What is a gas ring?

MrTrolleyguy · Feb 28, 2015

I have seen gas rings mentioned in the descriptions of changes made from one dash iteration to the next one. However I could never could figure out what it looked like, what it did or why they moved it around.

Any information would be appreciated.

Joe

sheepdawg · Feb 28, 2015

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...0-late-66-no-dash-19-4-gas-ring-question.html

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-smithing/266416-gas-ring-yoke-cylinder.html

SC_Mike · Feb 28, 2015

All I can come up with is that scene from Blazing Saddles...

gregintenn · Feb 28, 2015

What is a gas ring?

What you find in your shorts the next day after dining at a Mexican restaurant.

Vulcan Bob · Feb 28, 2015

If you are going to shoot a hundred rounds or so I've found the yoke mounted gas ring allows enough residue into the cylinder to stiffen up cylinder rotation. Not a big deal as it's easily cleaned up when you get home or give it a bit of a spritz of light oil to soften up the crud whilst shooting.

MrTrolleyguy · Feb 28, 2015

Oh, that is a gas ring! Now that splayns everything. I think?

Gas Ring
SMITH & WESSON K, L, N FRAMES $7.00

307-Niner · Feb 28, 2015

I have been confused about this back & forth gas ring thing as well. Seeing your thread here got me to follow all the other threads linked, and now I have a better understanding. Thanks.

Here's the post that helped me the most.

snw19_357 said:
Here's a picture of the cylinder and the yoke with the gas ring a part of the yoke.

Compare the face of the cylinder and the widest part of the yoke barrel.

Gas ring located on the cylinder

mstem · Feb 28, 2015

Now I understand also.

lagavulin62 · Mar 1, 2015

Ahhhhh. Me thinks me learning.

MrTrolleyguy · Mar 1, 2015

Rodger, Thanks for the photos!

chief38 · Mar 1, 2015

Eat a bowl of 500 HP Chili and check your shorts..........

Retired W4 · Mar 2, 2015

MrTrolleyGuy, There's no telling how many thousands of people wanted to know the answer to that but were ashamed to ask. You have done S&W people a big service.

paplinker · Mar 2, 2015

I have two 19-3s, one with the gas ring on the cylinder and one on the yoke.

Retired W4 · Mar 2, 2015

It seems that a change of gas ring location would call for an engineering change, but apparently not always.

k22fan · Mar 2, 2015

paplinker said:
I have two 19-3s, one with the gas ring on the cylinder and one on the yoke.

S&W started selling revolvers in 1853 with gas rings in their cylinders. K frames had them until 1975 -1976. For a year and a half or so that coincided with blued target sighted K frame dash 3 production K frames got a so called gas ring on the yoke. In reality that means no gas ring at all. Discontinuing a separate part and its installation was a cost saving measure. The gas ring in the cylinder is one of the features you pay more for when you chose a S&W over a Ruger. For most K frames dash 4 indicates a restoration of S&W's traditional gas ring. All N frames have gas rings in or machined as part of their cylinders. That was a 1990s change, machining a gas ring integral to cylinders. J frames are their own can of worms. Early ones had a gas ring in their cylinders. Many later Js have a "gas ring on the yoke."

paplinker · Mar 2, 2015

k22fan said:
With only one exception all S&W revolvers sold starting with their first in 1853 have gas rings in their cylinders. The exception was K frames made during the last year and a half or so of target sighted K frame dash 3 production. The so called gas ring on the yoke which in reality is no gas ring at all was a cost saving measure. The gas ring in the cylinder is one of the features you pay more for when you chose a S&W over a Ruger. For most K frames dash 4 indicates a restoration of S&W's traditional gas ring.

Very nice information. Seems like it fits as of my two examples.

19-3 May 1973 gas ring on cylinder (Texas Ranger)

19-3 July 1977 gas ring on yoke. (Nickle)

So would you consider the ring on the yoke as being a extra wide spacer as opposed to a gas ring?

I enjoy getting both these guns out at the same time.Although the same model there are many options that make both guns very different from each other.

k22fan · Mar 2, 2015

paplinker said:
Very nice information. [...]
So would you consider the ring on the yoke as being a extra wide spacer as opposed to a gas ring? [...]

Unfortunately my information wasn't entirely "nice." Too bad I got quoted before I could edit. I seldom handle J frames so I never though about their gas rings. After following the links in this thread I learned most later ones don't have a gas ring in their cylinder. Now I'll have to get my Js out and look.

As far as terms and naming goes, IMO S&W named it a gas ring on the yoke and did not give it an engineering dash change to obfuscate what they'd done.

Retired W4 · Mar 2, 2015

And why do I enjoy this website? Yep.

gunny4053 · Mar 2, 2015

gregintenn said:
What you find in your shorts the next day after dining at a Mexican restaurant.

CH4 · Mar 5, 2015

gregintenn said:
What you find in your shorts the next day after dining at a Mexican restaurant.

You pray that it's just gas

Here I sit broken hearted...

What is a gas ring?

US Veteran

Member

Member

Member

Member

US Veteran

Member

Member

Member

US Veteran

Member

US Veteran

Member

US Veteran

Member

Member

Member

US Veteran

US Veteran

Member

Similar threads