Can a used cylinder be fitted to another gun?

[parts]

I'm not sure what's involved with "fitting" a cylinder. I have a "used" K frame cylinder, 22LR. Since the cylinder is from another gun, can it still be fitted to my Mod 48?

 

[parts]

I'm not sure what's involved with "fitting" a cylinder. I have a "used" K frame cylinder, 22LR. Since the cylinder is from another gun, can it still be fitted to my Mod 48?

 

[john traveler]

Yes, it can.

The points that need to be fitted to the frame are:
1. headspace. The ratchet hub is fitted to regulate headspace.
2. timing. The ratchet may need to be fitted to the hand.
3. barrel-to-cylinder gap. The barrel stub (forcing cone) is fitted for proper BC gap.

Items 1 and 3 may be done by installing yoke shims.

With a little bit of luck, you may be able to simply drop in the cylinder with little or no fitting required.

With no luck, the cylinder will have excessive BC gap and headspace, and even installing yoke shims will not be enough to bring it back to specification.

 

[john traveler]

Forgot item 4. cylinder endshake. The yoke shims can correct excessive endshake and at the same time, bring BC gap and headspace to specification.

 

[parts]

Thanks John. For some reason I was seeing a lot of filing (removing metal), but apparently a lot of the fitting is actually shimming?

 

[john traveler]

Very little of the fitting is filing, and if it is needed, only a few strokes. If the barrel stub (forcing cone) does not have enough BC gap, it is filed.

The ratchet hub and ratchet teeth seldom need filing.

Much of the wear is on the end of the cylinder arbor and inside the cylinder where it fits. That is the reason for installing yoke shims and/or "stretching" the yoke to fit.

Actually, if your extra K-22 cylinder and the M48 are close to the same period of manufacture (within a few years), it may not even need any fitting.

 

[parts]

Thanks for the info. It's a big help.