S&W Question

BUCKAWHO

February 21, 2009 08:34

What do the following letters / numbers......06XA2, LGGGR, BO, SF, SI, FS, CS and ZS....under "Features" on the label of a S&W revolver box mean?

I'm having a brain-fart and can't make heads or tails. [:(!]

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  BUCKAWHO

  February 21, 2009 08:34

  Can anyone tell me what is meant when someone describes a S&W revolver as having a "recessed" cylinder? BT

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  perry shooter

  February 21, 2009 08:56

  Hello a rcessed cylinder is an early design that if you look at wherer the shell goes in each chamber the there will be two different diameter holes one smaller for the cartridge and one shallow larger diameter for the rim of the case. For cost cutting measures the later cylinders were just flat across the back and you can see the rim between the gap from the back of the cylinder to the recoil shield of the frame.

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  cussedemgun

  February 21, 2009 08:58

  BUCKAWHO,
  
  "recessed" - Cylinder chambers where the rear portion has been counterbored to allow the entire cartrige, including the rim, to sit flush with the rear face of the cylinder. Originally used on both magnum & rim fire Hand Ejectors, the practice was discontinued in 1982 on the magnum revolvers, but is still used on rim fires.
  
  The above is a quote from the glossery of terms in "The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson"
  
  Jim

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  BUCKAWHO

  February 21, 2009 09:48

  Aahhh, you guys sure have the answers ! Thank you ! And thusly, my model 19 is a pinned barrel, recessed cylinder, target gripped, four-inch piece from before 1982. Thanks again ! Buckawho?

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  beantownshootah

  February 21, 2009 16:25

  Here is the picture worth a thousand words.
  
  Note that the head of the cartridge doesn't "stick out". Its flush with the back of the cylinder, because an extra groove has been machined around the cylinder hold (ie the "counterbore").
  
  Recessed cylinder:
  
  
  The recessed cylinder is a holdover from the days of the "balloon head" cartridges where the cartridge rim needed support for extra strength.
  
  Its a "cool" feature on older Smith revolvers, and some prize it, mainly because "they don't make them like that anymore". Smith stopped counterboring the cylinders many years ago to save manufacturing costs.
  
  While interesting, this feature doesn't make the gun function any better with modern cartridges.
  
  In fact, arguably, the guns WITHOUT the recessed cylinder are safer, since in those guns you can tell if the gun is loaded or not with just a glance at the rear of the cylinder. If loaded, you'll see brass, etc.
  
  Here is my Smith 19-5, WITHOUT recessed cylinder (though you can't really tell based on this picture!).
  
  

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