Fluted and Unfluted Cylinders

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FloridaFlier

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It seems to me that most revolvers with unfluted cylinders are at a higher price point or are Performance Center guns. Certainly not all, but usually that's an indicator of a more expensive gun.

Why?

Is there some sort of performance improvement with the unfluted cylinder? It seems to me that unfluted adds weight and possibly (?) some strength. Maybe a better platform for etching or engraving, if you're into that. I'm not.

What is the appeal of an unfluted cylinder?

With apologies to all, I know this has to have been discussed in other threads, but I couldn't find them.
 
A perhaps unintended benefit is the unfluted version is harder to grasp, and perhaps interrupt the function in a close-quarters struggle.
 
I would think that the unfluted are cheaper to manufacture. No milling flutes to add to the cost.
As to use, they are no stronger, just heavier. To me, that adds to the trigger pull weight necessary to turn the cylinder from shot to shot. I have not researched the issue enough to determine if it is even enough to worry about. There are so many factors that affect trigger weight that it might be more accurate for an engineer to calculate than to measure between different guns, or even the same gun with two cylinders.
 
Unfluted cylinders have no advantage, apart from appearance, for those that like that look. I do not favor unfluted cylinders. They add weight, offer no appreciable increase in strength (they do not add steel over the locking notches, which are the weak point in any cylinder), and they offer no tactile index points to assist in reloading. Too me, a revolver with an unfluted cylinder just looks like someone forgot a machining operation.
 
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I am no expert either, but it does seem that the manufacturing should be easier and should lower the cost, not make it more expensive. The only benefit I can think of, it would add weight and help to reduce recoil for heavy rounds, like .454, .460, .480 and so on.
 
I suspect it's a cost saver marketed in higher priced revolvers yielding greater profit.

I see no aesthetic or functional benefit.
 
I recall reading the cylinder flutes made manual rotation of the cylinder (think black powder fouling) easier, and the tradition just continued.

Theoretically it would be less expensive to have unfluted cylinders, except the process is performed on nearly every revolver and changing to unfluted would probably be more expensive. Think about ordering your new Chevy (Toyota, VW) without a radio or air conditioning, and see how much heartburn that causes your dealer :).
 
The added weight may be a functional necessity,,,

My gun came with a special instruction to test ammo to insure that it was adequately crimped, so the firing of one cartridge did not cause other bullets to "pull" from the brass,,,

629-3Inch_zps7373e9be.jpg


This puppy is light,,,,:eek:
 
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shawn mccarver said:
Unfluted cylinders have no advantage, apart from appearance, for those that like that look. I do not favor unfluted cylinders. They add weight, offer no appreciable increase in strength (they do not add steel over the locking notches, which are the weak point in any cylinder), and they offer no tactile index points to assist in reloading. Too me, a revolver with an unfluted cylinder just looks like someone forgot a machining operation.
Click to expand...

The above pretty much sums up my feelings. Long ago I bought a Md 657 unfluted. I never liked the look of the gun. It even came with ugly altamont laminated stocks which made it worse. I'll have mine fluted, thank you very much.
 
Well, it sounds as though everybody's opinion is the same as mine was when I asked the question.

Unfluted cylinders have all the visual appeal, functionality, and desirability of the integrated lock.

I appreciate that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. No slight toward anybody or their favorite gun was intended. Somebody out there may still be waiting for the Yugo to make it's comeback.

Thanks again for the quick responses.
 
SweetMK said:
The added weight may be a functional necessity,,,

My gun came with a special instruction to test ammo to insure that it was adequately crimped, so the firing of one cartridge did not cause other bullets to "pull" from the brass,,,

629-3Inch_zps7373e9be.jpg


This puppy is light,,,,:eek:
Click to expand...
I don't think you'll need to worry about crimp jump with that one. Unless you are using lightly crimped reloads. Now, if it was a 329 PD you would see some crimp jump but, that is a different animal.

Don't be nervous, with those grips the 3" 629s won't beat you up as bad as you think.
 
My wife purchased me a 4 inch Model 29, 44 Magnum with an unfluted cylinder. It was a gift and a Lew Horton model. I told her I loved it!! But I pretty much feel the same about unfluted cylinders as the previous participants in this thread. I will admit, that when I shot it, with full house magnums, the recoil was tamed and it is very accurate. The fact it is a square butt prevents me from carrying it more than the weight. Looks great as a BBQ gun. Be well.
 
Flutes were indeed developed to catch fouling on black powder revolvers to keep the cylinder from binding. IDK how well they worked

The higher prices of un-fluted S&Ws is due to their never having been produced in volume. I'm not sure there's ever been an un-fluted model that was a standard-catalog item. Pretty much all are either PC or limited production runs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
SweetMK said:
The added weight may be a functional necessity,,,

My gun came with a special instruction to test ammo to insure that it was adequately crimped, so the firing of one cartridge did not cause other bullets to "pull" from the brass,,,

629-3Inch_zps7373e9be.jpg


This puppy is light,,,,:eek:
Click to expand...
Man that's sweet!

Hmmmm.......i wonder how a 6" non-fluted would look like.....
 
Unfluted cylinders are usually found in special batches ordered by Lew Horton, Cabelas, etc. I think it is intended to set them apart from standard issue without any functional purpose.

I bought a lightly used (wonder why?) 629-6 Lew Horton with a 3" barrel at a very reasonable price. I would rather have flutes for a couple of reasons - it's easier to index the cylinder when reloading, and an unfluted cylinder seems harder to draw from an holster, which was molded without flutes.

I would never suspect that the half-ounce or so extra weight reduces recoil. In fact, the recoil is right smart, and takes a few rounds to adjust the pain level to a modest degree of numbness.
 
Kinda good question... Don't really know why. Lots of theories but nothing concrete. I have a 586 "Hunter" model. Didn't buy it because of no flutes. Bought it because it was the only 586 at my LGS that was available. Would like to have a 4" Blue 586 with fluted cylinder instead. Only reason would seem to add weight for taming recoil.
 
It's funny. I'm willing to accept non-fluted cylinders on some guns, but they're guns that have always, to the best of my knowledge anyway, had unfluted cylinders. Ruger's Bearcat and Super-Blackhawk come to mind. They look perfectly normal.

On other guns, like anything Smith & Wesson, they look like an unmade bed.
 
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