Ways to tighten SBH cylinder lock-up

[WL44]

Hi there.

Firstly my apologies for this looong post.

Finally my first post here after dropping in from time to time to lurk and learn from the wisdom of others.

I'm not experineced with single actions at all and I hope someone who knows the ropes will point me in the right direction. Thanks for a great forum.

I have an early 80's NM SBH .44 Mag which really hasn't been shot much.

The cylinder lock-up is (in my opinion) not what I expect. I don't have set of range rods to check, but I've done the light at the recoil shield and squint down the barrel (of the unloaded SBH!) and cocking the hammer to check alignment. I've no idea how to quantify the movement with some sort of measurement.

There is some (more than I expect) side to side play and if I twist the cylinder to one side it stays there, slightly out of alignment.

I've heard that the oversize base pins of Bowen, or Belt Mountain, aid lock-up, but I'm wondering if the problem isn't the cylinder latch / latch (bolt) notches relationship. There's a little side to side play on the latch if I remove the cylinder and I once read somewhere of some of the custom 'smiths installing spacers or something to take out that play.

Any ideas / comments / suggestions are welcome. Maybe I'm just too paranoid about the lock-up!

I'll post some spearate queries about sizing my bullets to my cylinder throats too. I'm really keen to get make my SBH a great shooter.

Thanks again for any input.

Wim
(JHB, South Africa)

[Prof. Fuller Bullspit]

While tight cylinder can be a good thing, it's not always the best thing. Here is why:

A tight cylinder is great, if the chambers line up perfectly with the bore. However, unless the gun is line bored (like Freedom Arms) on many guns the alignment isn't perfect. In this case a little cylinder play can be a good thing because it allows the bullet to "adjust" the alignment as it exits the cylinder. If the gun locks up like a bank vault, and the chamber is not aligned with the bore, the stress of making the turn has to be absorbed by the bullet more likely resulting in more bullet deformation.

The proof is in the shooting. Shoot the gun and see if you get good accuracy. Then tinker, one thing at a time to find out what gives you better accuracy. Good luck and have fun!

[cattleskinner]

Wim,

I had the same apprehensions when I had a super blackhawk, and tended to be a little anal about the slight movement that the cylinder exhibited.  So.....I called ruger up to ask them what the deal was with the movement.  They told me that the movement is built into the design of the revolver, and it had to do with the bit of a gap when the pawl is in the grooves of the cylinder.  They also said that as long as you didn't find that there is lead being shaved off the bullets when they are shot, that it should be fine.  The blackhawk that I have now moves just slightly, and shoots great, so I don't worry about it anymore.  Hope this helps.

~~~Amos

[WL44]

Thanks Prof, Amos.

Yep, I figure I am a bit anal about it. And I got more so after getting my first FA a while back - a .357 Mag Mod 83.

My SBH doesn't shoot that great - but then that's relative too, I suppose. It'll go 1.75"-2" from time to time at 25 yrds, but that's not the rule.

That said, I've been shooting undersized bullets and I'll post a separate thread to plead for help on that  :grin: . I can't expect too much in the accuracy dept, that considered.

I feel a lot better after looking at your replies, thanks. What I don't like though is that the cylinder doesn't re-center itself if I wiggle it to the one side (to the other it pretty much comes back immeditaely). I've had a couple of revolvers with some play in the past but they always re-centered if you "left them to their own devices".

Thanks again.

Wim

[sixgunluv]

I added the Belt Mountain Base Pin to mine and it was just right and shoots superbly with 240gr xtp hornadys over 23gr. of H110