I bought one. Made some measurements, shot 50 rounds each of 5 loads. Here’s the scoop on mine.
Barrel groove diameter 0.355”. Yep like a tight 9 mm. But no chatter marks nor blemishes. Beautiful barrel and rifling. It has the nicest, best cut forcing cone I’ve seen in a production revolver this century. Barrel to cylinder gap 0.003”. Nice and tight. Barrel and cylinder face cut square. The barrel is clocked with front sight straight. There is a false muzzle to protect the very squarely cut crown.
Cylinder throats. One at 0.3590, four at 0.3595 and one at 0.3600. All were round. The cylinder length is a bit short at 1.560” as compared to GP100 at 1.610”. The chambers were a bit disappointingly tight. They were cut straight at 0.379”. Some of my loads would not chamber due to the tightness. I expect factory would have chambered ok. Extraction on the straight chambers was draggy. I reamed them with standard rimmed chamber reamer and cut metal the entire length of all chambers. Now they are 0.381” at the front and taper to 0.382” at the rear and extract cleanly.
Sights are very good for a fix sighted revolver. The front post width is 0.125”. The rear slot is 0.137” and is 4.375” behind the rear face of the front post. Nice sight picture. The front post is square and has a 0.095” brass bead. The brass bead doesn’t help or hurt in my view. Looks more like decoration than useful. It is a flat bead so it doesn’t make the sight appear to move with the angle of light hitting it.
The frame appears to be forged and machined stainless steel. I have not seen any burrs inside or out of it. The machining, breaking, de-burring is first class. No tool marks, no dishing. Nicely made frame. Under the squishy (Hogue?) grip is a smallish square butt. I guessed it would be round but it’s square.
I removed the side plate and found the revolver to have come from the factory very lightly oiled at the contact points like someone knew what they were doing. The action is powered by a large V spring which extends down into the grip frame. It looks like all the small parts inside are MIM. They are very nicely done MIM. They fit and function beautifully. They are well formed, well finished and appear very tight grained.
Overall, I’m very pleased with the revolver. My only criticism is the chambers being straight and tight from Colt. They’re suiting me now since I reamed them. Otherwise much nicer machining than I’ve seen recently from Ruger or Smith and Wesson. Especially the forcing cone and B/C gap.
As for shooting it, the double action stacks near the break. But it is absolutely a useable DA. The single action breaks with no perceptible trigger creep. The SA is acceptable light and is very similar to a 1970’s K-Frame Smith. Haven’t measured the trigger pull weights.
For groups, not any real data. I shot it mostly two handed, standing, unsupported. The weather conditions were not optimal and I was not feeling up to the concentration needed on the one outing so far. I will say my best group at 26 yards was over 5 inches for 5 shots but 3 of those were in 1.25”. It’s hinting that it may shoot well. I’ll find out over the next few weeks or so.
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Originally Posted by shooting on a shoestring
