I recently purchased a model 64-3 and I'm cleaning it up and checking it out to make sure it's OK and see if it needs anything.

I finally got my cylinder disassembled and while I was cleaning it I was checking to make sure everything was OK and I noticed that the schematic at Numrich says that there is a "gas ring" there that I don't seem to have in mine. Am I missing that part? Should I get one?

It is part # 6 on the schematic here:
Smith & Wesson Model 64-3 Revolver Parts | Numrich Gun Parts

I do have part #4 which is different I believe.

Seguramente es un modelo que el anillo viene integrado al yugo. Saludos

The gas ring is pressed into the cylinder and only sticks out about 1/8'' or so. It normally remains stuck in cylinder when cylinder is removed

Ah, OK. So it's probably there, I'm just not recognizing it?

Correct. small short tube in center that should almost touch the yoke.

Attached Images

cylinder.jpg (43.8 KB, 73 views)

For a short time, about one year or less, S&W moved the gas ring of the K Frame revolvers from the cylinder to the arbor of the yoke. This didn't work well as the cylinder would foul (Note, NOT FOWL!) and bind more quickly than the original design, so the original design was re-instated. I don't recall what dash number this occurred on for the Model 65, but it happened for the Model 19-3 during the production of those guns. Early and late production of the 19-3 series have the gas ring in the cylinder, and those made during the middle of 19-3 production have it on the yoke. I assume the same applies to the 65-3 series also. Next time you have the cylinder/yoke out of your gun take a close look at the yoke and you will see there is an enlarged area at front of the cylinder arbor section of the yoke that has two small grooves cut into it at about 10:30 and 1:30 that line up with the barrel/cylinder gap. Those grooves were supposed to deflect powder gasses away from the front of the cylinder to reduce fouling of he cylinder bore. It didn't work!!!!

I bought a 2" model 15-2 a while back for a conversion and discovered it had the gas ring on yoke. Still have cylinder and yoke in parts bins, so it wasn't just the 19s

But, I was not aware of any stainless guns that were that way.

DOH! Yep it's there. Thank you for that education.
Very much appreciated. I thought I was missing something there for a minute. Turns out it was knowledge

Re-read my post, I did not say only the Model 19. What I said was all K Frame revolvers. I am sure there are exceptions to this too. What originally got my attention was when I bought a 19-3 with this anomaly.

I'm not going to look in SCSW, but the 15-2 production may have overlapped 19-3 production, which would explain your gun.

I got your post, I was not trying to correct you. My point was a lot of people thought it was the 19s (including me), I have a bunch of K frames and that 15-2 was the first one I ever ran into. I never even noticed until I put a model 19 cylinder with a gas ring on the yoke and went hey that ain't right.

Evidently his 64-3 has the ring on cylinder. I have 2 19-3s and both are on the cylinder. It was a short lived experiment.


I wonder just how many guns total were built that way.