I just bought a 1952 K-38 Masterpiece that appears unfired, or used very little. The finish is virtually flawless. I took it to the range and fired off 50 rounds single action and noticed that a turn line is just beginning to form on the cylinder. Is there any way to prevent this? Also, my (indoor) range only allows jacketed bullets. I was using regular power remingtons (not +Ps) so I don't think these will wear out the barrel any faster than lead bullets, but I'll cut it out if that's the case. I'd much prefer to feed it lead wadcutters, anyway. Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Sir.
The only way to prevent a turn line is to not turn the cylinder. Make it a safe queen and shoot something else.
You are not going to wear out the barrel. The most wear on your gun will be from misuse or abuse. Shoot, it clean and take care of it. It will last your lifetime and beyond.
Bill@Yuma

You can prevent a turn line by being careful when opening and closing the cylinder. When closing the cylinder most people just shut it and then turn the cylinder until the bolt indexes, this is what causes the turn line. If you get in the habit of lining up the top chamber perfectly with the barrel as you close it, the bolt will snap into place and not require you to turn the cylinder. Most new S&Ws come from the factory with a turn line already however this is not the case when you bought S&Ws from 20 or so years ago. Back then they were put together by craftsmen and not assemblers so care was taken not to mare the finish. I have a few older guns that I shoot and there is no turn line to this day. Once you get in the habit of indexing the cylinder while closing it this will become second nature and you'll minimize ant future scoring to the cylinder.

What is the point here? To minimise real wear or to be deceitful as to the honest and real use of the gun? I never have given a second thought to a "ring" as it is inevitable. Kinda like grey hairs and the like. Shoot it and enjoy it for what it is. Kyle

Believe it or not, according to a letter from Doug Wesson in the
1930's, to a customer complaining about the cylinder drag line, he
said that it is intentional, and that the factory wants that to happen.
It is the only way that they can insure that the cylinder will lock up
properly at each charge hole.

I have a copy of both letters - just don't know exactly where they
are, right now !

Mike Priwer

I never call it a turn line since the point of contact is when you open and close the cylinder...the cylinder rubs on the cylinder stop. When the hammer goes back and the cylinder turns, the cylinder stop drops down and drags only for a fraction of a second on the cylinder. So, the answer...do not open and close the cylinder....tough to do on a gun you shoot and/or clean.

I guess I have a few anomalies as several of my wheel guns don't have the slightest hint of a drag line and Yes, I shoot them. One of them is a $400.00 Beretta Stampede 4 3/4" 45 Colt. I always index the cylinder before I close the loading gate. I have a Freedom Arms that has always been "indexed" when the loading gate is closed. It is a different critter as you have to roll the cylinder counter-clockwise 1/16th of a turn after the loading gate is closed to engage the pawl. I have a -6 Mtn. gun in 45 Colt and I index the cylinder as I close it. I prefer to use my handguns and use them properly and if it takes another mili-second of thought and energy, then I do these things. I don't do these to deceive anyone, just to keep my stuff looking like I want it to....not like some old barn door prop. Jmo.....and glad I own a few anomalies. As for the guns with the line, oh well......I don't mind. They were there before I got them, in most cases.

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Go big or stay home

turn line can tell you alot about how she was used. i prefer it, to me it
means it's broke in

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George Jamison

I have 4 S&W revolvers, granted they are all of post 1987 manfacture. However all 4 guns have one distinct feature in the timing, that is that the cylinder stop engages the cylinder well ahead of the lead in notches. Apparently that letter reffered to indicates it's been a feature of S&W revolvers since well before I was born. Considering that it's primarily a Combat revolver, it's also a conservative approach to design that I happen to endorse. It's far better that stop drops early and locks the cylinder than the alternative if someone is shooting at you.

If you bought the gun to shoot, just ignore it. No matter what you do or how careful you are, it's going to get a turn line. As for it's effect on value, since you've shot the gun a bit, it's now a shooter and the effect on it's value is exactly nill. Those who collect S&W revolvers expect to see a turn line on any gun that's seen use so they just ignore it. In fact I'd be suspicious of a refinish on any S&W that didn't have a turn line. BTW a refinish does decrease the value. However, I'm not a collector of safe queens, first thing I do with a new gun is clean it and then take it out and shoot it.

I've never been careful enough to try to avoid turn lines, but have been given to understand that with a Colt one can avoid the line by indexing but not with an S&W.

If you have a Smith&Wesson revolver and use it, it's going to develop a turn line no matter how careful you are about indexing it when closing the cylinder.

