Posted: 1/23/2006 7:03:13 PM EDT
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So, I was at Sportsman's Warehouse today (just built, my new favorite store) checking out some revolvers with a friend who is looking for one. I'm looking at a Taurus or something, and I lightly spin the cylinder, and in doing so it snaps about halfway into the frame. The grizzled old man behind the counter snaps at me to "not do it like that." I had no idea what he was talking about, and he said it's the worst thing one can do to a revolver. Now, I don't have a lot of experience with revolvers so I very well could be wrong, but it seems to me this guy was overreacting a bit, especially since I didn't smack it shut or anything... |
| I would think repeated slamming would be necessary to cause any harm, but I understand where he was coming from. Just seemd to be a bit of an a-hole. Then a minute later he snapped at two little kids leaning on one of the glass counters. Definitely what I would call 'grizzled.' |
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Do it enough and you'll bend the crane. And then wonder why/ how your cylinder went out of time or started shaving bullets. Gun etiquette-wise, sort of in the same league as letting the slide slame home on a .45 without holding the trigger back (to save the hammer/sear engagement). So WATCH IT THERE, ya young WHIPPERSNAPPER 
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Slamming the cylinder open and shut with a flick of the wrist is known as "Bogarting" the gun. It's damaging and is on the same level as someone slamming your new car's door shut as hard as they can slam it. So he was a grouch. So's the customer looking at the gun later and notices some scuffing or damage from the slam, and accuses the shop of trying to sell him a used or abused gun. In many shops, if it's an accident, you get yelled at. On purpose, you're shown the door. As above, go into a car dealer and slam the door on a luxury car as hard as you can, and see what happens. |
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I was checking out a "new" S&W in a now defunct shop (Arizona Sportsman @ Southern & Stapley) once, the timing and lockup seemed pretty bad for a new gun. When I handed it back to the "salesman" he twirled it around, spun the cylinder and slammed it shut with the wrist flick move!! Gee, guess I'll cross that one off the list. |
| Ok, just to be clear. I didn't flick it shut Hollywood style. I lightly spun the cylinder which accidentally caused it to engage about 2/3 into the frame. I don't blame the guy for saying something, but it seemed like a bit much and I was just trying to find out what the deal was. Thanks. |
Bingo! |
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The "Bogart" move described above is the one to stay away from, depending on how you do it you can misalign the crane. The problem is trying to leverage the full weight of the cylinder through the relatively small mass of the crane. There's nothing you can really do about cranks, but as far as the gun goes you can close the cylinder as fast as humanly possible without causing damage to the gun. Hundreds of us do it thousands of times per year in shooting competitions where speed reloads are required. Just be sure you're moving the mass of the cylinder by moving the cylinder; the comparatively light crane will follow along without protest as long as you allow the cylinder to roll slightly as the gun is closed. It's also possible he was concerned about the cylinder stop. Spinning the cylinder and slamming it shut could cause a crash between the cylinder stop and one of the cylinder notchs. This is a definate no-no. If a cylinder notch is wrecked the only remedy is replacement, which could be half the original cost of the gun. |
Much safer to use the stop at the rear of the tube magazine. Press in on it with controlled force and you can pop out one round at a time, until the weapon is empty, without racking the pump. |
Thanks, V_G. I'm not sure what the "stop" is that your referring to. I've got an 870 in my lap for reference. 
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| Turn the 870 so that the shell lifter is up, i.e., upside down. Push the lifter up, and look at the rear of the tube. There are two shell stops that keep the shells in the tube until depressed. If you push on one of them, cant remember wich onw ithout looking, the shells will fall right out. |
On Mossbergs its the stop on the port side of the gun (left side when upright pointing forward) I seem to recall its the same with 870's, been a while since I trained with those. |
Cowboy movies and the old single action revolver spin the cylinder to check if 6 rounds are in place. Basically because they don't know what the hell they are doing. |