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S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 All 5-Screw & Vintage 4-Screw SWING-OUT Cylinder REVOLVERS, and the 35 Autos and 32 Autos


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Old 09-15-2018, 02:22 PM
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Default Model 31-1 3” Flat Latch

Put this pristine model 31-1 3” flat latch on layaway today at my LGS. Finish is 99%+, there is just the tiniest hint of a drag line, grips are perfect. Box, paperwork, & accessories. S/N dates to early 1960's.

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Old 09-15-2018, 06:20 PM
Hondo44 Hondo44 is offline
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That's a real beauty, a J frame but still with flat latch and diamond grips.

Do you have other 32s?
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Old 09-15-2018, 08:11 PM
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This one is just a trifle later in 9/71, 30-1. Aren't they great little guns!

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Old 09-15-2018, 08:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Hondo44 View Post
That's a real beauty, a J frame but still with flat latch and diamond grips.

Do you have other 32s?
The only other 32 I have is a minty Colt Pocket Positive. S/N dates to 1928

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Old 09-15-2018, 11:59 PM
Hondo44 Hondo44 is offline
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That's a beauty also!

Colt had to load there own version of the cartridge so they wouldn't have to mark 32 S&W on their barrels as the story goes.

I hope you shoot the Smith it's an amazingly accurate and fun to round.
If you polish the cyl bolt stop, it will mitigate the line on the cyl from getting any worse. I polish the bolt stop 1st thing on any revolvers I own.
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Old 09-16-2018, 05:30 AM
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That's a beauty also!

Colt had to load there own version of the cartridge so they wouldn't have to mark 32 S&W on their barrels as the story goes.

I hope you shoot the Smith it's an amazingly accurate and fun to round.
If you polish the cyl bolt stop, it will mitigate the line on the cyl from getting any worse. I polish the bolt stop 1st thing on any revolvers I own.
Thanks for the advice. I do plan on shooting it. I have shot the little Colt and it is sweet, but it shaves a little lead. Gotta do some tweaking on it.
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Old 09-16-2018, 02:20 PM
gmborkovic gmborkovic is offline
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Do you mean just polish the top of the bolt?
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Old 09-16-2018, 03:24 PM
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I never thought of polishing the bolt, I will try it. Thanks
Walt
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Old 09-16-2018, 08:40 PM
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THE CYLINDER STOP TRACK

Two things are true: The cyl stop is designed in such a way as to eventually leave a cyl ring half way between each pair of cyl lock notches. And any revolver can be fine tuned to avoid making a cyl ring although with anything but conscientious handling it will usually develop anyway.

The cyl turns counter clockwise, and the left edge of the cyl bolt is the leading edge which would appear to be the edge that causes the cyl ring. However there's more to this than may be immediately apparent.

As we know, the Smith cyl lock bolt is centered in the frame and the upper surface is square (not slanted like a single action which uses an offset cyl bolt). Therefore the flat top surface of the DA bolt meets the cyl surface almost squarely. Almost because, considering the curvature of the cyl, technically only the center of the bolt's surface contacts the cyl. The top surface of the bolt rubs against the cyl, not the left edge. That's why roughness or tool marks in the surface of the bolt does the line inscribing. The left bolt edge never has the opportunity to contact the cyl surface, certainly not by itself to cut into it.

So the leading left edge of the cyl bolt also encounters the cyl notch approach ramp first. The approach ramp is on an angle lower than the surface of the cyl, right? Therefore the left edge gets even farther from contact with the cyl as it enters the ramp. Then the center surface of the bolt loses contact as the right side half of the bolt surface rides over the edge into the ramp until, at the beginning edge of the ramp, the right edge alone makes contact with the cyl.

That's when a sharp right side edge of the bolt in contact by itself starts cutting at the entrance edge of the approach ramp and continues its cutting action all the way across the approach ramp, the bolt continuing to rise as it gets deeper until the right bolt edge slips over, cutting the right notch edge as it goes, finally popping up into the notch.

Hence the importance of breaking the knife edges of the bolt, but particularly the right side edge! Breaking the knife edge on the left edge of the bolt is good too and helps prevent cutting, rounding or chipping of the left side edge of the cyl notch when the gun is cocked.


CYLINDER STOP TRACK MITIGATION

Two things are true: The cyl stop is designed in such a way as to eventually leave a cyl ring half way between each pair of cyl lock notches. And any revolver can be fine tuned to avoid making a cyl ring although with anything but conscientious handling it will usually develop anyway.

The cyl turns counter clockwise, and the left edge of the cyl bolt is the leading edge which would appear to be the edge that causes the cyl ring. However there's more to this than may be immediately apparent.

As we know, the Smith cyl lock bolt is centered in the frame and the upper surface is square (not slanted like a single action which uses an offset cyl bolt). Therefore the flat top surface of the DA bolt meets the cyl surface almost squarely. Almost because, considering the curvature of the cyl, technically only the center of the bolt's surface contacts the cyl. The top surface of the bolt rubs against the cyl, not the left edge. That's why roughness or tool marks in the surface of the bolt does the line inscribing. The left bolt edge never has the opportunity to contact the cyl surface, certainly not by itself to cut into it.

So the leading left edge of the cyl bolt also encounters the cyl notch approach ramp first. The approach ramp is on an angle lower than the surface of the cyl, right? Therefore the left edge gets even farther from contact with the cyl as it enters the ramp. Then the center surface of the bolt loses contact as the right side half of the bolt surface rides over the edge into the ramp until, at the beginning edge of the ramp, the right edge alone makes contact with the cyl.

