I posted this in the "smithing" section and didn't quite get an answer so I thought I would try here.

I have a 629-1 that needs the cylinder replaced. Can someone tell me which dash numbers had the same cylinder? when did the style change? I want to buy a cylinder to take to my gunsmith for fitting but don't want to buy the wrong one.

I posting in both places violates any rules please delete or lock my post from the Smithing section.

Thanks,
Kevin

Both dash 1 and 2 should be the same, the dash 3 most likely would have a chamfered front ( black powder bevel )
Hope this helps

I have a 629-4 cylinder that may work.
If you find out it will ,it can be yours.
P.M. me.

Allen frame

__________________
NRA cert.instructor&R.S.O.

Dash 4's have the elongated stop notches

Thanks for the response. So dash 4 and up will not fit. Will the dash 3 fit other than the cosmetic difference?

Thaks,
Kevin

That's what I'm thinking

I have not tried changing the cylinders, but I doubt that the elongated cylinder stop notches would preclude using the cylinder. You may want to fit a new cylinder stop to make a stronger match, though. The change in the extractor should not affect the time, either. The length of the replacement cylinder should match your original to work within the existing B/C gap. The cylinders should be the same length, but in working with some Smith parts recently, I have found significant variations that affect the interchangeability of their parts.

__________________
Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

Are the longer notches the same width? The gs had a 629-8 cylinder that did not fit due to a different diameter on the crane tube.

Interesting question that I had not considered, as it is not too common to need a new cylinder stop. So, I checked. I have some stainless cylinder stops that are at least 25 years old and probably older, and a new MIM one. I checked these with cylinders from several N frame guns, a 627-2, 610 and a 627-5 with the lock. They all fit nice and snug in the cylinder stop notches. It looks like that the ball of the cylinder stop is actually longer on the old cylinder stops than the new MIM one by at least .006.

I don't know about the later -8 cylinders being different yoke diameter, but I would think that anything up to and through -4 might fit. Remember that not even a -1 cylinder is guaranteed to drop in and work.

__________________
Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

So it looks ike the notches are not a concern for me. They would be if trying to fit the old cyl on a newer gun. Any idea on the extractor and ratchet? the newer ones look much different in both regards.

The 629-8 cylinder that the smith had would not slide on the yoke of the 629-1.

Thanks,
Kevin

I don't think the different ratchet design will have any systemic affect. Again, there could be individual differences in the parts, but for the most part I believe they are designed match the frames and there has not been any change in the design inside the frame window that I am aware of. I think you could fit any 629 cylinder on your gun. If the yoke fit is different on the new cylinders, then fit a new yoke. Personally, I have limited experience with changing cylinders, but I had a new fluted cylinder fitted to my 627 and found the old cylinder did not fit with the yoke on the new cylinder. I would keep the old yoke with the old cylinder, and fit a new yoke on the new cylinder. That way you could interchange the cylinders if you wanted to return the gun to original configuration. Not an issue if the original is damaged beyond repair.
I think the bottom line would be individual differences in parts rather than what dash number the cylinder comes from. You might check to see if the dash 4 cylinder offered is still available.

__________________
Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

PM sent

Kevin