Old Model 63 questions? Help Please

[macdab]

I just purchased my first old model 63 revolver with pin barrel and I have questions. Overall condition is very good.

Should the number stamped on the crane match the serial number of the gun? Mine does not. The crane fit is very good and looks original to the gun.

Also, when the cylinder is open, there is more side to side play than there is on my new 8 shot model 63. Is this normal?

The lock up is good, but not as good as the new model 63. Again, is this normal?

Thanks, Dean

 

[Doug M.]

It may have been made before the trend to putting the serial # in the frame window. The # you see is some sort of fitting or inspection # and has no real meaning outside the factory.

The lock up and play differences you perceive may have been there since manufacture; maybe the result of a ton of shooting (no idea how much that would take in a J frame .22 - not my knowledge set); may have been created by some form of abuse (flipping the cylinder closed instead of pressing it is a NO-NO), or any combination of the above and maybe some other factors about which I do not know enough to theorize.

 

[macdab]

Thanks Doug M. for the above information.

I just now removed the grips and crane for cleaning and found the number stamped on the crane is also stamped on the frame underneath the grips. So, it looks like it all matches. However, the number is not similar to the serial number of the gun.

Still looking for more opinions on the side to side play of the cylinder when cylinder is open. There is only a faint turn line on the cylinder and the rest of the gun indicates it has not been shot much.

 

[ken158]

Hard to understand the open cylinder side play you speak of... close the cylinder, pull the trigger and hold it back - check the front to back play. That is your endshake. Some side to side play has to exist for gun to work. As far as serial number and other numbers you may find on the gun - the only number to look for is on the bottom of the grip frame and that is your serial number. Don't worry about any other numbers you see as they are of no importance once the gun left the factory.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

The only time I would worry about cyl. side to side play is if it was grossly present when the cly. is locked in the frame. Lots of revolvers have some "slop" when the cyl./crane is in the open position.

 

[macdab]

Thanks for all the information and help.

I was also hoping someone who owned both the new model 63 and old model 63 would comment about comparison of the two in this area.

 

[Doug M.]

I could be wrong, but I tend to think that the variances (tolerance stacking) between any two examples could be broad enough that older vs. new make might not be a valid comparison.

 

[g8rb8]

I have a 63 no dash non-pinned barrel. What you describe is normal in my opinion as long as lock-up and end shake are acceptable. It seems like the cylinders are a little looser uncocked in J-frame .22 calibers compared to K-frame .22's but it could be the amount of "play" is the same but just seems bigger in the smaller J-frame package(?).