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February 18, 2010
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Obviously it makes sense that if there is no drag line or only a very faint line, the gun has probably not been shot very much.
However, how significant it the drag line. At some point it would seem it would not get any more pronounced regardless of rounds fired.
"Life does not have to be perfect, just lived".
"Deserves got nothin' to do with it".
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January 24, 2009
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I agree, usually a more pronounced drag line indicates a high round count. It can also get there by cycling the gun unloaded, too. To me, the firing pin & recoil shield area tells the most of it's past use.For example, this gun has a LOT of hard miles on it...
Also, from my own experience, I believe that drag lines on most revolvers can be visibly lighter if you wax the outside of the cylinder before a range trip. The wax provides a slick surface & doesn't appear to develop a line as easily. Oil may have the same effect, but so far I've only tested my wax theory.
I imagine that after thousands of rounds, it would still develop a noticeable drag line even with wax, but it may be lighter...maybe. Although, I doubt I have a thousand rounds down the pipe of any of my DW's, so who knows, I may be blowing smoke.
*EDIT* Here's a good example...
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=367470479
This one has a light ring on the cylinder & at first glance, looks to have been used very little. But looking at the photo of the recoil shield I would guess that it's probably got at least 600+ rounds down the pipe. I think the previous owner took great care of this one, cleaned it often & it shows.
August 28, 2009
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That's a pretty good observation here that I've seen in the past. When the extractor star has left a such a distinct outline on the recoil shield, you can bet it's had plenty of rounds through it.
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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In light of my small experience with firearms please understand that I am relating a piece of information I have read without warranting it's veracity. The gist was that the cylinder line was caused by a sharp edge on the bolt and that the line could be minimized or avoided by honing the burr often found on the bolt. One would have to do that when the gun was new. My newly acquired 45LC has a recoil shield that looks brand new but a pronounced cylinder ring from cycling the action. The edge of the bolt is very sharp. I wonder if rounding the edge would affect lockup. I notice that stainless guns often have no or minimal line and their edges seem less crisp. Maybe a member could test this next time they acquire a new revolver and let us know the result. Old Dog
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June 25, 2013
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I have noticed that with nickle the drag line is easily buffed and smoothed out. It's somewhat like the Airstream Trailer, you don't really remove the shiny portion of the aluminum over the sturdier substrate you "move" or "turn it over" if you do it right.
The term I believe is called burnishing.
Nickle doesn't oxidize like aluminum so the polish doesn't turn the rag black.
I don't know about stainless basically because I have yet to experience a stainless DW.
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February 18, 2010
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"Life does not have to be perfect, just lived".
"Deserves got nothin' to do with it".
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January 24, 2009
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Ole Dog said
...The gist was that the cylinder line was caused by a sharp edge on the bolt and that the line could be minimized or avoided by honing the burr often found on the bolt. One would have to do that when the gun was new. My newly acquired 45LC has a recoil shield that looks brand new but a pronounced cylinder ring from cycling the action...
Yes, I think that the edges on some Bolt's are more pronounced than others, which could lead to an early onset of a drag line on blued cylinders. Still, I think that my wax theory could help alleviate some of this.
Again, this is only theoretical on my part.
Maxwell Silver said
I have noticed that with nickle the drag line is easily buffed and smoothed out.
That's true, at least in my personal results. I currently have five stainless revolvers, two of which are DW's. Using Flitz polish on the cylinders (and the whole gun), mine end up looking as if they have zero drag lines. Two examples...
Stainless is much more forgiving than bluing in this regard. However, I don't attempt to polish the recoil shield area, due to it's obvious rough texture...there's no chance it would come out looking natural.
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