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groove cuts in the frame
- Thread starter Reddog5967
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Do you mean that the cylinder center pin is gouging a groove in the recoil shield as it is dragged across the recoil shield from the cylinder swinging open/closed?
try polishing the pin.
OP
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Yes sir, that is the problem.
I see you added pictures to your original post.
That clears up the question nicely.
As previously suggested, polish the end of the pin.
You'll want to remove it from the cylinder and I think I'd use some 1500 grit wet/dry sandpaper with a little oil.
Protocall_Design
Member
You want to make the radius on the end of the center pin wrap around the sides more. The part doing the damage is the edge where the radius on the end meets the straight sides.
The "cuts" don't look very deep. Maybe just wearing the anodizing off of the aluminum frame.
Alk8944
US Veteran
What you are seeing is a minor "drag mark". It is from the same cause as the "turn line" that forms around the cylinder from normal operation, two parts rubbing together under spring pressure during normal operation.
It may look a bit worse because the aluminum of the "Airweight" revolvers tends to wear a bit more quickly than steel frame guns. This mark is normal and is inherent in the design of all S&W revolvers. If you look closely you will see this mark on every S&W revolver, with those having more use showing somewhat more. It will even be seen on brand new guns that have only been operated during the fitting and assembly at the factory.
Contrary to what others have posted there is nothing you can do to avoid this insignificant wear mark except to put the gun in a drawer and never take it out. The more you do to try to "fix" this matter which is not a problem, and the more you "play" with the gun trying to fix it the faster the wear will happen!
I am extremely surprised at the response of Protocol Design! You can simply look at the end of the center pin and see that there is no sharp edge on the end of the pin, the end will appear to be near perfectly hemispherical. So far as polishing the end of the center pin, that happens automatically during normal use, and any polishing you do is nothing more than accelerated wear. It is just like any other parts of the gun that wear against each other that move together.
In short, don't worry about it, "It ain't broke"!
It may look a bit worse because the aluminum of the "Airweight" revolvers tends to wear a bit more quickly than steel frame guns. This mark is normal and is inherent in the design of all S&W revolvers. If you look closely you will see this mark on every S&W revolver, with those having more use showing somewhat more. It will even be seen on brand new guns that have only been operated during the fitting and assembly at the factory.
Contrary to what others have posted there is nothing you can do to avoid this insignificant wear mark except to put the gun in a drawer and never take it out. The more you do to try to "fix" this matter which is not a problem, and the more you "play" with the gun trying to fix it the faster the wear will happen!
I am extremely surprised at the response of Protocol Design! You can simply look at the end of the center pin and see that there is no sharp edge on the end of the pin, the end will appear to be near perfectly hemispherical. So far as polishing the end of the center pin, that happens automatically during normal use, and any polishing you do is nothing more than accelerated wear. It is just like any other parts of the gun that wear against each other that move together.
In short, don't worry about it, "It ain't broke"!
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I think you may need to take a MUCH closer look at the photos the OP posted before you go off trying to lecture everyone else about how wrong they are.What you are seeing is a minor "drag mark". It is from the same cause as the "turn line" that forms around the cylinder from normal operation, two parts rubbing together under spring pressure during normal operation.
It may look a bit worse because the aluminum of the "Airweight" revolvers tends to wear a bit more quickly than steel frame guns. This mark is normal and is inherent in the design of all S&W revolvers. If you look closely you will see this mark on every S&W revolver, with those having more use showing somewhat more. It will even be seen on brand new guns that have only been operated during the fitting and assembly at the factory.
Contrary to what others have posted there is nothing you can do to avoid this insignificant wear mark except to put the gun in a drawer and never take it out. The more you do to try to "fix" this matter which is not a problem, and the more you "play" with the gun trying to fix it the faster the wear will happen!
I am extremely surprised at the response of Protocol Design! You can simply look at the end of the center pin and see that there is no sharp edge on the end of the pin, the end will appear to be near perfectly hemispherical. So far as polishing the end of the center pin, that happens automatically during normal use, and any polishing you do is nothing more than accelerated wear. It is just like any other parts of the gun that wear against each other that move together.
In short, don't worry about it, "It ain't broke"!
Zoom in on this picture - it clearly shows what it is more than just a "drag line" that we would normally compare to a cylinder turn-line.
In this case the "drag line" is actually elongating the center pin hole in the recoil shield. Look at how deeply the recoil shield is eroded at the break line where it transitions from being parallel to the cylinder face to the angled plane that the pin rides against to compresses the center pin spring.
