At which hammer position do you check cylinder to barrel clearance?

[AR. Hillbilly]

I can definitely get more than a sheet of notebook paper in between the barrel and cylinder on my used brasser. I feel it was a mistake. 😡😡😡

[AlaskanGuy]

hmmmmm.... i am watching...

[Zulch]

    AR, Good morning. Though not an expert, I can only offer from my experience. There are certainly others more qualified to answer. When I measure my cylinder to barrel gap I place the revolver on half cock and hold the cylinder to the rear and measure with a feeler gauge. You will read and or have read a lot regarding what is the best clearance. I've read anything between .002 and .005 is fine. Anyone else out there, please chime in. Thanks, Tim

[Captainkirk]

Generally .003-.005 on an open top. That advice from the Goon Hisself. Remmies can go a bit tighter; the less gap, the less powder buildup which tends to bind the axle pin on a Remmy. Also, Remmies have a fixed gap, as should a Colt with short arbor issues fixed...but most of them aren't. Just sayin'.
Also, when checking barrel gap at half cock, don't lower the hammer back down on the nipple from HC. Go to full cock then down to rest or you'll wind up with "ring around the collar" (drag line) on your cylinder.

[Hawg]

Back in my day .006-.008 was considered normal and .010 wasn't anything to worry about. I would check the recoil shield to see if the cylinder ratchet is imprinting it.

[Captainkirk]

AR, is this a Colt or Remington repro?

[AR. Hillbilly]

AR, is this a Colt or Remington repro?

Colt Navy Brass frame pietta. Older model

[Hawg]

This is what happens when you overload a brass Colt. The one on the left is a new frame. The one on the right has been overloaded to the point the arbor pulled completely out of the frame. Notice the dents in the recoil ring. That's the first sign.

[Zulch]

This is what happens when you overload a brass Colt. The one on the left is a new frame. The one on the right has been overloaded to the point the arbor pulled completely out of the frame. Notice the dents in the recoil ring. That's the first sign.

Hawg, thank you sir. the picture tells the story. 

[Captainkirk]

AR, is this a Colt or Remington repro?

Colt Navy Brass frame pietta. Older model

Compare yours to Hawg's photos...which one does yours look more like?

[Hawg]

This is a .36 Remington that's just started to imprint.

[AR. Hillbilly]

This is what happens when you overload a brass Colt. The one on the left is a new frame. The one on the right has been overloaded to the point the arbor pulled completely out of the frame. Notice the dents in the recoil ring. That's the first sign.

Hawg, thank you sir. the picture tells the story. 

I’ve looked mine over and it doesn’t appear beat like the one on the right. Tonight I’ll take out apart and look with a magnifying glass.
I’ll also use a feeler gauge and see just how wore it is.

[AR. Hillbilly]

Ok I’m home. I went to the shop and got a feeler gauge. I believe it has 013 play. The 014 won’t go and 012 slides easily through.
I took it apart and it doesn’t look all beat like the one above in the pic.

[Hawg]

Ok I’m home. I went to the shop and got a feeler gauge. I believe it has 013 play. The 014 won’t go and 012 slides easily through.
I took it apart and it doesn’t look all beat like the one above in the pic.

That's a lot even by old standards. Goon could fix it for you but IMO it's not worth it for a brass frame. I'd just shoot it like it is. Just don't overload it. Keep charges at 20 grains or under.

[Zulch]

Bottom line AR is it can be repaired like Hawg said so don’t discount it. 😊