Ruger Single Six without .22lr cylinder

[hammie]

I don't mean to go off topic, but I'm not sure how you fit a cylinder. If the cylinder is longer than the frame "window", then I think I understand what you would have to do. However, it the cylinder is shorter than the frame window, then it seems you would have to somehow build up the end of the cylinder, and then turn or mill off the added metal to match the frame window - which doesn't seem like an easy thing to do. I'm not trying to be argumentative. Just trying to learn something.

Oh, and if you build up the end, can you get problems with adjusting the cylinder to barrel gap?

I'm betting that a "cylinder stretcher" is as elusive as the floor tile stretcher, which I always send the wife to look for when I cut a ceramic tile too short. She can never seem to find it.

 

[2damnold4this]

However, it the cylinder is shorter than the frame window, then it seems you would have to somehow build up the end of the cylinder, and then turn or mill off the added metal to match the frame window - which doesn't seem like an easy thing to do. I'm not trying to be argumentative. Just trying to learn something.

I'm sure there are people who know a lot more about this than me and may chime in but I read on another forum that there are a couple of methods to fit a short cylinder. On is to weld additional material to the cylinder and grind it down to fit. Another is to machine out material and insert a bushing to lengthen the cylinder.

 

[hammie]

@2damnold: I think you're right. In any case, it doesn't sound easy. The front of the cylinder would have to be left absolutely flat and perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cylinder. Not something I could do with a file or grinder.

 

[mdemetz]

http://www.triggershims.com/ruger_single_action.html

 

[2damnold4this]

Thanks for the link! Lot's of good information there.

 

[SHR970]

I don't mean to go off topic, but I'm not sure how you fit a cylinder.

Length is usually not the main problem.....timing / indexing is. Does the cylinder chamber line up with the barrel correctly? One thing some people do in checking out an older revolver is to insert a near caliber width dowel down the barrel and see if it slides into each chamber without hitting or binding on the chambers. If the cylinder is out of time you will hit the face of the cylinder and the dowel not go down. If that happens on all chambers you have a fail and you don't buy the gun as it needs work.

Generally the failures / out of tolerances are either in the cylinder stop notches or the ratchet. In the past the cylinders were hand fitted to each gun, with modern manufacturing that is generally not the case rather the exception.

 

[hammie]

@SHR970: Thanks for making it even more complicated! (LOL)

I've been told that it's difficult to alter a ratchet without messing up the whole ratchet and cylinder. Instead, you fix a timing problem by altering or changing the pawl (or hand?). That makes sense if you're fitting a new single cylinder. However, if you have dual cylinders and you change the pawl to correct timing on one cylinder, then the timing will be off on the other one. Seems problematic to me, but I'm likely over analyzing things, and perhaps, have beat the dead horse enough.