properly over the years. Avoiding the turn line is very simple.
A turn line is normal on a Double Action revolver, such as a S&W.
Check out my photos again.
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hemiram
Member
Perpster! I thought about Wisk and the "Ring around the collar!" ads right away. There are a bunch of them on Youtube, but the one I really remember is one where after the "spotter" says, "You've got ring around the collar!", the wife makes this face like she's smelling something very bad, and she says, disgustedly, "Ohhh, those dirty rings!!" All becomes well after Wisk is used. Such a simple thing that changed her world!
RealGun
Member
But I don't think the guns come with instructions about that issue. Possibly every SAA owner owns at least one that has or had turn rings. Some learn or become informed faster than others. Do these cylinder stops really need knife edges to lock up properly? Do they really need to be steel or anticipate high wear or stress?
Not true. The old style V spring action (Python, Detective Special, Official Police etc.) that is properly timed will not drag the bolt on the cylinder when being fired. The bolt will drop in the lead.
These Colt DA's only get the "ring" from closing the action and rolling the cylinder to the cylinder stop.
Close the action with the chamber lined up with that barrel, so you don't have to roll the cylinder into place and you won't get the drag line.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
The instructions are very simple. Never lower the hammer from half cock. Period. That's all there is to it. Always bring the hammer back to full cock, lowering it very carefully without letting it slip out of your grip. These instructions are all over the Web.
It is not a knife edge that causes a cylinder rig. It is the surface of the bolt rubbing on the cylinder. Nothing to do with knife edges. Absolutely they need to be steel. Absolutely they will get high wear. Absolutely they need to be hard, so as not to wear down over the years. And you did not ask, but absolutely the leg of the trigger/bolt spring that pops the bolt up needs to be nice and strong. The best way in the world to get a cylinder to over rotate is to weaken the spring.
It is really very simple. Never lower the hammer from half cock. All the other things will take care of themselves.
CraigC
Sixgun Nut
And yet some people act like it takes hours of exhausting, conscious effort.
buck460XVR
Member
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....now if only there was some solution to holster wear.
RealGun
Member
We got it, but the point is that the rings occur before one knows any better.
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