That's when a sharp right side edge of the bolt in contact by itself starts cutting at the entrance edge of the approach ramp and continues its cutting action all the way across the approach ramp, the bolt continuing to rise as it gets deeper until the right bolt edge slips over, cutting the right notch edge as it goes, finally popping up into the notch.

Hence the importance of breaking the knife edges of the bolt, but particularly the right side edge! Breaking the knife edge on the left edge of the bolt is good too and helps prevent cutting, rounding or chipping of the left side edge of the cyl notch when the gun is cocked.

The fine abrasive wheel I advocate only for removing tool marks in the surface of the bolt which can be pretty rough, works very well in experienced hands and it's quicker; about 5 seconds. But never for breaking the sharp side edges. Another 5 seconds with the cotton polishing buff wheel w/rouge will give a mirror finish to the bolt surface and break the sharp side edges at the same time w/o ever focusing directly on the edges with any tool.

So I feel everyone is free to make their own choice of tool usage based on their own experience. If they feel more comfortable to do it by hand I don't tell them not to and I also don't tell them not to use a Dremel tool.


S&W’S ANSWER TO THE CYL STOP TRACK:

Model 29 turn line-s-w-drag-line-inquiry-jpg
Photos by Gun 4 Fun

Model 29 turn line-s-w-drag-line-s-w-response-jpg
Photos by Gun 4 Fun

DIFFERENT REVOLVERS ASPECTS TO THE CYL STOP TRACK ISSUE:

#1. POLISHING THE CYLINDER STOP BOLT: For all SA and DA revolvers - the single most important preventative action you can take and the 1st thing I do on any revolver of mine, new or used is pull the cylinder (or open it, in the case of DAs) and polish the cylinder bolt! They all come with file marks just waiting to carve out a line and groove in your cylinder finish!! This is especially true on stainless which is relatively soft and therefore similar to aluminum when it is machined in that it has a tendency to gall like those little cuts or chisel marks seen on SS cylinders from a sharp edged Cyl stop.

With a VERY FINE abrasive wheel in your Dremel tool, polish out the file marks and then with a felt buffing wheel and white rouge (for stainless steel) put a mirror finish on it. Don't forget to mask off the frame and breech face all around the bolt with duct tape because the Dremel will slip off the bolt. And don't overdo it unless it needs reshaping anyway to better fit and center in the cylinder notches. If you do nothing else, this is the single most important thing you can do to avoid that ugly cylinder ring! And it has delayed the bolt from even wearing all the way thru the bluing on a new gun after years of shooting on some of mine.

#2. NEW MODEL RUGER SAs: Mostly you have to rely on #1. I have blue Ruger SAs with barely a noticeable line not even thru the bluing after hundreds of Cowboy Shooting matches. The Ruger bolt, by engineering design, rises up far too soon to hit in the approach ramp to the cylinder notch. Before closing the loading gate on new models, make sure to turn the cylinder by hand so the notch is aligned above the bolt to minimize the bolt rubbing on the cylinder surface.

#3. COLTS, RUGER 3 screws and Similar: First priority: proper handling of these old design SAs is the secret. Then rely on #1 above for insurance especially for Rugers; again by design the bolt comes up too soon! Most do not realize that once you cock the hammer of a properly timed SA, you MUST COMPLETE THE CYCLE!! Never drop the hammer from safety notch or half cock; always cycle all the way thru the full cock position and then let the hammer down. If you don't, you get the same effect of the new model Rugers above: the cylinder has not been moved thru its full cycle which allows the bolt to pop up on the cylinder surface. Also, bolt springs on these older design SAs are always too strong! Use an after-market lighter spring. Just don't go too light or under hard and fast cocking, you can slam the cylinder notch right past the bolt with potentially ugly results when the trigger is pulled. I have Colt's that I've shot for years with no ring on the cylinder at all; only a shiny spot in the approach ramp to the cylinder notch.
UPDATE: Last month I tuned up a newly purchased, brand new out of the box Colt SAA. I was amazed to discover that the cylinder bolt had a mirror polish on it from the factory. I also noticed the hammer spring was tapered and of lighter weight. The factory confirmed the new spring is now standard issue. I don't know about the polished bolt yet but at least one smithy at Colt got the idea!

#4. DA REVOLVERS: Rely on #1 above! Like Ruger SAs, even with perfectly timed actions, by design, the bolt on DAs is raised early in the cylinder cycle. Eventually you will get a line on the cylinder but it should never be completely around the cylinder; only 1/2 way to the next cylinder notch. A simple habit when you close the cylinder, with your left hand grasp it around the bottom of the frame with thumb and forefinger in opposing flutes positioning them at 3 and 9 o'clock when closing the cylinder. This will prevent scribing a full line and becomes so natural after a while, one doesn't even have to think about. This works on five shot cylinders as well by positioning two flutes at 4 and 8 o'clock. Once closing the cylinder in alignment with the cyl stop bolt becomes a habit which is like after the 2nd time you do it for most of us, it's no "effort" what so ever; or about as much effort as remembering to breath. This WILL mitigate a full cylinder ring and at least limit it to an interrupted line.
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Last edited by Hondo44; 09-16-2018 at 09:06 PM.
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Old 09-20-2018, 09:06 PM
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Picked it up yesterday. Will post pics when I get around to it. No marks on the breach face. This one is unfired.
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