I purchased a used, police gun from a well known retailer; it is a 10-10.

The gun is in great shape, except for the cylinder to forcing cone gap, which is larger than .008.

I really have no choice but to return this and take the shipping/restocking fee/etc hit, do I? Can this be fixed? Is the cost prohibitive?

I apologize in advance if this has been answered, I'm a bit upset about this. I should have checked here first, I believe others have had this problem from this retailer.

This may not reassure you, but I've gotten a couple
of new guns with BC gap of .010". Since they shot just fine, I'm
still shooting them. I'd had them awhile before I measured,
so it wasn't an issue for me. ymmv, TACC1.

The S&W Shop Manual written by Jerry Kuhnhausen gives a range from .004 to around .006. I was told recently that up to .012 is now considered by S&W to be in spec.

When your tolerances get sloppy, just loosen the specs. Brilliant!

This is exactly what my engineer friends said the Big 3 did as their quality nosedived...

Well within today's spec, and likely little wider, if any, than when it left the factory.

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Pisgah

.008 cap in a used revolver is not that bad. Probably will shoot just
fine.

don’t condemn your "new" S&W model 10-10 before you try it out at your favorite range. I think you may find you have a keeper.

With the low pressure of the 38 spl. a 0.008 to 0.012 B/C gap really isn't an issue. Yeah, you'll loose some velocity and see more flash at night but it won't cut a finger off or even burn you. I would suggest that you try shooting it and see how it shoots. One positive of that wider B/C gap is that you can shoot that really FOUL Blazer aluminum or WWB without any issues with the fouling on the cylinder causing a bind for at least 200 or 300 rounds downrange.

I bought a new 3" 686-6 plus recently, and the BC gap was .007" on one side and .004" on the other! Probably about what I would get if I made a careful hacksaw cut by eye. It shoots good groups, though.
Its a good thing that S&W uses MIM parts these days, since the quality is engineered in. The few components that still need to be hand fit, like the barrel to frame connection, don't seem to be going so well! I have measured 3 different Rugers lately, and they all have had gaps around .005", just right in my thinking. My other new S&W revolver had a gap of .008", which is certainly more than needed.

rat

.008 will be fine....shoot the snot out of it.

I agree, in a 38 Special it is of less consequence then a 357 magnum.
But, since you have the gun, call Smith first, I know they can fix it, and
if you make it an issue , I bet they will, I would just state that you feel it is excessive and not try to state what it is, that will make them want to check it and once its there....
But , that just what I would do, although I would not buy a 10-10 anyway.
With so many older ones readily available ?
Why?
But, I have seen many older ones with as much as .012, it is all over the place in my opinion.
Except on my Freedom Arms revolvers , but for their price , they better be great.

I sent my new M-63 back because it was spitting lead. The gap was .010 on one side and .015 on the other. It came back after a barrel change with .007 gap on both sides and shoots like a dream. I wouldn't worry about a .008 gap.

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Be obscure, clearly.

I was told, 6/'03 in a phone conversation with their CS guy re a new production revolver, that their allowable production range was .004-.010 in. He also said the chamber to chamber consistency was more important than the actual gap.

Stainz

I think there can be something said on the positive side for a BTCG of .006-,008....or even .010. It's already been mentioned above, but you're less likely to foul the gun and bind the cylinder with a little broader gap. Yep....more noise, more flash and maybe a slight loss of pressure, but you won't have to worry so much about locking it up under continuous fire. I have a much-fired 22 with an overall gap of close to .014. It sounds like a 38-special but it doesn't spit and is as accurate as it ever was.

Shoot it first! Most likely will find that it is a non-issue.
Randy

It's easy to fix the B/C gap, using a washer. Midway has a follow along video showing how to do this.

Two different issues. OVERALL gap can be shortened if the gun has excessive end-shake. BTCG can only be corrected by reworking the forcing cone if it's too tight or "adjusting" the barrel if it's too excessive.

If OP is talking about overall gap (cylinder pushed back against the recoil shield with the gun loaded), some of that may be end-shake and can be corrected with the shim. BTCG is measured with the cylinder pushed all the way forward. The difference between the two measurements is end-shake.

I thought the BC gap is measured with the cylinder all the way towards the back. As that is where it will be when the cartridge is fired. But I'm not a smith so am I wrong?

The "experts" can come in here and beat me up if I'm wrong, but the way I was taught/told how to measure BTCG was with the cylinder pushed to the front. This insures there will be no end-shake and that is how it is measured. End-shake is measured with the cylinder to the rear (loaded). Stick the feeler-gauge in the gap and note the measurement. The difference between the two is end-shake and usually around .002 is considered normal, but they seem to be letting that spec. slip a little. Overall gap is the total distance between the forcing cone and the cylinder with the cylinder forced against the recoil shield. Shims will correct end-shake but as you correct the end-shake....you automatically increase the BTCG with the shims.

I think I have already said it here, but I have a j-frame well-fired 22 with an overall gap of close to .014....and it shoots just fine.

I echo the sentiment on fouling with tight gaps.

One of my shooting buds had his Model 67 down to .004. Until after 30 rounds it wanted to bind.

Shoot the snot out of it and see how it does for you.

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Take your time..quickly.

Thank you very much, everyone for your opinions, information, and suggestions. I'm new to this, and still learning.

I can not detect any fore and aft cylinder movement. I measured the gap with the gun in "resting" state. (sorry for not knowing the correct terms) I also measured it in "locked" state as described in the many "check out" guides. I couldn't tell any difference. The gap is .008 to .009.

This is a well carried gun, but I've had the sideplate off for a look, and otherwise, the gun is mechanically as good as my 19. (same rotational play in "locked state", same trigger feel, etc.)

I was hoping for an earlier gun, but my "draw from the pile" was a -10. My friend got a pinned, -8, but his is in worse cosmetic condition. I haven't seen a Smith and Wesson revolver yet I didn't like, but I'm partial to the older ones.

I believe I'll shoot it and see how it does, but I'll have to get an experienced, good shooter to try it as well. The last time I shot a revolver (or anything, for that matter.) was almsot 30 years ago. (30 years too long.)

I would not accept a revolver with a gap of .12!

It may not be a big deal but I like my new guns a little tighter to allow for wear. If my new gun comes from the factory at .06-.08, after 10's of thousands of rounds it may be at .10-.12, but with .12 new from the box, with some wear at the forcing cone and the gun is now bordering on WAY out of spec.

I had an old Iver Johnson with something like a .25 gap and that thing would spit lead like crazy, but those revolvers were sold as cheap carry guns,to be carried way more than fired, not range shooters and I don't expect a then $3 gun made in the 1910's to have tight tolerances. I do expect $650+ guns made in 2012 to have a consistent b/c gap.

For what it's worth; I try not to 'attention focus' on the little stuff that's wrong with used guns. I got an old model 36 and spent too much time trying to touch up the rust (it also had some pitting) - it just bothered me. I eventually sold it for a gain and traded up to a nice 60-9. Then I noticed my 'new' 60 had been taken apart with a screwdriver that was too small and the screw head was kind of torn up. Long story short; I quit thinking about it and the problem 'went away'.

The 'attention focusing' thing cuts across my whole life; I just have to make myself quit caring about the little stuff! It just doesn't matter.

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But then, what do I know?

I'm assuming the .25 gap is actually a .025 gap, a quarter inch gap would be horrendous...

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"Shall not be infringed"

I agree. A .12" gap would be completely unacceptable

A .012" wouldn't be nearly as bad.

Just shoot it. You'll be fine and so will the gun.