I don't see where the OP posted any photos of the end of the center pins of his guns, so I don't know where you're getting your statements about "look at the center pin". You're making assumptions, unless I somehow missed some photos somewhere.
I know that I have seen MANY center pins that did not end in perfectly round hemispherical shape. Many of them are semi "rounded", but still have "edges" where the straight-sides of the pin transitions to the (somewhat) rounded end, and some even have a small flat spot at the center of the end of the pin - another edge that can cause excessive wear like this.
That is probably not an issue on a steel framed revolver, but it is those "edges" that are eating into the aluminum around the center pin hole of this revolver. Polishing the end of the center pin to remove any edges and make it more perfectly hemispherical is certainly not going to HURT anything...
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Plus one on that. When the frame cracks, you’ll have a nice paperweight anyway.
OK, the pictures show what I suspected: the bolt face does not come level to the breech face/recoil shield when fully forward. Maybe even protrude a wee bit.
The bolt wasn't properly fitted when the piece was put together-OR, the thumb piece doesn't allow the bolt to got fully forward. This is easy to test, simply remove the thumb piece and see if the bolt now comes level with -or a teensy bit proud of-the breech face.
If it does, you need to remove material from the front of the boss that fits in the frame slot. If it doesn't you need to remove the bolt and file the front face of the vertical leg until the face of the bolt comes level with the breech face.
However, as noted above a certain amount of marking in this area is inevitable.
The bolt wasn't properly fitted when the piece was put together-OR, the thumb piece doesn't allow the bolt to got fully forward. This is easy to test, simply remove the thumb piece and see if the bolt now comes level with -or a teensy bit proud of-the breech face.
If it does, you need to remove material from the front of the boss that fits in the frame slot. If it doesn't you need to remove the bolt and file the front face of the vertical leg until the face of the bolt comes level with the breech face.
However, as noted above a certain amount of marking in this area is inevitable.
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Protocall_Design
Member
I have seen the radius on the center pin all over the map. Anything from barely there to almost a full radius. Kind of like everything else on these. When you're making tens of thousands or millions of something, especially when there is a lot of hand fitting involved, there WILL be variations in parts. That is just normal mess production. If you're making Korth or Manhurin, etc. and charging 4x the price, then you can afford to be more picky about making them.
taz666
Member
Would Lab Metal work?
Alvin Products
Alvin Products
I'm not familiar with that product, but their prices look pretty reasonable. However, I'd be somewhat hesitant to try something like that on a nice gun.
But that's just me.
As long as the other repairs are made, so the problem doesn't continue getting worse, I don't think that using the filler would be necessary.
Again, JMO.
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Yendor357
Member
I don’t understand why guys buy aluminum guns, then expect them to wear like steel. You simply cannot have your cake, and eat it too. Polishing the tip of the pin would help, but you still have a steel pressure point getting drug across an aluminum flat. Wear is inevitable.
Were the small, aluminum frame revolvers ever meant to be fired a whole lot? Why do guys shoot these things until the frames crack? They’re like an insurance policy. You buy it hoping you never have to use it. Buy a steel gun if you want to shoot it a lot.
That drag mark is the equivalent of flame cutting on the top strap, or weird burn marks on cylinders. Welcome to the imperfect world in which we live.
You guys complain long enough, and loud enough; send enough of those little aluminum guns back with cracked frames, etc, Smith will simply quit making them.
Were the small, aluminum frame revolvers ever meant to be fired a whole lot? Why do guys shoot these things until the frames crack? They’re like an insurance policy. You buy it hoping you never have to use it. Buy a steel gun if you want to shoot it a lot.
That drag mark is the equivalent of flame cutting on the top strap, or weird burn marks on cylinders. Welcome to the imperfect world in which we live.
You guys complain long enough, and loud enough; send enough of those little aluminum guns back with cracked frames, etc, Smith will simply quit making them.
StrawHat
Member
If you bought these revolvers to use, it is normal wear and tear. Steel versus aluminum, guess what wins?
If you bought these to collect, quit opening and closing them.
Kevin
If you bought these to collect, quit opening and closing them.
Kevin
Before making any changes to it, might want to contact the mother ship and see what they have to say. Tell them it looks more like a gouge instead of standard wear. If you can see sharp edges on the pin, point that out when you contact them.
That does look like an awfully wide gouge. A rounded pin would be narrower mark me thinks.
Rosewood
That does look like an awfully wide gouge. A rounded pin would be narrower mark me thinks.
Rosewood
