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What exactly does slamming the cylinder shut damage on an airweight?
- Thread starter allglock
- Start date
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john traveler
Member
Not just on an airweight model, but on every model of revolver you care to name! The smaller frames are particularly susceptible to damage from the Hollywood-style flipping of the frame to close the open cylinder.
The damage is from bending of the crane arbor, the axle on which the cylinder rides. Once it is bent, center pin and front locking bolt alignment are out the window. Likewise for hand and ratchet damage. Once bent, the misaligned crane will impact and peen the frame opening. Once you fire a gun with bent crane and cylinder arbor, the bullet impact from misaligned chamber bore-to-forcing cone produces further damage, commonly a split forcing cone.
In other words, making like the tough guys on tv and the movies is a thoughtless thing to do to your favorite revolver. Be gentle!
The damage is from bending of the crane arbor, the axle on which the cylinder rides. Once it is bent, center pin and front locking bolt alignment are out the window. Likewise for hand and ratchet damage. Once bent, the misaligned crane will impact and peen the frame opening. Once you fire a gun with bent crane and cylinder arbor, the bullet impact from misaligned chamber bore-to-forcing cone produces further damage, commonly a split forcing cone.
In other words, making like the tough guys on tv and the movies is a thoughtless thing to do to your favorite revolver. Be gentle!
You could bend or spring the yoke slamming it around. Impact is hard on the cylinder stop and could throw off the timing. I suppose you might burr up the cylinder stop notches too. It’s conceivable that you could bend the ejector rod by impacting the front locking bolt.
If it looks like someone is getting ready to spin or slam shut the cylinder of one of my guns, I intervene and make certain that they would never ever consider doing it again (if I ever give them the chance).
The same goes with my O/U and S/S shotguns.
If it looks like someone is getting ready to spin or slam shut the cylinder of one of my guns, I intervene and make certain that they would never ever consider doing it again (if I ever give them the chance).
The same goes with my O/U and S/S shotguns.
HAZARDSPORTS
Member
On an "N" or "X" frame - do you think that 3 Hollywood-style Cylinder closings would be enough to create damage or would it be more of a weakening that would happen over time ? A friend of mine was chacking out my 629 and 500 and unfortunately I walked in on him flipping the cylinder shut, (unloaded). Thanks.
john traveler
Member
That would be one "friend" that does not get to touch my guns again.
Long-term damage is more likely. As much as it hurts us to see it being done, a couple incidents like that would probably not hurt it. Think of it this way: We are taught and warned NOT to bang hammer faces against each other for fear of them chipping and causing eye damage. If you do it a couple times, it's not likely to cause any damage. If you do it hundreds of times a week over a long period of time, you are guaranteed that something will break!
Long-term damage is more likely. As much as it hurts us to see it being done, a couple incidents like that would probably not hurt it. Think of it this way: We are taught and warned NOT to bang hammer faces against each other for fear of them chipping and causing eye damage. If you do it a couple times, it's not likely to cause any damage. If you do it hundreds of times a week over a long period of time, you are guaranteed that something will break!
steveno
Member
it is also very bad manners
Cruiser RN
Member
That is something you never do to any revolver under any circumstance.It is a very easy way to throw the cylinder out of timing which can cause very serious damage to any revolver.That is the sign of a person who doesn't have a clue what he/she is doing.....God Bless.....Mike
