Timing of S&W revolvers

[Chubbo]

I bought a Mod.27 S&W a while back, and It has a pronounced ring around the cylinder, which suggests that it is out of time. The revolver seems to lock up solid when the cylinder is at the right spot.
Where would I get some good advice, on how to check the timing on this revolver?
I don't know of a reliable pistol smith in the Columbus Ohio area.
Chubbo

 

[RightWinger]

Any revolver that has been shot more than a few times will develop a ring around the cylinder, this is due to the cylinder stop dragging on the cylinder as it rotates till it gets to the notch on the cylinder. If the gun is out of timing you can pull the trigger in double action slowly and if the hammer drops before the cylinder stop is in the notch, its out of timing, you can try this by pulling the trigger faster too.....I have had some revolvers that if you pulled the trigger in DA they were fine, but once you sped up your trigger pulls it would get out of timing.

 

[BruceM]

See answer to this exact same question which you posted on another Forum. Just curious to see if you got a different or better response there.



B.

 

[JSR III]

The way I learned to check timing was to cock the revolver very slowly. I mean like in slow motion. Then try to rotate the cylinder. Do this for each chamber. If the cylinder moves even slightly and then locks in place, the timing is off. If when you go to rotate the cylinder it is all ready locked in its stop position, then timing is OK.

At least that is how I was told.

 

[Fastbolt]

The ring caused by the cylinder stop's ball dragging against the cylinder is called a 'stop track'.

It's a normal event due to the mechanical design and operation of S&W revolvers.

 

[Alk8944]

The ring caused by the cylinder stop's ball dragging against the cylinder is called a 'stop track'.

It's a normal event due to the mechanical design and operation of S&W revolvers.

What he said!!! And anyone who tells you it is caused by a defect in the revolver or can somehow be prevented by proper adjustment simply doesn't know what he is talking about.

 

[OKFC05]

bought a Mod.27 S&W a while back, and It has a pronounced ring around the cylinder, which suggests that it is out of time

Whoever told you that will probably lie about other things too.

When I lived in MD, a neighbor shot my S&W revolver, liked it, and bought himself a new one. He became obsessed when the stop line appeared on the cylinder (as it always does) and was convinced the gun should be "fixed."

No matter how many shooters or gunsmiths told him it was normal, he kept looking for the guru who would tell him the "truth."

Fact is, if the gun were to be modified so the stop only engaged when in the ground lead-in groove, the gun would skip when fired double action.

 

[teesur]

The way I learned to check timing was to cock the revolver very slowly. I mean like in slow motion. Then try to rotate the cylinder. Do this for each chamber. If the cylinder moves even slightly and then locks in place, the timing is off. If when you go to rotate the cylinder it is all ready locked in its stop position, then timing is OK.

At least that is how I was told.

Exactly the same way I was taught by a well respected pistol smith a long time ago. He always maintained that all timing problems he'd ever encountered were the direct results of amateur gunsmithing activities and not an inherent problem in well made revolvers.
teesur.

 

[Bullseye Smith]

The way I learned to check timing was to cock the revolver very slowly. I mean like in slow motion. Then try to rotate the cylinder. Do this for each chamber. If the cylinder moves even slightly and then locks in place, the timing is off. If when you go to rotate the cylinder it is all ready locked in its stop position, then timing is OK.

At least that is how I was told.

This is correct, but I must add this shows the problem is something to watch. Try cocking the gun like normal use (after the above test) and see if it locks up, if it does then you have a timing problem to watch. Should check it every time you shoot or clean, because a clean gun could have a problem but after it gets dirty it doesn't. The dirt takes up the slack.

 

[Skip357]

I was taught 42 years ago to check your timing like this./Remove the cylinder and cock the hammer back slowly until the hand is in the center of the center pin hole.And for the ring around the cylinder live with itSmith try for years and still got it

 

[Mountainbear]

You need to slightly retard the movement of the cylinder with your finger when checking the timing. Use less than 5 pounds of pressure. Then cock the hammer and check if the cylinder stop has engaged the notch on the cylinder. Do the same for both DA and SA.

 

[ken158]

Timing is different when the cylinder is empty and when it is full due to the inertia of the weight of the ammo. If you look at how a S&W revolver is designed, you will see that the cylinder stop comes through the frame and rides on the cylinder until it rotates to the notch where it rests which aligns the chamber with the barrel. That is where the ring comes from. The hand rotates the cylinder off contact with the ratchets. Both can be adjusted to assist with proper timing. Looking at the hand (that is not broken or bent) with an open cylinder will give you no more of a idea if timing is correct than any internet lore or old timer story. The revolver wont go out of time in your night table drawer and a clean revolver will work better than a dirty revolver - which should be obvious to most.

 

[shawn mccarver]

I bought a Mod.27 S&W a while back, and It has a pronounced ring around the cylinder, which suggests that it is out of time. The revolver seems to lock up solid when the cylinder is at the right spot.
Where would I get some good advice, on how to check the timing on this revolver?
I don't know of a reliable pistol smith in the Columbus Ohio area.
Chubbo

Send it to S&W if you do not know how to check it yourself.