Harry homeowner cylinder allignment test?

[Changeling]

Is there any way to determine cylinder/barrel alignment in single action revolvers and to what degree they might be off?

[monadnock#5]

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=2813/sku/_38__357_SERVICE_RANGE_ROD_HEAD_ONLY

This is an example of what you need for checking cylinder alignment. You might want to check with a local gunsmith. It's something he should be able to check while you wait, looking over his shoulder.

[Bass Ackward]

Make sure that your gun is unloaded. Once that you have that done, check it again.

Take bright sunlight. Stand with your back to it and hold the handgun up so that sunlight is going directly down the barrel. Then cock the gun and look down the bore without blocking the sunlight.

If it is off, it will cast a shadow on the shield where your eye will see that it is not round. The shadow may be in other places as you go round the wheel. Or it may not which is what you want. Your eye will only be able to pick up .001 variance. Less than that and it will look round, but still be off.

You will have to play with it, but you will learn how eventually.

[FAsmus]

Change;

In some kinds of single-action revolvers (you didn't specify) the cylinder will be held up tight to the lock by the last tension placed on the trigger. Thus, Bass' advice is good but with the added need to have pressure on the trigger as you use the sunshine to check the alignment.

My method is to take a piece of white paper, place it between the rear of the cylinder and the breech of the pistol, shine a powerful light on it and look down the barrel to check for visible edges of each individual chamber on one side or the other of the rifling grooves as seen from that vantage point. ~ the shorter the barrel the easier this is but I like it because I can actually see what is going on.

Good afternoon,
Forrest

[Bass Ackward]

Yep, forgot about the trigger.

As you shoot, you can also look in a clean forcing cone and see where the tool marks are being worn away. That should be uniform all the way around. If it ain't ...................

Or shoot it and hold it lose. If you pull the trigger and the gun lurches to the right, you just banked one off the glass.

Many ways to tell.


Nothing but net.

[dubber123]

I recently used the paper and flashlight version of this technique to check over a Ruger Security Six that refused to shoot. I could have saved myself a lot of load work. 3 chambers are WAY off, a good explanation for the consistant flyers in every group.

[44man]

Yep, forgot about the trigger.

As you shoot, you can also look in a clean forcing cone and see where the tool marks are being worn away. That should be uniform all the way around. If it ain't ...................

Or shoot it and hold it lose. If you pull the trigger and the gun lurches to the right, you just banked one off the glass.

Many ways to tell.


Nothing but net.
You forgot about torque and rifling direction, right or left hand twist. Holding the gun loose will let it torque one way or the other.
But mine will also split your head open! [smilie=1:

[Bass Ackward]

You forgot about torque and rifling direction, right or left hand twist. Holding the gun loose will let it torque one way or the other.
But mine will also split your head open! [smilie=1:


:groner: Low power. Low power.

The idea is that when you look at the target and you see a flier, did you feel something different? How ever the gun recoils, it will do something different on the out of align. You will eventually notice.

You can wait and look at the notches which is another way. Kind of a too late indicator there.

At full power, that steel is going to align even if that frame has to torch or buckle to do it. Which is why most new guns / guys do better shooting rock hard, full power. Even though they damage (unbalance) the bullet, the velocity RPM combo is sufficient to stabilize a wounded duck. At least for some unknown distance. And they are happy for awhile.

That's why I put new guys on to hard and fast these days till their guns break in. Plus it speeds up the wear.

But not me. I wear this funny hat now. Hides the tattoos. :grin:

[mroliver77]

I am afraid somebody would see me pointing the gun at my face! My people worry about me already as I tell them there are things much scarier than death for me. So, if I have mis aligned cyl what are the options?
Jay

[Changeling]

Thanks guys this gives me enough information to check it and see if there is a possible problem. I DON'T LIKE SURPRISES, therefore the question.

mroliver77, I see no one answered so I'll try, not trying to be funny. 1. Prayer, hardly ever works. 2. A great gunsmith and lots of cash. Actually there is a third option of just living with it, if you can.

[mroliver77]

Just what I thought. I always just send them down the road. Fellows in Virgina do cyl conversions and mark each chamber to the frame before drilling and chambering. I cannot remember the name but have thought of having them do a SA for me if I ever fall into a deal on an action or gun for the price where's I can build one from the ground up. I have never went this route and would like to before Kingdom Come.
JUay