What's the name of this part?
- Thread starter Carmady
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Bob Wright
New member
On all the DA revolvers I've had in the past, it was called the "sideplate." 
But as a guess I'd say cylinder retainer?
Bob Wright
But as a guess I'd say cylinder retainer?
Bob Wright
1911_Hardball
New member
The sideplate is on the other side on that gun.On all the DA revolvers I've had in the past, it was called the "sideplate."
But as a guess I'd say cylinder retainer?
Bob Wright
Frame lug.
The studs pressed into the frame are what the trigger and hammer pivot on.
Cylinder stop would make sense, but that is the part that protrudes up from the bottom of the frame engages the cylinder to make sure it is indexed correctly for firing. Cylinder bolt is the corresponding Colt part name versus cylinder stop for S&W.
The studs pressed into the frame are what the trigger and hammer pivot on.
Cylinder stop would make sense, but that is the part that protrudes up from the bottom of the frame engages the cylinder to make sure it is indexed correctly for firing. Cylinder bolt is the corresponding Colt part name versus cylinder stop for S&W.
jaguarxk120
New member
My Gil Hebard Guns Catalog from 1984 shows the part circled in red.
On page 89 the parts break down of a "N" frame revolver and part number 21,
and is called a "Frame Lug".
On page 89 the parts break down of a "N" frame revolver and part number 21,
and is called a "Frame Lug".
Bob Wright
New member
I'm inferring that all of my experience with such parts was with Colt revolvers.
I'm not unfamiliar with Smith &Wesson revolvers, though.
Bob Wright
Driftwood Johnson
New member
Howdy
I have to admit, I have been calling it the cylinder stop stud for years. I had to go to a reprint of the 1900 S&W Catalog to find the proper name.
Part # 381. Frame Lug.
Pressed into the frame from the outside and staked in place on the inside.
The outside of the part has to be contoured precisely. It is what keeps the cylinder from sliding off the yoke when the cylinder is swung open. I have one old Smith that has been refinished and the polishing job was a bit too aggressive. The Frame Lug was rounded off too much and no longer does its job of preventing the cylinder from sliding off the yoke when the cylinder is swung open. Not the one in this photo, a different one. This is the frame of a Model 17-3 made in 1975.
Around 1998 S&W did away with the Frame Lug. By the way, the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson refers to it as the Cylinder Stop Stud, probably the source of my confusion. In its place a ridge was machined onto the side of the frame to serve the same purpose. Clearly it is more cost efficient to add a few lines of code in a CNC program than to press and stake a separate part, which has to be precision cut to shape. All S&W revolvers I have seen made since that time have this feature. This is the frame of a Model 617-6 that was made in 2003.
Hi Bob:
Easy to understand your error. Double action Colt side plates have always been on the opposite side when compared to Smith and Wesson side plates. That is the reason that Colt cylinders rotate the opposite direction compared to S&W cylinders. The hand lays on top of the assembly, so that is the way it pushes the cylinder.
I have to admit, I have been calling it the cylinder stop stud for years. I had to go to a reprint of the 1900 S&W Catalog to find the proper name.
Part # 381. Frame Lug.
Pressed into the frame from the outside and staked in place on the inside.
The outside of the part has to be contoured precisely. It is what keeps the cylinder from sliding off the yoke when the cylinder is swung open. I have one old Smith that has been refinished and the polishing job was a bit too aggressive. The Frame Lug was rounded off too much and no longer does its job of preventing the cylinder from sliding off the yoke when the cylinder is swung open. Not the one in this photo, a different one. This is the frame of a Model 17-3 made in 1975.
Around 1998 S&W did away with the Frame Lug. By the way, the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson refers to it as the Cylinder Stop Stud, probably the source of my confusion. In its place a ridge was machined onto the side of the frame to serve the same purpose. Clearly it is more cost efficient to add a few lines of code in a CNC program than to press and stake a separate part, which has to be precision cut to shape. All S&W revolvers I have seen made since that time have this feature. This is the frame of a Model 617-6 that was made in 2003.
Hi Bob:
Easy to understand your error. Double action Colt side plates have always been on the opposite side when compared to Smith and Wesson side plates. That is the reason that Colt cylinders rotate the opposite direction compared to S&W cylinders. The hand lays on top of the assembly, so that is the way it pushes the cylinder.
Last edited:
Driftwood Johnson
New member
Despite the name, the Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson is not published by Smith and Wesson.
It was written by Jim Supica and Richard Nahas. The first edition was published in 1996. I like to refer to the 3rd edition, published in 2006. The SCSW covers the entire history of everything S&W has made since the Volcanic lever action magazine rifles and pistols in 1852 to the present. The 4th edition was published in 2016, but I prefer the layout of the 3ed edition. Despite a small discrepancy such as the name of the Frame Lug/Cylinder Stop Stud it is probably the most comprehensive reference work on Smith and Wesson that exists.