Flutes changes

[diecidecimi]

I've always wondered when the front border of cylinder flutes abandoned the "smoothing" milling ....

 

[stansdds]

Those beveled edges were a hold over from the black powder era, I think they were eliminated from production after World War II.

 

[JP@AK]

Those beveled edges were a hold over from the black powder era, I think they were eliminated from production after World War II.

Now you have done it! I'll have to pull some prewar and immediate postwar revolvers out of the safe and do a comparison. This is something I'd not thought of before. Thanks, I think . . .

 

[Truckman]

Now you have done it! I'll have to pull some prewar and immediate postwar revolvers out of the safe and do a comparison. This is something I'd not thought of before. Thanks, I think . . .

Me too, Jack...I have some with, most without...I'll have them all out this weekend, so we'll see if I can remember to take notes......Ben

 

[Hondo44]

I had that figured a long time ago but now... I'll have to look again. As I recall it varied by model and frame size, as usual. I don't recall ever finding a Change Order for it.

 

[Jimmyjones]

I'd asked Roy over in the SWCS, this was his response.

Jim, I cannot answer the question with out searching the engineering request to see if it is listed. Roy

Black Powder Chamfer on K Frames ?

 

[Alk8944]

Now you have done it! I'll have to pull some prewar and immediate postwar revolvers out of the safe and do a comparison. This is something I'd not thought of before. Thanks, I think . . .

Jack,

I just happened to have a 1951 M&P at hand. Some of the flutes are definitely beveled, and others are just rounded slightly that appears to be an artifact of polishing! This is all on the same cylinder.

 

[sceva]

My K-22 appears to have the bevels. Shipped August 1952

 

[Alk8944]

Just personal opinion after buying and working on S&Ws for over 60 years, but I don't believe the bevel on the flute corners of earlier S&W revolvers is a carry-over of a "black powder bevel" so much as it is just intended to break the corners of the flutes that can be sharp. It removes the corners that can cut the inside of holsters and cause scratches and cuts to the "carrier" of the gun sometimes, especially on holstering (personal experience)! Just one of the minor details that make the older guns just a bit more "refined" than more recent guns that have sharp corners.

Deletion of the bevels was probably no more than an early cost-saving measure that reduced a separate machining operation and polishing time for final finishing.

Just like deletion of recessed chambers and barrel pins that required additional machining operations, were really un-necessary, and were deleted to save production costs.

 

[JH1951]

My pre- and post-war Terriers are beveled. So is my 1917 (shipped 1918), and so are the Chiefs Special (all obviously post-war). I do not think I have anything S&W that is not beveled.

 

[RoyM52]

Beveled

This gun was issued to my dad. He was called back to duty by the Navy to serve with The Admiralty staff for the Pacific Fleet during the Korean conflict. He was issued this and 2 1911's. as personal weapons. I'm not sure of the issue date and my dad is no longer here to ask.

 

[diecidecimi]

I know, it is logical, the change occurred with the intent to reduce costs.
Even my 1957 .357 Magnum (aka pre-27 ) has lightly beveled/chamfered front borders, even less than older guns : but it is largely post war II !
All my successive Smiffs are totally flat.

I can't find mention anywhere

 

[Bullet Bob]

I'm sure most of you already know this, but the beveled edges were brought back for some newer models. My 29-5 Classic had them, and so does my 2001-ish model24 from the Heritage series.

 

[snowman]

My 29-3 Classic DX is beveled. As I recall it was, roughly, of early '90's manufacture. But I'm sure this was a special feature for like models and not common to Smiths of the era.

Regards,
Andy



I guess Bullet Bob already covered this; pardon the redundancy

 

[jcelect]

The SS Mountain Gun series,44 Mag-45 LC-45 ACP-41 Mag, all have the beveled flutes but the 686 does not! Also the front of the cylinders on these models appear to have a more radiused front edge.
jcelect

 

[Borderboss]

Just a quick scan of photos of guns I have at my fingertips:

• 1954 M&P - Beveled
• 1917/1937 Brazilian - Beveled
• 629-3 snub - Not Beveled
• 617-6 10-shot made a few years ago - Not Beveled
• M69 made a few years ago - Beveled
• M940-1 (mid-1990s) - Not Beveled
• 586-0 (mid-1980s) - Not Beveled

 

[Hondo44]

Just a quick scan of photos of guns I have at my fingertips
.

Thank you. I have similar results glancing at a few of mine.

 

[Dennis2149]

My 1953 38/44 Outdoorsman is beveled.

 

[StrawHat]

…Also the front of the cylinders on these models appear to have a more radiused front edge.
jcelect

I have noticed on the Model 1917, a nice bevel at the ends of the flutes and a heavy radius on the end of the cylinder. Also on the Model 1917 Commercial. The Model 1950 Army has less bevel and almost no radius. Same with the Model 1950, 45 ACP Target revolver. My Model 25-2 has less of both but enough to say it is there. By the time we get to the Model 22-4 (4" and 6") the bevel and the radius are for all practical purposes, gone.

Kevin