Well, not to be argumentative, but yes. However, it really depends on what your expectations are. IMNSHO, most single actions are out of time. It's just that what most folks do with them doesn't require the exquisite timing they are actually capable of.RSY wrote:That's normal wear over time for any revolver that's been manually cocked.spurgon wrote:Griff
Does "any" line on the cylinder mean that the timing is off or just a line that is as heavy as the one i the picture indicate that the timeing is off? Trying to learn something new every day.
spurgon
If it really drives you nuts, get a Birchwood-Casey bluing pen and touch it up. Then, be prepared to repeat every week thereafter.
scott
Here's a picture of an Jager (Itlay) SAA clone that I bought for my wife and son, and used for about 8 years or so of their cowboy action shooting.
This is an unrefinished gun, that was tuned by Bob Munden in early 1986 before ever being used in competition. For 3 years in CA we competed in about 2-3 matches a month, plus 3 big ulti-day matches a year. From '90-'93 we competed in at least one monthly match, plus 3 or 4 annual matches per year. I'm at a loss to calculate the number of rounds that have been thru it in matches and practice. At if you might think it was never shot fast, my son won the Top Gun shootoff at Raton in 1992 shooting five rounds on five targets at distances of 7 to 35 yards in 5.32 seconds. In the world of CAS, Raton's match uses the smallest targets at the longest distances, much more challenging that most SASS matches.
Short story, there is no thick heavy line around the cylinder. They don't show up in the picture, but there are some very fine, light markings... probably caused during loading or maintenance and lack of attention by... the primary cleaner of weapons in my house... me.
Cowboy action shooting is hard service for single actions. I don't believe they were really designed for the speeds at which many top shooters are operating their guns.
The above picture is a shot of my 1851 Armi San Marco. It too has been used in cowboy action shooting. I bought this gun in early 1986 and started practicing for the 1987 EOT where I finished in 5th BP. Same placing in 1988. I skipped EOT 1989 and went to the new BP Cartridge class in 1990. So, I shot for three years solid with this revolver in competition, probably a total of a little over 40 matches. It was also tuned, (but not by Bob Munden) prior to any use in competition, but you will see it has some heavy marking about 1/8" before the ramp as the bolt rises slightly early. In addition, it has some dimpling over the rest of circumference.
I don't know what that is from, maybe Nate will chime in with an opinion. I have also started using this gun again in our local matches.
A properly timed sixgun will, IMO, have the bolt remain inside the frame until the ramp is over it; rising into the ramp and be fully engaged as the locking slot comes around. This will leave marks in the ramp and locking slot. The bolt then must fall before the hand engages the cylinder as the hammer is pulled back to ensure the bolt completely clears the locking slot before the cylinder begins its rotation.
Now, is it abnormal for a revolver to show such markings? No. And for most uses, where speed is not a factor, such slightly out-of-time indications will not hamper the guns function, only its beauty.
Lastly here is a view of one of my Colt SAAs tuned by Bill Oglesby of Oglesby & Oglesby in Springfield, IL. Again, you'll see there are no lines around the cylinder. This is also a well and hard used competition gun.
You're free to come to your own conclusions, but maybe you'll see why I hold to mine.