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Dick

I have owned and used many S&Ws of all calibers. All have turn lines. I wouldn't worry about it.

Bill

Maybe S&W should induce a "turn line" during manufacture.
Then there wouldn't be all the angst about them....

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

The cylinder stop snaps back up almost immediately after being freed from the cylinder notch and it rides the cylinder until it slips into the next notch. That's just the way the guns are designed. It is NOT a Colt SAA.

C'mon, guys- don't make me do all your thinkin for ya.

Masking tape works well.
Looks good, too.

Attached Images

	IMG_3162.jpg (64.7 KB, 130 views)
	IMG_3163.jpg (47.9 KB, 124 views)

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Gee whiz Lee,

I thought an old southern boy like you would at least know to use black electrical tape on a blued gun.

To go off topic a bit, I own a very nice 1952 vintage K38 Target Masterpiece (k1446xx) that I bought in a pawn shop probably 20 years ago for a little over $100.
It was wearing Pachmayr Presentation grips at the time and I eventually bought factory grips for it of the type that were correct for the era.
The point that I started out to make is that this is probably the most accurate handgun that I own.
If I were you I would just shoot it and enjoy it and let your heirs worry about the turn line.

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Old revolvers are works of art

Ain't ya never heard of a "pinto"?

In that case he needs to mask off the barrel too.

I have come to find life is too short to worry about things like turn lines on a S&W revolver.....All of my S&W revolvers have turn lines, and I am still somehow able to sleep at night

It's like trying to find a way to avoid the white circles on a blued cylinder's chambers where the rim of the cartridge rests......the only answer is to never load it or shoot it. All of my blued revolvers have these too.....

I don't sweat the normal things that happen when a gun is used the way it's designed. The only things that irk me are signs of abuse.

I think it was one of our sages (might even have been Roy) said that a S&W without a turn line is either basically unused or there's something wrong with the timing.

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

To avoid a turn line, find a picture of the model in question in unturned condition on the internet and print it - put it on the wall and look at that.

If you want to something perfect to look at that's the only way you're going to get it, unless you get one with an unturned cylinder and keep it under glass . . . .

I like encasing them in a solid block of acrylic. That way you know no one is going to pick it up and turn the cylinder when you're not looking.

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

Not to throw gasoline on a fire, but I have seen revolvers in which the cylinder stop (bolt) was left very sharp. Unless the revolver was perfectly indexed when the cylinder was closed, it would scratch at the slightest touch.

In one case, I had my gunsmith carefully polish the cylinder stop. The revolver locks up just fine, but the cylinder glides like butter over the cylinder stop. It will still eventually create a turn line if I shoot it enough, but it's not likely to gall the cylinder like it would have in its unaltered form.

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NRA Life Member

Some gunsmiths polish the cylinder in this area to improve DA trigger function

Attached Images

Rugercyl.jpg (14.3 KB, 86 views)

YouTube - Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There Is A Season)

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Sure you did

On a new revolver I always polish the exposed area of the cylinder stop a few passes with my leather belt. Just like I would on my knife.

Meg318:
Knows how to handle a revolver.
If you do as he says you will not have a drag line.
I would like to know exactly who said that if you do not have a drag line on a S&W revolver the timing was off. I can't believe it was Roy.
However if you like the drag line keep indexing the cylinder after you close it. That should keep some of the people on this thread happy.
Now just think about it, if you had your choice between a Third Model .44 Target with a drag line or one without what one you chose?
I know, there is probably not one in existence without a drag line.
How about a .44 Mag. 5 Screw?
DBWesson

I've indexed the cyls when closing for over 40 years.
Most guns will still develop at least a partial drag line when used. The cyl stop rubs the cyl during part of the rotation- period.
As mentioned, the sharpness of the edge on the cyl stop can affect the speed of the wear, but every cyl stop rubbing a cyl WILL produce wear to some degree.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

I always polish the cylinder stop on a new-to-me revolver. Some of the surfaces on the stop are as rough as a cob, and smoothing the engaging surface with a bit of 600 sandpaper, followed by rouge on a felt bob will minimize the wear line.

Rubbing the polished steel stop with some "Action Magic" will help too.

But steel on steel will wear.

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Fuego

This is my experience as well.
No matter how careful you think you are being, if you use the gun at all, it will get the line.

For cryin' out loud!

I read posts about completely disassembling a gun after a couple of rounds of shooting and spending hours cleaning it.

Now wanting to shoot it but eliminate a drag line.............

Man 'O Man.....get a slingshot.