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Buying a revolver
- Thread starter sterno
- Start date
FireForged
New member
No photos but I can tell you if that will help.
After giving the article and your tag line a second look, I put two and two together and saw that you wrote that article.
Since you have alot of experience with wheelguns, Lemme ask you a question.
I'm looking at buying a used .38 snub. It's going for a good price and I've checked out pretty much all of the aspects of the gun - i.e. the cylinder/hammer play, cylinder/barrel walls, etc. The ONLY flaw I can find on this gun is on the inside of the barrel. On the frame end of the barrel there are afew small scratches. They don't seem like they'd be from bullets fired since they don't go down the length of the barrel. I'm thinking that they may be from someone carelessly jamming the center rod on a bore brush into the barrell sides. Is that a possibility? How much would that really effect the accuracy/safe use of a .38 snub?
I don't mind a used gun but I really don't want to buy one that is dangerous to fire. Any help would be appreciated.
By the way, I really like your articles and site.
Since you have alot of experience with wheelguns, Lemme ask you a question.
I'm looking at buying a used .38 snub. It's going for a good price and I've checked out pretty much all of the aspects of the gun - i.e. the cylinder/hammer play, cylinder/barrel walls, etc. The ONLY flaw I can find on this gun is on the inside of the barrel. On the frame end of the barrel there are afew small scratches. They don't seem like they'd be from bullets fired since they don't go down the length of the barrel. I'm thinking that they may be from someone carelessly jamming the center rod on a bore brush into the barrell sides. Is that a possibility? How much would that really effect the accuracy/safe use of a .38 snub?
I don't mind a used gun but I really don't want to buy one that is dangerous to fire. Any help would be appreciated.
By the way, I really like your articles and site.
I have a heard of wheel guns and this is what I look for
1. Make sure its empty and pull the hammer fully back. Grasp the cylinder and give it a gentle twist. It will move a little, but very little on a not so used gun. So that you know what you’re looking for do the same with a new gun and compare. if there is a lot of play go some where else
2. Look at the top strap above where the cylinder and the barrel meet. If there is any marks here it means that the gun has been shot a lot and the escaping gas has cut the metal away.
3. Look at over all wear, where the cylinder locks lock into the cylinder. These are small cuts into the cylinder and if there marred it shows age.
4. Many people put too much into exterior appearance. I have a mod 36 smith that was built in the late 60’s early 70’s that most of the bluing is gone. I bought it from a police man that carried it for 20 years and it had less than 150 rounds through it. In side it’s a new gun
1. Make sure its empty and pull the hammer fully back. Grasp the cylinder and give it a gentle twist. It will move a little, but very little on a not so used gun. So that you know what you’re looking for do the same with a new gun and compare. if there is a lot of play go some where else
2. Look at the top strap above where the cylinder and the barrel meet. If there is any marks here it means that the gun has been shot a lot and the escaping gas has cut the metal away.
3. Look at over all wear, where the cylinder locks lock into the cylinder. These are small cuts into the cylinder and if there marred it shows age.
4. Many people put too much into exterior appearance. I have a mod 36 smith that was built in the late 60’s early 70’s that most of the bluing is gone. I bought it from a police man that carried it for 20 years and it had less than 150 rounds through it. In side it’s a new gun
After all these tips, the gun I'm looking at seems to have never really been fired. Maybe someone's nightstand gun. The cylinder feels like it's part of the frame when the hammer's down and the trigger's all the way back. The blue is at or around 99% and the grips are pristine. As long as it's still there when I go back in the next few days...I think it'll be mine!
scratches
I have seen the lengthwise marks in the grooves from cutting the grooves. Sometimes there are also rough areas where they cut the forcing cone in the rear of the barrel. Some I have seen are pretty rough, either they were in a hurry or the cutter was dull. A gunsmith could recut or polish the forcing cone. I have seen all kinds of marks in a barrel beside what might be formed from rust pitting. Often just bad workmanship from the maker. Gunsmiths can also smooth out the insides of barrels and that can make cleaning and accuracy better.(You can buy the tools but expensive for a one time use.) Some S&W revolvers show a slight shadow inside the barrel right where it threads into the frame. That is apparently a slight restriction in the bore as they really tend to thread them in tight these days to avoid pinning the barrels to the frame. J frames can show that cause they are really thin in the threaded area. May or may not affect accuracy. Mine shoot OK with that. That is different from a dark ring in the bore caused by firing a round behind a dud stuck in the barrel. Sometimes the outside of the barrel will bulge too. Can even happen in low power rounds like .22 guns.
I have seen the lengthwise marks in the grooves from cutting the grooves. Sometimes there are also rough areas where they cut the forcing cone in the rear of the barrel. Some I have seen are pretty rough, either they were in a hurry or the cutter was dull. A gunsmith could recut or polish the forcing cone. I have seen all kinds of marks in a barrel beside what might be formed from rust pitting. Often just bad workmanship from the maker. Gunsmiths can also smooth out the insides of barrels and that can make cleaning and accuracy better.(You can buy the tools but expensive for a one time use.) Some S&W revolvers show a slight shadow inside the barrel right where it threads into the frame. That is apparently a slight restriction in the bore as they really tend to thread them in tight these days to avoid pinning the barrels to the frame. J frames can show that cause they are really thin in the threaded area. May or may not affect accuracy. Mine shoot OK with that. That is different from a dark ring in the bore caused by firing a round behind a dud stuck in the barrel. Sometimes the outside of the barrel will bulge too. Can even happen in low power rounds like .22 guns.
XavierBreath
New member
On this type of thread I always toss in a link to our own Jim March's Revolver Checkout
It's right here on the Firing Line in case you haven't found it yet.
Great site Sarge! I need to work mine over a bit as well!
It's right here on the Firing Line in case you haven't found it yet.
Great site Sarge! I need to work mine over a bit as well!
Last edited:
Thanks, Sterno...
glad you liked the site.
What you describe is impossiblefor me to diagnose without seeing the gun or good photos, but I doubt it's from a cleaning rod- or at least I've never seen anything of the sort.
Sounds to me like poor machining, with the caveat above. Just outta curiosity- what make/model/caliber arewe talking about?
glad you liked the site.
What you describe is impossiblefor me to diagnose without seeing the gun or good photos, but I doubt it's from a cleaning rod- or at least I've never seen anything of the sort.
Sounds to me like poor machining, with the caveat above. Just outta curiosity- what make/model/caliber arewe talking about?
I don't think the scratches I'm seeing are from the factory. They're too iregular an there's only afew. I've decided to buy this revolver so I'll see if I can take pictures so I can show everyone. I'm really just concerned about it being a safty hazard.
The revolver is a Charter Arms (Not Charter 2000) 5 shot .38 special snub. I think it the Off Duty version. I know that CA gets a bad rap from some people but I really like this piece and other than these small scratches it looks like it's never really been fired.
How much do you think this peice is worth?
The revolver is a Charter Arms (Not Charter 2000) 5 shot .38 special snub. I think it the Off Duty version. I know that CA gets a bad rap from some people but I really like this piece and other than these small scratches it looks like it's never really been fired.
How much do you think this peice is worth?