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New To Me Revolver Safety Question

5K views 33 replies 20 participants last post by  PaddyD55 
#1 ·
I acquired this non-ruger revolver, and when cleaning it up, noticed this on the cylinder face. Small ding, but I want to make sure it will be safe to shoot the cylinder before putting some lead through it. Any suggestions?

 
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#2 ·
That is one of those $64 dollar questions...
But, how much value do you place on self and other's safety???
The weapon might not be worth the cost of a smith to port and hone the cylinders, because I see two that require work, but only one that is a safety violation from the picture submitted. I'd suspect there are a couple things that would be ironed out if subjected to the proper tools.

That said, firing low charge ammo, which one should when testing a used gun, a lead bullet will certainly get notched, and possibly wreak havoc to the forcing cone.

If all safety is tossed out the window, and full load ammo with TMJ or heavy jacketed at the least is fired, I suspect bad things will happen.

It would be best not to "file 'er down and let-er-rip"...

Lastly, if I was on the safety line and saw that, you would not firing from that cylinder today... RSO since 1996...
 
#4 ·
Before I even read your words, I saw that pic and said "whoa"!

I DEFINITELY would not shoot that until the issue is resolved. I'd be taking that straight to a gunsmith for evaluation.

Good eye there OP. Some may have missed that or just disregarded it and fired anyways. Good on you for spotting a potential disaster before it happened.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Dangerous ? Probably not. Annoying ? Very much so.

Shooting that gun in its current condition will likely result in damage to the bullet as it exits that chamber but I don't think that burr would be significant enough to cause a safety issue. A lead bullet exiting that chamber would get a small grove cut in it and a jacketed bullet would suffer the same damage. I think that damage to that cylinder could be largely corrected with a throat reamer.
If you intend to shoot cast lead bullets in the gun, reaming the throats of all of the chambers may even help reduce leading.

You have several options:
1. return the gun to the manufacturer
2. Take the gun to a gun smith and have him ream the throats to eliminate that burr
3. rent a reamer and do it yourself
4. Send just the cylinder to a gunsmith that reams throats (cheaper/easier than shipping the whole gun)
5. Very carefully attempt to remove the burr with a small round file (would not be my choice but if you were careful to not cut too deep into the throat it might be fine)
6. ignore it!, after a few jacketed bullets it may become a non-issue !! (also not my first choice but I don't think that cylinder would fail)

I don't think that tiny burr will raise the pressure in that chamber enough to even be noticeable. I would rent a reamer and fix that myself.
 
#9 ·
That needs to be replaced. Even if a guy runs a throat reamer to clean it up, it'll have a channel in the face where it'll be prone to flame cutting the forcing cone, gap flashing, spitting, the works. The cylinder could be saved by milling then setting the barrel back, but the revolver is not worth so much. The original manufacturer may fix it, maybe for free, maybe at charge. That thing is a lemon at best, I rode bulls for 20yrs, ride motor cycles over 200mph, and have done most other high risk behaviors a person can do - I wouldn't shoot that chamber.
 
#11 ·
One simple no cost solution? Don't use that cylinder...
I think you mean 'chamber'. The cylinder has six chambers.

It appears that someone may have improperly used a tool (hardened screwdriver tip?) to remove lead deposits on the cylinder face.

I have enough experience and confidence in my metalworking skills to easily repair that cylinder, if it were my gun. For the OP, I would recommend having a pistolsmith repair it.
 
#16 · (Edited)
IF you trust your skills, you could lightly peen the pushed up area back down, dress the edge and VERY lightly dress the face and carry on. You will still be left with a small channel that COULD possibly introduce a small flame cut. But you risk nothing in trying it before any more expensive repairs. I have repaired similar gouges several times and had no flame cutting issues. If the cylinder to bore gap is tight and forcing cone good, you SHOULD be fine.

A screwdriver scraping carbon didn't do that. It was HIT by something
 
#19 ·
That is the basic method I would use: secure the cylinder (removed from crane) in a wood block cradle. Use a properly prepped (smooth, slightly radiused tip) punch-type tool to gently peen the displaced metal back in place, then hone the throat/face area smooth. I don't think any remaining slight imperfection on the cylinder face would cause any problems.

An improperly wielded screwdriver tip, in trying to chip lead deposits off the cylinder face, could cause that damage.
 
#18 ·
Even if you file away the protrusion encroaching into the chamber throat, you'll have a depression on the cylinder face remaining which will act as a channel for the B/C flash to fly through. From it's orientation, that jet will be pointing outward, and that channel will be the path of least resistance for the propellant gases to escape. Those high velocity gases will flame cut the end of the barrel tenon and deepen the cut in the cylinder face over use. That cut against the barrel tenon will begin to affect all other chambers.

I'm really surprised how many folks would shoot this thing as is. Safety concern or not, it's just foolish to fire that chamber in this condition.

If you'll only ever shoot it 300rnds in your lifetime, and you'll be happy with poor accuracy, then fine, it's your revolver. But if you want to respect your firearm and want to have a firearm last as long as it should, you need to get a new cylinder.
 
#22 ·
From the photo I'm going to guess the gun is a Taurus or a S&W and based on the blued trigger and stainless trigger guard, I'm leaning a bit towards Taurus.

I think the expense of acquiring a new cylinder and fitting it to the gun would very quickly exceed the value of that gun. That damage could be repaired by peening the burr and following with a reamer.

Even if a small channel remained of the face of the cylinder I'm not certain it would extend beyond the area covered by the edge of the barrel when the cylinder is closed. Even if there was some gas cutting (and I'm not convinced there would be) it wouldn't be a significant problem. In any event - what do you lose by trying ?

Attempting to repair it doesn't make the issue worse and it could save an inexpensive but perfectly functional gun. I'm with firescout, remove the cylinder, peen the burr (and maybe get lucky and flow a little metal into that small gouge), ream the throats, re-assemble and press on.
 
#23 ·
All I know for certain is do not shoot it that way. I don't think it would be too difficult to deburr but I do advise watching for flame-cutting problems. And I really don't think a good gunsmith would charge too much to clean that up and give his professional advice. That could be the best route IMHO. Find somebody local and take it in...unless you feel confident in your machining skills.
 
#31 ·
Instead of dressing it down (filing away metal), the burr should be peened down, displacing the metal back where it came from. Then it can be smoothed to match the chamber throat profile.

Why would a small nick on the cylinder face 'belch a lot of fire'?
 
#27 ·
From what I can see that burr is so small it probably wouldn't be a factor if someone didn't notice it and shot the gun with it there. I'd bet the only thing that would happen is the bullet would peen the burr down to the point where a small fine round file and two or three light strokes later it wouldn't be there. As for any possible flame cutting? I think everyone suggesting that here is paranoid. To really start cutting the gouge would need to extend in an outward direction in order for gas to cut the top strap. If you overlook the super tiny scratch, which is completely insignificant, the deep gouge points sideways. With that cylinder in battery, the gouge will be pointing out the side of the revolver and not towards the strap.. I'd never put a revolver away out of fear of the top strap getting cut. If I did that I'd never get to shoot my .357.
As for a manufacturer fixing it? If it's old and not new and clearly not a manufacturer defect, but an owner screw up, I bet they will tell you all they can do is replace the cylinder. If you don't feel comfortable filing it away any local gunsmith can fix that up in 5 or 10 minutes.
I agree with the Cowboy Up line. This is America not France.
 
#28 ·
I like your mixed sentiments.

Also enjoy your cowboy up:



It doesn't take as much as one might think to hold a bullet, and if held, once ignition has started, chaos reigns.

I no longer troup the line as RSO! People are too simple for their own good.
 
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