Removing scratches from outside this cylinder

[MG-70]

I just bought this old 686 and the story is that it lived in someone's toolbox and therefore there are scratches on opposite sides of the cylinder. I don't think I can remove them completely without altering the stop notches, but would like to smooth them out some.

Questions:

Is there any harm in sanding the areas BETWEEN the cylinder stop notches and the ramps leading to them?

Any suggestions on how I could do this minimizing damages?

Thanks in advance!

 

[chief38]

MG-70

The damage, from what I can see here is pretty extensive! I would NOT try to totally remove all the damage because you would have to sand TOO DEEP and the shape of the Cylinder would be distorted. One suggestion would be to sand a little to just remove the sharp burrs and metal that are sticking out higher than the Cylinder (to not catch on the Cylinder Stop), but I would NOT suggest sanding them all the way out for fear of going too deep and changing the Cylinder shape and dimensions.

 

[Comrad]

I would consider bead blasting the whole gun but I'm partial to that finish and don't really like shiny guns. The matte finish won't eliminate the gouge but it will help hide it.

 

[F75gunslinger]

I would suggest getting a new cylinder for it. That one has been pretty beat up, and to sand deep enough to remove the scratches would make some parts of the cylinder pretty thin.

 

[Hapworth]

Provided the revolver functions correctly and shoots well, I'd leave it as a beater rather than risk affecting lock-up trying to make 'er pretty...

 

[MG-70]

MG-70

...I would NOT try to totally remove all the damage because you would have to sand TOO DEEP and the shape of the Cylinder would be distorted. One suggestion would be to sand a little to just remove the sharp burrs and metal that are sticking out higher than the Cylinder (to not catch on the Cylinder Stop), but I would NOT suggest sanding them all the way out for fear of going too deep and changing the Cylinder shape and dimensions.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

I haven't shot it, so I don't know how the damage affects the cylinder rotation.

Thank you all for the feedback!

 

[Alk8944]

With road-rash on the cylinder like that what does the rest of the gun look like?

And as to your second question, that will have absolutely no effect on function of the revolver, it is simply cosmetic.

 

[755]

Wouldn't the cylinder stop get a lot of wear from dragging across those scratches. Just a question I have?

 

[snowman.45]

While I agree that a new cylinder would be preferable, I would disassemble the unit, draw file across the damaged areas (lightly to remove any raised areas), followed by abrasive cloth, then followed by bead blasting. The intent is not to take off material other than the damaged areas raised above the surface. I've used this method on a couple of badly scratched, though not gouged cylinders to good effect. After bead blasting, they were no longer visible. I think some of your damage may still show, but it will be much less noticeable.

 

[g8rb8]

At first glance those scratches/gouges look too deep to remove however close up detailed photos tend to overstate the problem so if it's important to you to improve it then go for it. Some of the suggestion already provided seem reasonable to improve it.

On the other hand it looks like a perfect toolbox/truck gun as it sits so just leave it be.

 

[MG-70]

Thanks guys. The rest of the revolver looked clean, except for other areas that were in contact with the bottom of the toolbox, basically bottom of grip panel (right?), and very tip of the muzzle and barrel lug on both sides. Only one of three sideplate screws was slightly buggered, the leftmost flat head one, the others don't seem to have been touched, and the internals were extremely clean and dry. I think it was shot little and neglected all it's life.

I was looking for a shooter, so I'll try to fix whatever I can myself before thinking about swapping cylinders, etc. I'm going to install some Hogue Monogrips until I have time to properly restore, or sand and refinish, the combat grips.

It's a 686 no dash, with the M stamp. Serial# AAH828X; can anyone guestimate year of manufacture?

Cheers

 

[H Richard]

I would definitely use a file, not sandpaper, and only to just knock down the rough surface, not to remove the scratch's. A bead-blast overall finish may result in a more pleasing appearance. A bead-blast blue can be very attractive.

 

[824tsv]

Thanks guys. The rest of the revolver looked clean, except for other areas that were in contact with the bottom of the toolbox, basically bottom of grip panel (right?), and very tip of the muzzle and barrel lug on both sides. Only one of three sideplate screws was slightly buggered, the leftmost flat head one, the others don't seem to have been touched, and the internals were extremely clean and dry. I think it was shot little and neglected all it's life.

I was looking for a shooter, so I'll try to fix whatever I can myself before thinking about swapping cylinders, etc. I'm going to install some Hogue Monogrips until I have time to properly restore, or sand and refinish, the combat grips.

It's a 686 no dash, with the M stamp. Serial# AAH828X; can anyone guestimate year of manufacture?

Cheers

1982......................

 

[MG-70]

Thanks for the date!

 

[moxie]

The Hogue Monogrips will make it a much better shooter!

And yeah, just knock off the high points with a file and go for it. After a VERY thorough clean and lube of course.

 

[retired2006]

Here is a trick you can do, if you have a 3/8" electric drill. First of course, remove that yoke. Chuck the ejector rod in the drill, making sure to position the cylinder so there is no wiggle to the cylinder as the drill turns the cylinder. You will probably need a spacer, a 1/4" socket works for me.
Start with 320 emery paper, spin cylinder and use the emery paper to polish the cylinder. You will not get the flutes or the cylinder stop notches. After the 320 grit, you may go finer, say 400, or 600 grit. Then use scotch brite pads to polish the cylinder to match the rest of the gun.
All the supplies you need should be available at a well stocked hardware store.

 

[steelslaver]

Before you go to filing or sanding on those scratches you could take a very small hammer or piece of flat bar and lightly tap all the high spots. Even press and rub the area with a smooth hard surface. This will cause high metal to move back into low spots. Some of the scratching isn't metal being removed, but is metal that was displaced. This wouldn't fix it of course, but it will help minimize to low spots a bit.

 

[MG-70]

Before you go to filing or sanding on those scratches you could take a very small hammer or piece of flat bar and lightly tap all the high spots. Even press and rub the area with a smooth hard surface. This will cause high metal to move back into low spots. Some of the scratching isn't metal being removed, but is metal that was displaced. This wouldn't fix it of course, but it will help minimize to low spots a bit.

That's a great suggestion, but I'm afraid I had already started before having read it. It turned out pretty good, and it's dry-firing fine, with snap-caps, in both double and single action. The first time I closed it, 1 in 18 times when firing single action, the hammer and trigger would both go forward together after a trigger pull, or the hammer would get stuck half-way in it's course. I popped the sideplate back out and repositioned the hammer block and haven't had that happen again in many tens of dry-fires (with snap caps) in both single and double action.

I'll try to post pics later.

Thanks again!

 

[MG-70]

Follow-up pics. I still have to find the proper rubbing compound to make the stainless look more even.

First off, is it normal that the cylinder crane screw does not have the plunger and spring, and looks like the center screw? Notice how that part on the right is eaten from the screw head having been tightened when it wasn't fully inserted (my theory, anyway).



A couple of "afters" from having smoothed out the scratches on both sides of the cylinder.





Here she is, looking better than when I got it...



and with a couple of friends...

 

[16thVACav]

Nice work!