Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 30

Thread: Is End Shake Desirable?

  1. #1
    Site Supporter FrankB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Bucks County, PA

    Is End Shake Desirable?

    I’m having a barrel swap done, and my fine gunsmith said that he shoots for .003” of end shake. Said it helps with thermal expansion, but I’m not a competitive shooter. Any thoughts?

  2. #2
    Site Supporter Norville's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    WI
    I know there is a spec on it, and it isn’t “zero “, so some is necessary for the thermal expansion and dirt build up that is inevitable.

    Too much will lead possibly to light strikes, but 0.003 sounds reasonable.

  3. #3
    Revolvers Revolvers 1911s Stephanie B's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    East 860 by South 413
    Quote Originally Posted by FrankB View Post
    I’m having a barrel swap done, and my fine gunsmith said that he shoots for .003” of end shake. Said it helps with thermal expansion, but I’m not a competitive shooter. Any thoughts?
    That's excessive, according to the Kuhnhausen S&W shop manual (page 34, 5th Ed.). He says that anything over .002" should be repaired.
    If we have to march off into the next world, let us walk there on the bodies of our enemies.

  4. #4
    Site Supporter
    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    Southern NV

    It depends

    It depends on the manufacturer & model.

    For example, Ruger's DA spec is looser than the S&W one posted.

  5. #5
    Member Rock185's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    The Great Southwest, under the Tonto Rim

    Thumbs up

    Just as Kuhnhausen suggests, I shoot for ~001". I would consider .003" excessive. Easier for the gunsmith, but would be unacceptable to me ....ymmv

  6. #6
    Site Supporter FrankB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Bucks County, PA
    Quote Originally Posted by Stephanie B View Post
    That's excessive, according to the Kuhnhausen S&W shop manual (page 34, 5th Ed.). He says that anything over .002" should be repaired.
    That was my understanding, Stephanie. This is what he told me: “I aim for .006 to .007 max gap with about .003 of end shake which equates to a .003 min gap.”

    Maybe he hit the wrong number while typing his email.

  7. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2021
    Location
    Outside the Moderate Damage Radius
    Setting barrel-cylinder gap to not less than 0.003" pass and 0.004" hold provides sufficient clearance for free cylinder rotation with thermal expansion and normal accumulation of powder fouling. Mean Assembly Tolerance in a new revolver before proofing is 0.005 pass/0.006 hold. In .357 Magnum it is normal for gap to open up to 0.001" in proofing.

    Head clearance from the firing pin bushing in the frame with rear gage in place should be in the range of 0.001-0.002" and the headspace dimension from the rear face of the cylinder in .38/.357 0.059-0.062 before proofing and 0.065 max in customer service.

    Intentionally fitting a gun with more than 0.002" end shake, rather than properly fitting the cylinder yoke, bushing and extractor to have correct barrel-cylinder gap and adequate head clearance for free cylinder rotation dimensions is "jackleg". End shake which can be "felt" (about 0.003") absolutely should be corrected, otherwise forceful longitudinal slamming of the cylinder during recoil will eventually stretch the topstrap and peen the frame to loosen the gun further if shooting anything heavier than .22 LR or .38 wadcutter...

  8. #8
    Member jtcarm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    Texas Cross Timbers
    Quote Originally Posted by FrankB View Post
    That was my understanding, Stephanie. This is what he told me: “I aim for .006 to .007 max gap with about .003 of end shake which equates to a .003 min gap.”

    Maybe he hit the wrong number while typing his email.

  9. #9
    Site Supporter LtDave's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Central AZ
    In response to the OP’s original question,

    NO.
    The first indication a bad guy should have that I'm dangerous is when his
    disembodied soul is looking down at his own corpse wondering what happened.

  10. #10
    Site Supporter Trooper224's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Wichita
    A few years ago I acquired a S&W M29 that had excessive endshake, really excessive. I gave it a tune up and also replaced the hand a couple of months later when the original broke. The cylinder now locks up tight as a bank vault, with zero endshake or side play. Roughly 2k rounds later it has yet to seize up due to any heat expansion. my vote is, "No". In years past, I'd been told by a couple of old time revolver smiths that necessary endshake was a myth or a lazy mans excuse for fitting up a revolver. I tend to agree.
    We may lose and we may win, but we will never be here again.......

User Tag List

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •