why "non-fluted"?

[mark brewer]

thanks to a thread here, i just figured out what "fluted" and "non-fluted" mean. what is the advantage of a non-fluted cylinder? i can see that it would probably be cheaper to manufacture, but is there a functional purpose?

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

 

[jeffrefrig]

It's easier to clean. That's all I know!

 

[Rammer Jammer]

Less manufacturing work

Possibly stronger cylinders

Looks cool

 

[MauleN12VR]

Unfluted cylinders

For me it's purely for looks.

 

[jeffrefrig]

For me it's purely for looks.

Nice stocks!

 

[CB3]

Heavier vs. lighter.

 

[Laketime]

Added weight to absorb recoil at least in the model 29's when it was first offered.From then it became an aesthetic feature on other models.

 

[sstark036]

Love the looks of unfluted

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[diyj98]

Less manufacturing work
l

I think that's probably the biggest reason for those "special runs" manufacturer's like to do. I admit, it does look cool though.

 

[B_Still]

Love the looks of unfluted

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that cylinder looks fluted. ?

personally, I'm not fond of the unfluted look. It just looks unfinished.

Functionally speaking, isn't fluting (in general) supposed to help with cooling?

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[s&wchad]

A non-fluted cylinder is heavier and extra weight helps with recoil. Full lug barrels are even more effective, because they add a good bit more weight and it puts it out front. Some people think it makes the cylinder stronger, but that really isn’t the case. The thinnest part of a 6-shot cylinder is the stop notches. 7-shot L frame cylinders are stronger, because the notches are between the chambers, not over them.

There are down sides. Non-fluted cylinders don’t always fit in holsters made for a fluted cylinder and you don’t have the flutes to use as reference points for indexing the cylinder when closing.

 

[PatriotX]

I like the looks.

 

[murphydog]

Don’t know if it is true, but I recall reading the reason behind fluted cylinders was more leverage for manually turning a fouled (black powder) action. I suspect after this it was continued because everyone was used to the look.

 

[WCCPHD]

Why?

Cause I like 'em.







Forgot one

 

[CH4]

Realistically, it's cheaper to produce and some like the aesthetics; I don't find cleaning a fluted cylinder much more work than a non-fluted cylinder.

 

[Llance]

If you were to ask me, the unfluted cylinders give the engraver more surface area for their art. My Bisley model Ruger in 45 Colt has an unfluted cylinder and even though it's laser engraved I think it looks great.

 

[crstrode]

That's how they did it in the good old days.

 

[SLT223]

I always prefer the aesthetics of fluted cylinders. The only exception I ever made was for a 25-7. Ejector shroud, 5”, N frame big bore takes precedence over the lack of flutes.

 

[GerSan69]

I've never liked unfluted. Don't really know why, other than maybe it doesn't look "finished" to my mind. I wouldn't turn one down if the price was right, though.

 

[armorer951]

Speaking purely from an armorer's perspective, the downside of the unfluted steel cyl is that the weight puts additional stress on the cylinder stop and frame slot for the stop.....and, the revolvers fitted with these cylinders can develop excessive end shake quicker due to the added recoil battering at the end of the barrel of the yoke.